What is health? 

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What is an integrative approach to health?

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How does health and well-being coaching work?

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How does working with a health coaching differ from working with a therapist, dietician or life coach?

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What do I, as a client, get out of it?

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Why isn't there a coaching program?

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How much does it cost?​

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What's the cancellation policy?

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How many sessions do I need?

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What is health?

 

When we talk about 'being in good health', it often doesn't mean we don't have any health issues; it means that we can go through life more or less carefree, without feeling the discomforts of illness. But what does it really mean to be in good health?

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The Romans considered mental health to be an essential part of physical health: mens sans in corpore sano (a healthy mind in a healthy body). Yet, for a very long time, Western medicine did not take into account the impact of our mental well-being on our physical well-being: physical and mental health were treated as two separate and distinct disciplines. Fortunately, this has changed in recent decades, e.g., we now know that trauma can make us more vulnerable to developing long-term or chronic illness, and thus have an impact on our physical health.

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If there is one takeaway from living through a pandemic, for me, it's the importance of social well-being. Strong, healthy relationships can help us strengthen our immune systems, recover from disease, and maybe even lengthen our lives. I therefore fully support the World Health Organization's definition of health:

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"Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."

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What is an integrative approach to health?

 

Integrative health is a holistic approach to health care and well-being, i.e., it focuses on you as a whole.

 

Integrative health:

• is evidence-based (based on facts);

• helps establish a partnership in healing between patient and doctor;

• takes into account all the factors that may affect your health: physical, mental and social well-being;

• is not a form of alternative medicine, and is used in addition to conventional health care (not in place of).

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The objective is to achieve optimal health and healing. It goes without saying that promoting health and preventing disease are paramount.

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There are many different types of integrative healthcare (e.g., osteopathy, yoga, massage therapy, meditation, nutritional counseling, etc.), and they are not one-size-fits-all. The key is to find out what works for you in addressing your personal health needs.

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Integrative healthcare has something for everyone: it can help you relax when you are living through a stressful period in your life; it can also help you recover from disease, or live with chronic conditions such as diabetes or autoimmune disease. There are many ways to improve your health and well-being through integrative health approaches.

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How does health and well-being coaching work?

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Clients come to me with health objectives they find difficult to realize. Objectives require change, and change is often looked upon as difficult (sometimes even downright impossible).
 

We talk about the importance of that change, and at the actions you are ready to take in order to realize that change. If your health goals seem overwhelming to you, we work on dividing them up into smaller, attainable goals.

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When you improve your healthy habits, or implement new ones, they have to suit your lifestyle. I don't tell you what to do; I guide you in figuring out what works best for you. If the change doesn't fit, we will use the tools of self-reflection, self-critique and self-correction and work on making that fit happen for you.

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Your coaching journey has to be a constructive and positive experience.

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This is also, in a nutshell, my coaching philosophy. After all, life should be enjoyed, and that also goes for your coaching journey. You shouldn't feel as if you are deprived of anything, especially since you want to achieve sustainable lifestyle changes.

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Health and well-being coaching helps you see the possibilities based on your unique situation. This supports you in making sustainable lifestyle changes. It can give you the push you need to move forward, pick you up when you're having a not-so-amazing day, and provide you with the unconditional support you need to help you understand what works best for you.

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As a health and well-being coach, I also support you in establishing a sound relationship with your healthcare providers to enable you to actively take part in developing strategies to improve your well-being. 

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The goal is to make you feel more positive and enthusiastic about life, and thus improve your overall state of health, and your quality of life.

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How does working with a health coaching differ from working with a therapist, dietitian or life coach?

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Traditional therapy often focuses on past experiences and their impact on your current behavior; it's about 'fixing wrongs'. In coaching we start from the present, and move forward. I help you build upon your strengths to improve your healthy habits. I empower you to take charge of your life's needs, and to grow steadily towards realizing your health goals, in a sustainable manner. Just like a therapist, I am on your side. Our relationship is built on trust, and I am not here to judge you.

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Dietitians support people to improve their health by providing food and nutrition information. They provide nutrition-related advice, and can also change diets to help manage medical conditions. As a health and well-being coach, I do not prescribe diets; I provide the support for you to adopt a new way of eating, to deal with cravings, and to replace heavily processed foods by nourishing whole foods, i.e., unprocessed and unrefined foods, or foods that have been processed and refined as little as possible.

My coaching is not limited to nutrition. I work with you as a whole person, and the integrative coaching approach also takes into account your physical, mental, and social well-being.

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Health and well-being coaches can help with a broad variety of health issues, e.g., weight loss, stress reduction, addiction, living with chronic disease or autoimmune disease, self-care after trauma, etc. There is an overlap between the scope of an integrative health and well-being coach and that of a life coach. However, life coaches can also work with you on, e.g., professional productivity, or relocation.

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What do I, as a client, get out of it?

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My mission is to empower you to live a healthier, more balanced, and happier life.

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The more you put into it the coaching, the more you'll get out of it! I'm the person who empowers and guides you on your path of growth, and supports you in bringing about sustainable lifestyle changes – healthy habits – to improve your overall quality of life. The goal is to upgrade your life in a sustainable way, to live, grow, and excel!

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A healthier lifestyle can affect everything: when your energy-levels go up, you’ll be able to do more, be there for your loved ones, and live life to the fullest.

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Why isn't there a coaching program?

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Because we are not the same. There is no one-size-fits-all diet and there also isn't a coaching program that works for everyone.

 

I want to work with you, with your questions, your needs, your routines, and your objectives.

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How much does it cost?​

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Before we start out on a coaching journey, I invite you to book the free 45-minute Healthy Habits Call. It always takes place online (via Whereby) and you can book it via my profile on doctoranytime. During this call, we get to know each other, and we decide if we want to work together.

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Thereafter, I charge 55 EUR (incl. VAT) for a 45-minute session, whether in person or online.

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Until the end of October 2022, these sessions will be online only. From beginning of November onwards, we can also meet at my practice in Brussels (in Ixelles and Brussels – updates on the addresses will follow soon).

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What's the cancellation policy?

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If you can't make it to an appointment, you can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours prior to the appointment. For cancellations that happen within 24 hours of the appointment, you will be invoiced in full for the appointment. You can cancel via email or text message.

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How many sessions do I need?

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The average health and well-being coaching takes about three months, with sessions every two to three weeks. Some clients only choose to have a few sessions (two to three) in order to get back on track, while others feel they need more time to make sustainable changes. It really depends entirely on you, and your health objectives.

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