Functional Health Coaching
Functional medicine addresses the root causes of illness and aims to address chronic disease, caused by the mismatch between our bodies and the modern environment, through diet and lifestyle interventions. Functional medicine is a holistic, patient-centred, collaborative approach to health care. It treats the patient as a whole person. Functional health practitioners work with a team of nutritionists and coaches to support their patients on their journey towards wellness.
Coaching is a vehicle for helping people to achieve a higher level of well-being and performance in life and work, particularly when change is hard.
The Process
When you embark on a coaching relationship with me, I ask you to undertake a commitment to 8 coaching sessions. This is because you are going to go through a process of change. Change does not happen instantly, in fact, it is a life-long process. You need to be committed and ready to take those first steps, which will be a 2–3-month journey. Ideally, in the first month we meet once a week, after that we can move to once a fortnight, if that is what you prefer.
We start with creating your vision for health and wellness. Visioning can be a challenge for some, and for others it flows with ease. The purpose of a vision is to be able to achieve a shift in identity that aligns with your core values and strengths. When you shift your identity, the world shifts with you. What is an identity? It is a present-tense statement about yourself that describes what you are in essence (even if at the moment it is an aspiration). An example of an identity would be “I am a healthy, fit person, full of energy”. Your vision is the motivator behind your goals.
In our second-third session/s you determine at least three 3–6-month goals. We call them long term goals, as opposed to weekly or fortnightly short-term goals. Goals can be divided into outcomes, such as: I want to lose 5 kg in three months or process: I am going to go to the gym 3 times a week, for an hour each time. The goals should be SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time bound. Together we explore the four pillars of health: nutrition, exercise and movement, sleep, and stress-management, we may also touch on reducing the toxic load we are all exposed to in the form of radiation, chemicals, and other pollutants.
I ask that you take notes during our sessions and commit to at least one small step a week. You determine what it is, I do not put pressure on you, I do not tell you what to do, and although I am here to hold you accountable, I do not chastise you for not achieving what you set out to do. My role is that of listening attentively to you, asking you thought provoking questions, reflecting what you have said, sometimes getting it wrong, and being a vehicle for your self-discovery and behaviour change that leads to growth and desired wellness.
As a Functional Health Coach, I was trained to look at health and wellness through the ancestral lens; what we evolved to eat, what exercise meant to our ancestors, the importance of sleep, the role of hormones and our nervous system in wellness, what our genes determine, and the role of epigenetics in the orchestra of our lives. Opinions on these areas of health abound, and I continue to explore them. However, I am not a nutritionist or a dietitian, and I do not prescribe anything. I can and do share information with you if you should want it. I recommend that you speak to your health practitioner and have relevant blood, urine, stool and breath tests to give an indication of what, if anything, may be driving your condition.
Other than the 1st session, visioning, which typically lasts an hour, my sessions are designed for 30-45 minutes, depending on your preference. They follow a set framework, of engaging and talking about your experiences of the last week, setting your agenda and focus for our session, exploring your focus, your reasons, your values, your strengths in achieving your desired outcome, and finally planning for the coming week, establishing small steps you are going to take.
My fees are $A75 per session. Payment options are negotiable, but paying in advance for 8 sessions is recommended. If for whatever reason, you decide that coaching with me is not for you, I shall refund whatever money is outstanding with no hesitation.
After the initial 8 sessions, you are most welcome to continue with weekly or fortnightly sessions on a pay as you go basis. We will set new goals, re-examine your vision, and continue to move forward.
Food Prep and Cooking with Me
For people who understand the link between home cooked food and health, but are not confident in the kitchen, I offer zoom cooking lessons. Grab your computer, phone or tablet, gather your ingredients and let us work magic together. Cooking sessions A$50 per hour. Any questions prior to or after our cooking sessions will be answered by text message. Don’t hesitate to ask anything at all!
Next Steps
If you’re interested in working together please contact me for a free 30 minute discovery call in which we can get to know one another and ascertain whether we are a good fit .
I did a series of coaching sessions with Deborah and I've come out with such clarity and motivation. We discussed and worked on areas involving exercise consistency/habit forming, career clarity, improving sleep hygiene, and self-expression. It was all done with such ease and grace from Deborah, she made it a completely safe place to explore and share. Through her support and guidance I've found a new sense of confidence and self-assurance. Thank you so much Deborah!
— Ange Wotherspoon