Episode 15: Why Health Coaches Are the Missing Link to Our Healthcare System: A Conversation with Elyse Wagner

What if the missing piece in our healthcare system isn't another prescription, but a person trained to actually guide you toward the change you already know you need to make?

In this episode, Kimberly sits down with Elyse Wagner, founder and CEO of Elyse Wagner International, creator of A Nourished Business Academy and A Nourished Life, and one of the leading voices for health coaches worldwide. With over a decade of experience training more than 5,000 health coaches globally, Elyse is on a mission to transform one billion lives through what she calls ripple effect.

Together they unpack:

• Elyse's personal health journey that started at 13 years old and led to a celiac diagnosis in grad school 

• Why our current system is built on sick care instead of health care

• The real gap between getting certified as a health coach and building a sustainable practice 

• What it means to live and lead from a place of nourishment instead of depletion 

• How health coaches are the bridge between knowing what to do and actually doing it 

• Where health coaching is headed in the next 5 to 10 years

Whether you're a health coach, a healthcare provider, a dental hygienist, or someone who's just tired of being told what to do with your own body, this episode will make you stop and ask, "Why don't I already have a health coach?"

Connect with Elyse: Website: elysewagner.com Instagram: @elysewagnerofficial LinkedIn: Elyse Wagner International Free Health Coach Leadership Summit: May 19th (link on her website)

🔗 Connect with me:
Website: www.rootingwithinhealth.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rootingwithinhealth
Email: Kimberly@rootingwithinhealth.com

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Disclaimer: Kimberly Williamson is a Registered Dental Hygienist, Certified Integrative Health Coach, and Registered Yoga Teacher, but is not YOUR RDH, health coach, or yoga teacher. The content shared in these episodes is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, dental, psychological, or legal advice. Always consult your physician, licensed therapist, or qualified healthcare provider before making any changes to your health, wellness, or lifestyle.

© 2026 Rooting Within Health. All...

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:08

Welcome to Rooting Within Health. I'm Kimberly Williamson. This is a gloves-off podcast. Nothing goes undisclosed. This year, more advocacy, more truth, more conversations that matter to you. Systemic change and reform take time, but we are finding our collective voice together. Thank you for being here. Hey guys, real quick, before we jump into today's episode, I want to share something with you that I've been working with behind the scenes. I've launched the Rooting Within Health Scholarship Fund to support future dental hygienist. And I also have a shop on my website with t-shirts, hoodies, and accessories, and a portion of every purchase goes directly to that fund. So check it out. It's at RootingWithinHealth.com. Welcome back, everyone. Today I'm joined by Elise Wagner, founder and CEO of Elise Wagner International, creator of a nourished business academy and a nourished life, and someone who's been called the leading voice for health coaches worldwide. She's an NBHWC approved CE provider, an IFM member, and over the last decade, she's trained more than 5,000 health coaches globally. But here is what is fascinating about Elise. She doesn't just train health coaches. She is on a personal mission to transform 1 billion lives through what she calls a ripple effect. And she believes, like I do, that health coaches are the missing link in our health care system. In this conversation, we get into all of it. Her own personal health journey that started at 13 years old, why she believes our health care system is built on sick care rather than health care, and the gap between getting certified and actually building a sustainable practice, and also what it really means to live and lead from a place of nourishment instead of depletion. I have to say, Elise and I are both Pisces, so I felt that synergy from our very first conversation. Her energy is magnetic, deeply intuitive. And you're going to feel it the moment she starts speaking. Some people just get it. And she is one of them. Whether you're a health coach, a healthcare provider, or someone who's just tired of being told what to do with your own body, this episode is for you. It will make you stop and say, Why don't I already have a health coach? So let's get into it. I'm welcomed by Elise Wagner, founder and CEO of Elise Wagner International, creator of A Nourished Life, ANBA, and NBHWC approved CE provider, and someone widely recognized as a leading voice for health coaches worldwide. Give us the 30-second version of who you are and what you do.

SPEAKER_01 2:45

Ultimately, at the core and essence of who I am and what I do, I absolutely love and stand for supporting heart-centered health coaches and getting their work out into the world so that they can thrive from a very holistic lens, you know, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and also from a career space.

SPEAKER_00 3:10

Take us back to where you were, what you were doing before you were guiding health coaches in their careers. And what was the moment that experience pulled you toward this work?

SPEAKER_01 3:19

Yeah, so it's really interesting is there's a couple of different points in time that have really put me on this path. And this is a very purposeful path. I very much uh am a mission, you know, vision-driven human being and values-driven person as well. But when I was 13 years old, I would say that's the very first time where uh I've I've always been very intuitive with my own self and my own body, and I never felt well. Like I never felt good. Um, and I also didn't like the way that I looked in, you know, I'd look in the mirror and I was always like thin in my arms and my legs, but I was my belly was always like kind of bigger, bulgier, you know. And I'm just like, what's going on? Right. And um I could tell and made this intuitive connection that there were certain foods in me that just didn't agree. Like I was definitely the poster child for eating the standard American diet, you know, uh Cheetos and Doritos and, you know, any and all processed foods. And because of that, I felt really, really crappy. I was taunted um and made fun of in middle school as obese Elise. You could never, I never knew you could rhyme my name with something. And there you go. Um, so kids got very creative, but it hurt, you know, emotionally. And I honestly did not have the coping skills or the tools on how to handle that. And I'm very hypersensitive human being. So I remember I went down and I talked to my mom um that same night that I looked at myself in the mirror and I just felt like really hatred towards myself and my body. And I looked at my mom with tears in my eyes, and I just said, I hate how I look and I hate how I feel, and I want to change, but I just don't know how. And so, you know, because of this intuition that I had around my food, that's where we started. So we found someone local in the area that I still live in, um, who was a holistic nutritionist. And at the time she was actually really taking a coach approach that I I had no idea. But now looking back, I saw, and I went and saw her. And at that time, we did look into going to see registered dietitians and all that, but they would not take me because it was a liability issue because I was 13 years old. So this is back in the year 2000, 26 years ago. So we went and saw Carol. Carol is my nutritionist, and she still is a mentor of mine to this day. And Carol sat down with me, shoulder to shoulder, you know, eye to eye. It wasn't like she was sitting across the table from me and directing and giving me expert advice. And we um, she listened to me, she talked to me, she asked me a lot of questions, very open-ended questions, very personal questions about digestion and all that. Um, and we ultimately ended up co-creating a plan together of, you know, that I was felt capable and willing and able to do and at 13 and started, you know, really implementing that plan. I just took the the bull by the horns. And again, at the time, I had no idea that I was ready, that I was confident, uh, that I was uh committed, you know, I mean, I was all those things, but I didn't know those were like the ingredients, if you will, to the recipe for behavior change. And because all of those three things were there and I had her support and the support of my family, I pretty much like 180 my eating lifestyle. So we went from processed foods to whole real foods. And within about two months, and again, there was no calorie counting, there was no dieting, there was no like weigh-ins or check-ins, kind of that conventional, formal uh way of doing things. Um, within about two months of implementing all of this, I lost about 50 pounds. And it was like someone just stuck a pin in me and I just went, I just shrunk. And it was really my body's way of responding to the inflammation and to all the toxins I was putting in my body, you know, and getting rid of that. Um, and it wasn't just the weight that fell off, it was also my hair started to grow, my nails started to grow, my fair, my face cleaned up, you know. I had some blemishes and things. And I literally said, like, holy guacamole food is medicine, and I want to change the world with this. And again, it was in the year 2000. So we have the internet, you know, we had a lot of information. But I remember saying out loud and thinking, okay, we have all of this information, and this is available to everyone. If I'm 13 years old and I made all these changes, anyone can do this. You know, but there was this question that was like, well, but why aren't people changing? And why don't people change? They have the information at their hands. And now, you know, with of course, this and all the AI stuff that we have, like, oh my God, you could ask anything a question and get answers in a minute on how to do something. That hasn't changed very much. We we still have a lot of information, but we're not implementing because we're still one of the sickest countries in the entire world. So it really fueled this fire that has been lit for a very long time and put me on my path to help people transform and change for the better in a positive way, and done from a very like holistic lens and standpoint. And so I fast forward, I did do my undergrad degrees and studies in nutritional sciences and dietetics. And I quite frankly hated the paradigm that they were teaching from. It was very conventional, it was diet-based, calorie-based, the old, you know, food pyramid deal. And I'm like, this is not what, you know, changes people. This isn't helpful looking, especially looking at people from a space of dis-ease already. So, what that propelled me into, I got very curious and intrigued about the mind and like, why do people change? Why don't they change? Like, what's going on there? And so it sent me off to a holistic medical school where I received a dual master's in holistic nutrition and clinical health psychology. And so became this dual practitioner and provider, licensed mental health counselor, and a certified nutritionist. And it was there that I got uh in grad school, I was in like one of the healthiest, you know, or or I would say most concentrated holistic areas of the world, which is in Seattle. And you've got functional medicine and homeopathy, you've got all these really cool uh modalities. And guess what? No one could figure out what's going on with me. I probably saw 10 different providers. Um, like I said, I was sick as a dog. I was awful, foggy rain, the, you know, um, gas bloating, everything. Couldn't think straight. My parents wanted to pull me out of grad school and um have me come home and, you know, get well or whatever. And I just said, no. I I just have this strong belief in our bodies that they can heal when they're put in the proper environments. Um, and I just needed to figure out what environment that was for me. So I went and saw one last provider who was a naturopath and a functional medicine doctor. And he looked at all my labs and my blood work and everything. And he said, You have celiac disease, but we're gonna get you genetically tested. And I was like, okay, fine. So that came and went, received the diagnosis of celiac. And I remember, you know, if you can kind of imagine this with me, like sitting in a doctor's office, your feet are kind of swinging on the, you know, little whatever bed that they have with the white paper that you're it's just and uh you get this diagnosis. And I remember he came in, he's like, You have celiac disease and you need to go gluten-free. And he gave me two pieces of paper, like that said, you know, gluten-free or something. And I'm like, Yeah, figure it out, you know, right? My head's already spinning. Because like there was there was a wave of relief. Okay, great. We have a diagnosis, but then there was a wave of overwhelm because it's like, okay, here. And when you get these uh diagnosis like this, or with any of the chronic illness or diseases that we have, typically it comes with an onslaught of not just supplements, you know, but lifestyle changes that you need to or should, I you should in quotes, right? Make. And I think that that's where the hardest piece comes in. And so I remember being in my Seattle apartment, trying to figure out ways to combine herbs and food to heal my gut, and just crying in my kitchen because I'm like, you know, first of all, feeling shame and guilt, like, what the hell? I'm a provider and I've gone to study and I've been like dedicating my entire life towards this, and now I'm the sick one. Like, how does this make sense? So feeling a lot of like imposter syndrome around that, and then starting to slowly, like as I was healing, starting to heal that piece of me as well, to understand that this was really a gift that I could utilize, you know, the power of it to support others, not just with celiac, but who were struggling and with other um chronic illness and and autoimmune and other issues. But I just remember thinking standing in my Seattle apartment, like, I wish that someone could clone like a healthier version of me who's been through this and has the like understanding and inner workings of behavior change and a little bit of like nutrition and some of the functional medicine pieces and just who could understand it and just help me move through this faster because it took me about a whole year to really integrate, you know. And I think we're always learning, right? I just told you earlier about like a new product I learned of that has gluten in it that like okay, great, now we have to shift and pivot again, you know? And I remember just like hoping and praying and wishing, you know, to the universe or whatever. God, you know, let me help people who so they don't have to struggle like I'm struggling right now. Well, I mean, be careful what you wish for because fast forward, that was in 2012, and then about two years later, um, I had co-founded the uh health coaching academy and um with the Institute for Functional Medicine. And we over the span of about 10 years um trained over 5,000 health coaches while I was there. And, you know, we're we're making a really big impact in the world. And um, and then I realized, and you know, again, I've just had this lovely gift of seeing the gaps in in areas and then wanting to bridge the gaps too. Um, but seeing a lot of health coaches become trained and then not necessarily be able to get their voice out into the world or their gifts or their work. And I I get that. I I mean I totally feel that as a human being, of what that can be like when you have all this knowledge and this education and maybe personal lived experience that you want to help others through. And yet you're like, well, this is cool. I was trained to do this, but now I've got to like repackage everything to get it out into the world. And I don't, I wasn't trained to do that, you know? So that's actually what I do now is I support certified health coaches on building, you know, thriving businesses, careers, but also their own personal and professional health development. We're on this journey and health comes first. I mean, period, because I've seen what happens when we put stuff like business or work ahead of ourselves and we suffer, our health suffers. Um, and we're on this journey to be promoting health. And so that has to be number one. So that's I always say, like the work that I do is really focused on nourishment instead of depletion, which is kind of you know what the old, what this paradigm that we're living in stands for is like just go, go, go, hustle and work yourself to death and then take care of your health. And I'm saying, no, no, no, we need to focus on health and people first, and then we can be more creative human beings and get our beautiful messages and work out into the world.

SPEAKER_00 15:54

Previously, you said health coaches are the missing link in our healthcare system. So can you kind of unpack that? Like what your views are on that.

SPEAKER_01 16:01

For sure. Using my professional and also like lived experience, I've seen this huge gap between we have a lot of different providers from your nutritionists, dietitians, personal trainers, all your NDs, MDs, DOs, primary care physicians, that whole deal, who are very much trained in this um expert model of like do this, don't do this, here you go, off, off you go. And then we have health coaches who are trained in uh a very different model, which is, you know, behavior change. They are experts in behavior change. They understand how that works. And I really do feel like they are, you know, we haven't been able to get very far, like I said earlier, and in our country and you know, from a world standpoint of like just coming at it from that angle of this expert approach. Do this, don't do that. Here's a little bit of information. I'm only gonna spend seven to 10 minutes with you, maybe 50 minutes if you're seeing a mental health counselor andor therapist and or a boutique provider who is private pay. And where the missing link is, is that that is also built in a structure of sick care and treatments and diagnoses and protocols and prescriptions. And where I'm saying health care lives is actually in behavior change, which is where health coaches are trained. Um, they are trained as the experts and in that behavior change, and they are basically, I think, the key to unlock this next level of care. Um, I think they're one of, you know, I'll say this like right now in 2026, like the one of life's greatest kept secrets.

SPEAKER_00 17:46

Well, what do you think it will take for, you know, healthcare providers to recognize the integral role that they play in shaping how health looks like.

SPEAKER_01 17:56

That's a good question. And I I don't think it's just like a one and done answer. I think there's probably a really big holistic answer for that. The one thing that just popped up is that I I think health, a lot of healthcare providers need health coaches themselves. Um, I was reading something the other day about how healthcare providers, um, you know, they don't always take their own quote unquote medicine either. If you look at, and I have a lot of friends, and I'm sure you do too, who are providers who are not living the quote unquote healthiest lives, you know, they're overworked, they're stressed out, they're not eating the best, they're not moving their bodies, they're not finding joy and meaning and purpose in life anymore and their relationships. And so that's weighing on them. And so I think one of the ways is to experience the support and the accountability of, you know, how a health coach of really working with and alongside a health coach and experience the transformation that happens. And again, like this whole idea of like the lock and key piece, it it can be done on this. I I think we can talk about it on like the level of like integration into systems, but I also think we can talk about it at the level of, you know, on a personal like one-on-one level. Like when you know, you or I or anyone like works with a health coach, they're not there to tell you what to do, who to be, when to do something. They're actually there to just like honestly hand you over the keys to your own health and life. Not that they had them in the first place, but like I think I almost think of it like, you know, if you were to toss me a ball, like for me to make the decision or the choice for you, it's like I'm gonna gently toss it back to you and say, This is your choice and decision to make, you know, what would feel good to you about this? How do you so really putting the keys and the control back into your own health and the responsibility? And I think that's a bigger piece is that we have given a lot of our health freedom away to other people and powers that be, thinking that they somehow know much more than we do about our own selves and our own bodies. I want to just remind everyone like, hello, we uh we live in our bodies 247, 365. Like, no one knows your body better than you do. And it's just about how do we get reconnected and re-in touch with ourselves. And I think health coaches are a beautiful way of they do that.

SPEAKER_00 20:28

What's the biggest gap that you see between someone finishing their health coach certification and then actually building a sustainable business?

SPEAKER_01 20:36

Well, I think the biggest gap that I see is that they were trained to become a health coach. And they were trained with those skills and the knowledge and the tools to do that specific thing. It's almost as if I could liken it to like a plumber. Like, okay, if you were trained in a specific trade, you were trained really well. So you could go and do those kind of things. But then because, you know, the way health coaching is um set up and how it's, you know, not a lot of people know about it right now, as far as what can health coaches do? How can they help and support? Where do I find a health coach that's that that's really gonna work and align with me? You know, I think the the educational piece isn't there just yet. I mean, we're all working towards that, but and I mean educational as far as like on a public, you know, spectrum. And now a lot of people know what that looks like, or they think, oh, it's kind of like working with a personal trainer. It's like, well. Well, I've also heard life coach too. Like, how are you different from a life coach? Right, exactly. So there's not, um, there needs to be some differentiation there. But I think the biggest piece is that, you know, health coaches were trained, but they were trained for a system that doesn't really let them inside of it. So they have to like we've got this system of healthcare providers. And different allied health professionals. And then we've got this other outside silo of health coaches who are, you know, trying to work inside the system. Um, and some of some of it is happening, you know, and there is some some um insurance to reimbursement and things like that. But a lot of um, we were talking about this earlier, the the people who are hiring health coaches, the companies that are hiring, um, the flip side of that is the pay is really low. You know, we're talking anywhere from like 16 to 18 or $20 an hour. You know, sometimes you're kind of thinking, like, well, gosh, I spend all this time and this money investing in health coach training. How am I gonna make a real go at this? And so it's almost as if there's there's really two layers to this. You know, you go to become a health coach and whatever training you decide, you know, to do, you go through that. But then you've got a decision point to make. What kind of health coach do you want to really be? Like, how do you really want to be practicing it out in the world? Do you want to work inside of a collaborative care team model with a provider and just understanding and really researching and doing your own due diligence about what that really looks like? And um, a lot of providers that I've personally spoken to and I've talked to with health coaches, they just don't know how to integrate the health coach. It's like the practice is already up and running. And then to integrate a health coach, it just almost creates a lot of different cogs and stop gaps in in the whole area. So then a lot of health coaches are shifting towards, well, I still want to do this. So trying to get a business off the ground. And then you've got a whole other set of issues, you know, to work through, um, which is leadership, personal, professional development. Um, setting up a business is one thing, and that can actually be the easiest part about it. But then there's other elements of it, which is, you know, the marketing piece, which I know a lot of health coaches are like, ick, no, you know, or the sales piece. And so when you go out on your own, there is not just the health coaching hat you have to wear. Um, but if you're building a business, you've got to be the CEO, you've got to be the marketing strategist, you've got to be the, you know, copywriter, the content creator. A lot. Yeah. And so, and not everyone has the capacity. Um, I talk a lot about that in my programs, is like building the capacity to hold the vision for what it is that you want to do. And even that's a part of it. Like, what is the vision? That's one of the number one things we do in any of my programs is like, what is what are your values? Your values guide your thoughts, your belief systems, your feelings, your emotions, and your actions, your daily habits. So getting very clear on habit or values, um, especially around your business. And then, you know, what your vision is. How do you really see yourself practicing as a health coach? Do you, you know, want to have a huge group of people and courses? Do you want to just do one-on-one? Do you want to work alongside a provider? I mean, there's a lot of different ways that you can. We can get very creative with it too. It's the thinking models and processes of supporting, you know, a health coach through this that I don't think is always provided in the health coach training.

SPEAKER_00 25:32

And all the health coaches that you work with, have you witnessed some a successful model for some that do work collaboratively in a healthcare setting, or are they mostly independent?

SPEAKER_01 25:40

Yeah. So healthcare setting, I guess we would have to define healthcare setting because um I'm kind of seeing some really fun things emerge in um a nourished business academy or AMBA and a nourished life coach, where we've got coaches. So one of the health coaches, uh, she works in California. She has a private business and practice that she sees some clients one-on-one with. But then she also is the health coach, she's the lead health coach for a business called um it, well, it's a it's a functional medicine clinic. She sees over 800 clients a year. And so, and then she manages a group of uh of about eight health coaches. Now they're using a lot of like data points and and things like that, and um then meeting with the the particular clients over a certain span. I think it's about six months, and then they can re-app for another six months. So she's working in that capacity, which is wonderful. That's I would say more like your conventional, like, you know, doctor collaborative care team setting where there's uh health coaches or health coach already baked into the whole process. Something that's really cool is starting to emerge is this I'm calling it more of like an unconventional um care setting where health coaches are going out and being in community. One of my uh health coaches in Nourish Business Academy, she's putting on a whole experience um in Minnesota. And for the women there who are going through, you know, everything they're dealing with up there. And um she has been able to secure about eight different sponsors and speakers who are going to be getting this um experience and event out to their communities as well. She's got everyone from like providers to um, you know, different boutique shop owners and things like that, salon owners, like all of that, who are coming together to support, you know, really her message and what she wants to get out into the world. And so we're seeing that being done successfully. And then this other, this other one makes me giggle a little bit because you can't make this up. And I had no idea that this was even possible. And so I just want to share this for the health coaches, I hope, who are listening and wondering, like, okay, like I got certified now. What do I do? And this was exactly what this health coach Susan said. She came to me, she's like, certified, now what? And she was feeling very disillusioned, like almost, I would say, pissed off and angry. Like I went through, got certified, and I have no idea what to do with this now. And so she enrolled in a nurse business academy. And when we talked, I said, you know, tell me like what is the dream? What's the vision? And so she has a hobby. Um, and one of her main passions is knitting. And um, it kind of all has worked in really well to her branding because she's all about weaving in well-being and wellness in her health coaching. And she does it while she knits. And so her community is of knitters, and they need health and well, wellness too, right? And in different aspects. And so um, she said, well, one of my visions and and dreams would be to be the health and wellness coach for um this yarn store that is in my town. And she lives in a small town in Nebraska. And she's like, I don't know. And she there was a lot of self-doubt that crept in. And we all like, because there's a group of us, you know, we all just encouraged her and guided her and supported her with like how to send the emails, like how to reach out to do this in a very professional manner, all of that. Well, she landed a couple of meetings with the owner from the yarn store, one thing turned into the next, and she comes on to one of the inertia business academy mentorship calls, and she's like, Well, you're looking at the um head health coach of you know, this and this yarn store. And she's getting, you know, it's a full-time role. She's getting paid, and she gets to have her private business, and she's doing like, it's basically a dream job for her. I mean, she just loves it. So I'm seeing, you know, health coaching, I think it depends on the individual. And again, taking a very like taking a health coach approach and even a very client-centered approach of like, well, I don't know. What do you want to do? Where do you see yourself working? How do you want to get these skills out into the world? And I think they can be worked in so many different areas. You know, we talked about how you're gonna start your yoga classes and you're gonna start to weave in health coaching. And I've even talked to some health coaches who are um into horses, like I am, and they're they're bringing, you know, uh health coaching into the horse world and or the equestrian world and supporting, you know, individuals in that space or groups of people. So I just I'm very optimistic about this space of health coaching. I think that this we're on the brink of just a brand new frontier of well-being and how we can it can become way more accessible to way more people. And it just excites me.

SPEAKER_00 30:52

But I love those, those stories that you shared of the clients that you've had with their success. So that's really it's nice to hear because a lot of times, you know, online especially, we'll read things and it's pretty negative.

SPEAKER_01 31:02

I'll say, like, I'm not gonna lie, it's not um like I talk about in my programs and stuff like nourishment and like you want things to be of ease, but at the same time, it's not always easy. Like transformation and change, like as I always say, like entrepreneurship or any kind of leadership is really a fast track towards self-actualization. And uh that mountain is fun to climb, you know, and we get hit with our own stumbling blocks and our own, you know, ability to to embody and and hold capacity. And, you know, it's that's change is not always um rainbows and unicorns and sunshine and all that. So I think, you know, as health coaches, we you all need to just have that in the back of your head. Um, because I'm not gonna sugarcoat it either. Like it can be difficult and yet it's possible, and it's what leads to, you know, kind of the the big beautiful end, at least for now, right? And then you go on to the next, you climb the next mountain, you know. It has its own challenges to it.

SPEAKER_00 32:11

Well, and being authentic too, like in and living in alignment with what your own, like you were saying, values and beliefs are, and um your people will come, I think. So the programs that you specifically offer, how are they addressing those gaps for clients?

SPEAKER_01 32:27

So some of the gaps that we've talked a little bit about are like the specifically business, right? And we talked also about embodiment and and building capacity. I'll start with a nourished life coach first. So one of the biggest gaps that I have seen, as I've worked with thousands and of health coaches across all different backgrounds and ages and all of that, and it's not everyone, but it's a lot, is that as we start to get this work out into the world, I see a lot of health coaches who don't actually practice the work. And and then there's no judgment here. This is this is more just observation. Uh, I'll and I think maybe what I'll do is share some examples from um like real stories. I was on um office hours, luntime, and I was talking with a health coach, and I can't remember exactly what she said to me, but I asked her, I said, Well, how does that make you feel? She just went like blank, like deer in headlights, had no idea how to respond or answer. And so I asked her again, I said, Well, um, you know, are are you aware of your feelings and your emotions? And she said essentially no. And when she was vulnerable like that, it actually created connection between many others on the call who felt that way. And if you're someone who's listening on this call and this podcast, you might have felt this way too, or maybe like Kimberly. I don't know if you grew up this way. Like, I certainly there was areas of of my, you know, younger years growing up, like where I would have a feeling or emotion, and my family or my mom or my dad would be like, oh, stop crying. Oh, you don't need to be crying about that. Oh, stop, you know. And so we have learned, I think as women, especially, and even in the society that we live in, um, and that's changing now, I think, but to to push our feelings and our emotions down. But if we look at this um root cause model that I've created, where it's basically like if you think of can if you can envision like a big, beautiful flower that has a nice green long stem and then roots. The roots are your value systems. And then as you go upstream up the root um, or up the stem, if you will, you hit your your belief systems. So your roots influence your belief systems. Your belief systems influence influence your thoughts and what you think. Your thinking, of course, influences your feelings and your emotions. And then your emotions drive your actions and your behaviors. And then, of course, you get the results, which is this big, beautiful flower, or not. You know, sometimes you get a wilted flower, right? But if you're not getting the results that you want, we need to look inwards. We need to look and go down the model and go downstream, back down to okay, what are the actions that you're doing? What are the um emotions and feelings behind that, the thoughts, the belief systems, the values? Another gap that I see is that a lot of health coaches are taught just about the end results and the behaviors, like and how to make changes there. And a lot of the focus is just on goal setting. And I'm gonna tell you that where I have seen results and where I've seen my clients get results for their clients is that when you start to get a lot more in touch with those feelings and emotions and the thoughts and being able to ask questions around that and to hold safe space around that. And that is the one area where I see a lot of health coaches being like, I can't do that. That's therapy, or that's uncomfortable for me. And of course it's going to be uncomfortable, especially if you've never been taught about that. You've never given the safe space to express or talk about your feelings or you know, identify like, what is this feeling, you know, or what is this like pit in my stomach or in my like solar plexus that I get, you know? Oh, that's anger, right? Okay, well, is that's not a bad feeling. We're not gonna label things good or bad or put a judgment on it. Like these feelings and emotions are actually there to tell us what's up. Like, you know, just like your body screams at you if you've got a headache or a fever or something. Well, our feelings and emotions do the same things. They're there to tell us when we're in alignment, when we're not really in alignment, and to also have us dig a little bit deeper and be like, well, where am I with values? What am I thinking right now? What am I feeling? And so one of the areas that both of my programs really address and goes deep on is the mindset and values and the emotional capacity. We do a lot of work in a nourished life and in a nourished business academy so that you understand your belief systems and where they came from, how they formed, the origins of your values. Um, how do you transform them? Because, you know, and this is therapy does a great job, and therapists do a great job at like, you know, well, where do you think this belief came from? And a lot of the work is not just in identifying that, it's in how do you shift that and transform that and create something new that's more nourishing and life-giving. And um, and so I teach people how to do that for themselves, and then they can teach their clients how to do that. And it's not therapy, it's it's a mental skill. It's a skill that you can learn and a very transformative skill at that, you know, that can support people. So I would say like everything I just spoke about, like value is emotional capacity, um, embodying this work. You know, again, like another person I spoke with, I was like, tell me a little bit about like some of the practices that you do around whatever was, you know, annoying or frustrating them. And she said, I don't really have anything. And he said, Okay, well, I'm just curious, like, if you were to have a practice, what could that look like? And we brainstorm a couple ideas and I said, talk to me a little bit about like journaling. And she's like, Well, I recommend that to my clients. And I said, Oh, tell me, like, you know, we had a real conversation. How come you don't practice that? What's what is that about? You know, and so we uncover that within them and their blocks and barriers to that. Um, you know, and then she was able to come up with, you know, here's what I'm able and willing to do as a journaling practice. And it wasn't like not gonna write a full page every day. It's maybe just be a sentence and start there. And I'm like, okay, like that's enough. So I think those are a lot of the pieces, um, especially around the mental, emotional, and even the spiritual piece um that again like unlocks this whole other level of I'll I'll just say healing because and I'm not saying that health coaches heal anyone. What I am saying though is that they do they have the capacity to create the um safe space where and be that listener and that observer and that non non-judgmental, you know, human next to them, where the person who's actually wanting to step in and make changes and transformations can now do so because there's that psychological and physical, hopefully, you know, safety there.

SPEAKER_00 39:56

There are other businesses out there that do something along the lines of helping health coaches get their businesses off the ground, but can you differentiate what yours is? I mean, I can already feel like how it's different and what sets you apart from others.

SPEAKER_01 40:09

Yeah, so I think there's a few things. One is um having you know built a health coaching academy and trained thousands of health coaches and really was on the ground floor of listening to understanding and seeing the health coaching, not just the program, but the field develop from an inside, you know, view of what's going on there. I was really able to see, well, okay, here's some, you know, areas that need to shift. Um, and so adding this huge piece on of the personal professional development, but also there needs to be the, and what's it baked into all my programs is accountability. So I'm never all about like, okay, yeah, just yeah, that's fun, go and do that. It's like, no, we actually have accountability every single week. There is, you know, mentorship calls, but there's also less video lessons of recordings, of course, so you couldn't fit it into your own time. Um, but there's nourishing sheets and there is accountability. Like every in order to pass the course intercept, like you've got to um do the work. And that's what I'm really interested in is supporting health coaches and these human beings who really want to do the work and progress, you know, themselves and then progress their clients and of course their field. So accountability, I call it leadership uh vitamin A. Um, that's baked into every single thing that we do. And then, of course, coming from this space of nourishment instead of depletion, um, really coming from a space not of like hustle and grind and go, go, go, which is a very masculine energy to be coming from, but more of like, okay, what feels the most aligned and like really making choices and decisions first from nourishment? I'll give you a quick example. One of my students, she's like, Well, I want to put this um event on, but you know, I know that a lot of my mom, the moms and women I serve, they they work, and so maybe a weekend, but weekends don't work for me, right? And so the question then becomes, well, what does work for you and what is the most nourishing thing for you in your schedule? And so I think a lot of the times as women in general, including myself, I've done this, right? And I've had it's a learned behavior, so I've had to unlearn a lot of things, is to basically like, I've got to do what works for me first and foremost, and then that's nourishing for me. And so if it's nourishing and I'm filling myself up first and my cup up, like it will be nourishing for others, just because that's the intention, that's the energy that I'm coming from. So that's just like one tiny little snippet of a way that you know we come from nourishment instead of you know, this gotta get it out there, gotta go. And but it's really about making sure, yeah, you're you're nourished first and foremost.

unknown 43:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 43:00

I don't think you mentioned that about alignment. I because that keeps coming up. And I think it even in one of our first conversations, you mentioned that. And I I it has really stuck with me truly, because I'm like, okay, how am I personally living my life in alignment, you know? And we talked about change earlier, like this past year has been the epitome of change for me in so many ways. And so it's it has really spoken to me to to try to live and lead that way. And I think if we are as health coaches or as healthcare providers, because I am a hygienist, and I think health coaches should be or hygienists should become health coaches as well. Uh, I think it's yeah, it's only going to serve your clients better to be, you know, nourishing yourself and and living a life of integrity in that way.

SPEAKER_01 43:43

It's a totally different paradigm. It's a different paradigm, I think, that we're all creating here. Um, you know, it's it's like the old paradigm is like fill everyone else's cup up first, and then you're left with the scraps. And the paradigm that I'm saying is like, no, that's just Not working for anyone anymore. You need to first fill up your own cup and you have more to give. Um, you know, and I think about this one gal I recently was on a call with. Um, she's also in a nurse business academy, and she was just sharing. And I also bring in a little bit of human design as well, because they're different, people are wired a little bit differently and they make decisions and choices differently. And so um that's just something that I'm aware of and I bring into the work that I do. But one of these um health coaches was just she was sharing with me how she's just trying to do everything right, like check all the boxes. I do this every morning. I stretch, I do yoga, I journal, I read, I la la la la la. Check, check, check, check, check. And I'm still stressed out. And I'm like, okay, you know, and then I asked her, she said to me, um, I'm trying to do this um nervous system, like reset or regulation. It's 10 minutes a day, and I paid for it, and I I um I just can't seem to do it. And I said, tell me more about that. Like, what don't you like about it? And she's like, it's just the complete opposite of like calming. Like when I get on it and I listen to it, I just cringe. My body just totally like, you know, contorts. And I said, What do you think your body is trying to tell you right now? And she had this belief in her mindset that because she put her mind to it, she had to do it. She committed to it, so she had to see it through. And I said, Okay, this is a great example of how number one, she's not living in her actual design, her human design, but also number two, she's not following her values and it's not aligned. So, like if something isn't aligned, just because you've committed to it does not mean you need to follow through with it. It just means it's out of alignment. Your body is clearly trying to talk to you and tell you. So the most aligned thing that you could say or do at this point is, I mean, I didn't just tell her. We walked through a whole like coaching session around this, but basically the whole thing was like, she chose to say, I'm going to not do this anymore. And that was a huge thing for her because she puts a lot of weight and success on committing to things and following through. And so for her to not do this was a great lesson, but we had to redefine what success meant for her. And success meant for her, like actually doing something that felt nourishing for her. So if that didn't feel nourishing, then like, okay. And he said, How much was it? And she's like, I don't know, 30 bucks. I'm like, well, it was a $30 lesson, lesson learned, you know? So um that could have been a conversation you have with me.

SPEAKER_00 46:37

Because you put this invisible pressure on ourselves to, you know, and and if you're a creative person, you tend to want to do like a million things at once. And that also creates an invisible, you know, like checklist. And if you don't hit it, it can feel paralyzing. So I I can agree with that person for sure.

SPEAKER_01 46:56

Yeah, and that's this kind of the same thing that I see a lot in the health coaching and really overall health industry. I think we all do it, and I've certainly been there before too. And it's just about bringing consciousness and awareness and presence to it, but it's that performative wellness versus embodied wellness. Like, are you just performing all the things? I think about, and and if anyone does this, like no judgment, I just have a little giggle. I think about the women who are like on their vibrating plates with the red light mask on, pumping with breath just doing a million and one things, being a mom. And I get it, right? Because I'm a mom. And um, but I think about like, okay, that's just kind of the uh proverbial, you know, check checking the boxes instead of just going for a walk and not actually listening to an audio book or being on the phone, just just be on a walk in nature, right?

SPEAKER_00 47:48

Oh, exactly. I know I always feel like I need to live more like my husband does, which is he just gets up, takes care of himself, and you know, goes about his day, goes to the gym. And I'm like, I can't go to the gym until I've done the laundry, until I've you know unloaded the dishwasher. And so then like all the and I'm like, what is that? Like, what happened in my childhood that I like have to get everything done before I can have fun?

SPEAKER_01 48:09

Ah ooh, that's a good one. We can go into that one.

SPEAKER_00 48:12

That's episode two.

SPEAKER_01 48:15

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, putting fun first. And I think actually, I just one thing I want to say about that. Like, um, you know, I use um a lot of David Hawking's work. So not Stephen Hawking, but David Hawkins, who talks a lot about the energetics of um just the energetics and essentially of consciousness. Um, and I do believe health coaches are here to help raise the consciousness as the population and the world here. It's just so interesting how I've come to that conclusion is by when I talk to a lot of my health coaches who are out there actually working with their communities and individuals and groups. I'll ask them, like, what came out of your sessions? What did people walk away with? And it's not like they didn't walk away with a whole treatment plan or a whole goal setting or whatever, but they sure as hell walked away with a lot more of consciousness and awareness or presence, whatever you want to call it. They've just walked away way more aware. Like, and it's brilliant to see. And we need that. We need more awareness, we need more presence instead of just being on the autopilot all the time.

SPEAKER_00 49:20

Well, I think I told you we have health coaching calls, and even with coaching clients, and a lot of the talk is about how not having enough time. It often seems to go towards the direction of social media or spending too much of their, you know, time on that device. And once they realize themselves that that's probably what's going on and they take that away, it's really transformative for them.

SPEAKER_01 49:42

I have a great book for you and your health coach ladies or friends. Um it's called The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks. I probably like have it back there somewhere, and he talks about Einstein time and like collapsing timelines, like there is no time, and how we are the creators of time, and that is a mind blow. I mean, so you want to go there with your I'll I'll read it. Wonderful. It's a wonderful book, and it's a wonderful um topic to discuss. And that's another actual topic that we actually talk about in um a nourish business academy. It's like really uh for lack of a better word. I mean, it's it's I call it nourishing time, but it's how do you quote unquote manage your time? I hate that word, but it's you know, um, building in nourishment and you know, how do you how do you create that in your schedule? Um, so a lot of different elements, you know, that that build this internal leader that you really need to be if you're gonna lead yourself and you're gonna lead others in their health and well-being.

SPEAKER_00 50:49

You have created a health coaching leadership summit experience that is launching on May 19th. So tell us about that.

SPEAKER_01 50:57

Yeah. So I'm really excited about this because I do a million percent believe that health coaches change the world. They are the leaders of healthcare. Like I said, they are the key that unlocks this, you know, um, this next level of people really taking ownership for their health and well-being. And so we are getting a bunch of uh leaders in the health coaching industry together for conversations. It is going to be a 10-day experience. I'll break it down for you. So uh it'll just be an hour and a half each day, same time every single day for the length of the experience. So we'll start on May 19th, which is a Tuesday. Um, we'll go throughout that entire week till Friday. So Tuesday through Friday, each day we'll have a different topic that we're gonna be talking about that's really taking you as a health coach on a journey from you know, where this health coaching uh field even started and began from to where we're going. That's gonna be day one. Day two is, you know, as a leader in this field, which I envision you all are. Um, if you're gonna lead a field, you've got to really be able to lead yourself. So that's what day two is about. Um, and so on and so forth. We're gonna talk about collaboration and how that's the key and the future of health coaching. Um, so it will go Tuesday, the 19th, all the way through that Friday. We'll take the weekend off. So Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, because that's Memorial Day. Then we'll come back for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and wrap up that beautiful um experience. It is free. Um, it is specifically for certified health coaches. But of course, if you are a provider or practitioner or an allied healthcare, you know, you're more than welcome to come as well and listen in and join in the um community and the collaboration that we're building here. And yeah, and it'll be from 11 to 12:30 every day. Just a one once a day, 90 minutes, come and listen. Everything will be recorded as well. So you'll get access to the recordings and um yeah, very excited about that.

SPEAKER_00 53:08

Where do you see health coaching headed in the next five to 10 years?

SPEAKER_01 53:13

So, okay, I see health coaching being a household name, meaning that every single human being knows what a health coach is. They have access to health coaching, similar to like they know what a doctor is. When you say, you know, I need a doctor, like you know what that means, right? So that if someone says, okay, I need a health coach, right? We know what that means. We know where to find them, we know how to access them, et cetera. I also see, again, health coaches positively impacting my big vision is that um as health coaches impact over 1 billion people's lives in the next 10 years. And because of that and the ripple effect of what this looks like, is um it helps to reverse decades-long declines in population health, especially in global North countries. So that's kind of big, big vision.

SPEAKER_00 54:08

Do you think health coaches will be fully integrated into traditional healthcare, like part of the team with doctors, therapists, dietitians, or hygienists in a dental setting? Or is it we're looking at more of like a hybrid approach?

SPEAKER_01 54:20

I think there's gonna be, you know, nothing happens like overnight. So I think there's going to be like an integration. I do think that there is uh a new model forming, which I'm gonna be speaking about on the summit. Um, is talking about the collaborative care team model and how this model is really instead of hierarchical, it's um more you know, spherical or centric, you know, circle-centric, where you've got the client and the health coach together, because I think that partnership together can do so much. Typically, and I think of it in a pretty short amount of time, you know, there are some lifestyle codes that you can utilize right now. Um, for insurance, you typically do need to be working alongside a licensed provider to utilize those codes. On the flip side of that, if you have HSA or FSA, what my understanding is right now is that you can sometimes use that for um health coaching. However, my understanding is that you need to have what's called an LMN or a licensed medical note, which means you already have to go into the system, see a provider, and get a diagnosis. So you're utilizing the insurance system and they're getting paid to then have them refer out or use a health coach where you would then pay them with your HSA or FSA, but you would have to have this licensed medical note. So it's like you're you have to go into the system just to use part of the system's payment. I do think that there is gonna be a, like I said, a new way of health coaches and how they're working and how they're integrated into mainstream health care. And then also believe that there's gonna be a lot of providers, like you know, you are a provider yourself. So a lot of dental hygienists or other care providers who will opt into becoming, you know, gaining these skills of health coaching and integrating into what they're currently already doing as well.

SPEAKER_00 56:22

I think it would be essential for you know, going forward because uh as hygienists, we see patients two to four times a year, which is more than most providers see. And we have such unique relationships with our patients and they trust us because we've built it over time. So, who better really to um address to care and other avenues than a hygienist? It's tricky, right? Because we have such a traditional model in dentistry where a lot of offices it's 45 to 60 minutes to get everything done, and you really can't get everything done in that time, um, especially the patient education piece. So hopefully we'll see that model change um in dentistry, but also in healthcare. What needs to change for health coaches to be taken more seriously by the medical community as far as credentialing research? What do you see happening there?

SPEAKER_01 57:11

Well, I'm gonna start personally with the health coach. I think they need to start seeing themselves as more professionals. I've spoken to so many health coaches, and I feel like they've gotten beaten down by, you know, whoever taught them, the school that they went through, like, you know, you can't do this, you can't do that, don't call yourself this, don't you blah blah blah, all the things you can't do. And it's like, well, great, what can I do? And then you so many people feel like their hands are tied or they they've got handcuffs on, or like, you know, they're scared to even speak. What the hell can I even do or say? Right. I think first thing is first, and with so much love and respect, they need to move through some of their own stuff and own blocks that's that are barriers for them. And part of that, a lot of that is their own visibility and being able to actually see themselves for who they are and what they absolutely act, you know, they can actually do and how they can really serve and help other people. I do believe that, you know, that this weird paradox happens that when we start to see ourselves fully, you know, other people can see us, you know, in that light as well. I think the flip side of that too is um, and I we're gonna talk a lot about this inside the health coaching summit on day four, which is certification does not equal credibility, and the different things that you can start doing to up your credibility um in the field already. And that that comes through positioning, languaging, how you're talking about yourself, how you're presenting yourself, all the way to the different tools and systems that you're using, HIPAA compliance as well. And so I think there's a lot of different elements that we could, you know, talk through, you know, what's really gonna support, you know, health coaches in making this transformation. And I think a lot of it too is being the leader. And, you know, you've got providers and practitioners out there who are working inside of a system that's been working for years, hundreds, thousands of years, right? And health coaching is pretty much still on its infancy. I mean, I know it's been around for a while, but it's still fairly new. That's kind of why I dubbed it the health coach leadership summit, is because, well, we can't be waiting for someone else to knight us, you know, or give us permission. The health coaches that I'm working with and training right now, like they are the ones who no one just went up and found them and said, Hey, do you want a job? Hey, do you want to do this? They're going out and they are going outside of their comfort zone to make these connections and to build these relationships and to ask, you know, and see what comes of it. And it's been pretty remarkable to see what is happening when health coaches are leading first themselves and then they go out into their communities and they start to lead.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:00

Not asking the question of, do you have a health coach, but like, why don't you have a health coach? Like, because we all could benefit from having one.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:06

Right. You know, and it's funny, even in that question, right? Do you have a health coach? It's very close-ended. And as health coaches, you've been taught to ask very open-ended questions, right? You know, tell me a little bit about your practice. Tell me about what you do. What are those things that you're seeing in in your practice that you would like to support with? And really taking essentially the mindset of the coach approach when you are in these interactions. And it's not so much what can you do for me, it's how can I help and serve you and the people who you're already serving? You know, let me make your job and your life a little bit easier. That's how um sometimes we need to be thinking as you're going out into the community and connecting with people.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:48

There's a lot of discussion around technology and AI. What are your thoughts on how AI will affect either negatively or positively uh health coaching?

SPEAKER_01 1:00:57

Well, I mean, just like I referenced and talked about earlier, you know, in the year 2000. So we're 26 years later, right? So, like we still had the internet um in 2020, and now we have internet and AI, but we're still really sick. So we have a lot more access to education and information, but now we have people who are bogged down with all this information, confused, and again, still not understanding how do we actually implement and what makes sense for me versus, well, everyone else is doing this, right? But they might have different lifestyles and different values and whatever. It's different, you know, you got to do what's gonna align most with you. So, I mean, do I think AI can be helpful? I think certainly it can be used. The way that I use AI and um support some of my clients with AI right now is more so as like a little bit of a thinking buddy, you know, if there's an idea that I want to toss about or a name of something, or if I'm trying to create an offer, but it's not exactly landing the way I want, you know, I'll use AI to support and giving me some feedback and help me refine, certainly help me sometimes refine copy if I'm writing it, just to smooth things out. But as far as utilizing AI as like a coach, I think the one thing that I do think AI has, if you train it correctly, I think it could have some empathy tendencies to it, you know, it can, oh wow, you know, so sorry you're going through that. But it's missing an entire human element and component and that heart centeredness and someone looking at you across from Zoom, or if you're in person with someone, feeling that energy, that's irreplaceable, you know? So it's like AI, artificial intelligence, or HI, human intelligence. And so I think that's the one thing that is not going to be replaceable with other humans.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:01

If you could change one thing about the health coaching industry, what would it be?

SPEAKER_01 1:03:07

I would level the playing field for the different health coach certification programs. There's about 75 right now out there, probably more. And they range, you know, from like a three-month certification to a 12-month, and they all end up, you know, getting essentially getting approved, right? So you it all ends at the same space. I think there is this element of, you know, typically when you go to become a doctor, you know, like you're going to school, you've got undergrad, you've got a certain number of years for your residency, et cetera, and all of that. And so there is there's standards for that. So I'd love to see that. And also I think the the educational material be a little bit more standardized across all different of the uh of the coaching programs. And then that there are very clear pathways for health coaches on what they can do and and where they can go and how they can do that, you know, what it is that they want to do. Almost like, you know, having career counselors so that you can really decide and really think through and take the time to do it, decide what is going to be the best path for you. Um, and I think the last thing is probably just making sure that people know about health coaches and how they can really serve them because uh, and we need to have language around that, because not no one I know is waking up in the middle of the night saying, I need a health coach. They're saying, I need to sleep better. I need to stop waking up in the middle of the night and having these night sweats or whatever is going on, right? And so health coaches need to learn the difference between, you know, hey, I'm I'm selling health coaching versus no, you're actually providing a result. You know, and most of the health coaches out there who are working in more of this entrepreneurial spirit are in the free market and they're working as an entrepreneur, and entrepreneurs get paid based on results versus working in the system where you get paid whether you give someone or get someone a result or you don't. If you see them for seven minutes or 50 minutes, you're still getting paid. There is a mindset shift there.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:13

For board certified health coaches versus non-board certified, are you working with both or primarily one or yeah?

SPEAKER_01 1:05:21

I work with both. It just really depends. Um, most of the health coaches I work with do either come in with their board certification or they are studying for their board. Some people have just chosen not to, just because they know they're very clear on what they want to do and what they don't want to do. And if they're very clear that they want to take the entrepreneurial route, they understand that board certification is a nice to have, but it's not needed because they're not most of the companies that are working with or hiring board certified health coaches, they want to look for that stamp of approval. But for health coaches who are going into the entrepreneurial route and don't need that, they're not going for it very consciously. So, Elise, what is one thing you want? Listeners to take away from today's conversation. You're a health coach and you're listening. What I would love for you to take away is that whatever got you into health coaching, there's a calling that brought you forth. And so if you have that calling that's within you and that, you know, is is deep in your heart and your desire to help others, please don't diminish that. Keep listening to it. There's a reason why it's there. Like it would not be in your heart if you were not given the skills and the tools and the capability to get it out. And so if you are not a health coach listening to this, what I would just encourage you to do is to connect with a health coach. Find a health coach through Kimberly. You can reach out to me and start a conversation. See how they might be able to serve you or someone you know and support you. I will tell you the health coaches that I know, I'll also won't make a huge generalization, but like 99.9% of health coaches are extremely heart-centered human beings. They actually care. They would do this work for free. Um, a lot of them do do this work for free now that I'm promoting that, because I want you to get paid for what you do because it's completely worthy uh and valuable. It's invaluable. But all to say is that they want to do this work because they're called to do it and they want to help people. And they're not, I won't say all of them, but yeah, most of them are not necessarily worried about the the money. They're doing it from pure passion and and wanting to help. And I think that that's a lost art. We don't see that very much anymore. So these are special human beings. Where can people find you and learn more about your programs or disconnect with you? I would say probably my website, elisewagner.com. And there is a tab on the navigation page that allows you to go to programs and courses. You can check that out. Um, we'll certainly give you the link if you want to join us for the Health Coach Leadership Summit. We'd love to have you all. And then, of course, come find me on social. I'm very active on LinkedIn. It's just Elise Wagner International or Elise Wagner. You'll find me. You'll see me. I'm on my photo. And then um Elise Wagner official on Instagram. Monthly office hours. I'll put the link in there too. So that is open to anyone and everyone. It's a very open, non-judgmental, safe space. Any health coach, you know, training that you've been through, we uh come in, you can ask questions. You can kind of just sit, be a fly on the wall, listen. Um, but it's a very safe space to um just be you, ask your questions, um, create community connections. It was fun last last month. Two women got on and they lived in Maine and they were like down the street from each other and had no idea. We got to connect them, which was so fun. Anything that we didn't cover that you'd like to mention today? Oh gosh. I mean, I'm sure there's a ton. We'll have to do round two, but I think we covered quite a bit. So thank you so much for having me on. Thank you for being here.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:54

That was Elise Wagner, founder of Elise Wagner International, creator of a nourished business academy and a nourished life, and someone who is genuinely changing how health coaches show up in the world. Currently, health coaches are viewed as an extra, a luxury only some can afford. Right now, most insurance plans don't cover health coaching directly. So people either pay out of pocket or navigate workarounds through HSA or FSA accounts. This has created this false idea that this kind of support is optional, but it's not. Health coaches are a necessary addition to anyone's healthcare team. They are the bridge between what you know and what you actually do. In a system that gives us very little time chairside with a provider and often offers band-aid solutions, that bridge is everything. Nourishment over depletion, we must focus on this more and make it a priority. As much as I share the sentiment, the reminder is so timely. Filling our own cup first is not selfish. We simply cannot show up for others in a comprehensive and meaningful way if we ourselves are depleted and living in a state of chaos. If you've been waiting for someone to give you permission to lead, Elisa's Health Coach Leadership Summit kicks off May 19th and is completely free. I'll drop the link in the show notes along with everything else, her website, her programs, and her monthly office hours. If you're a health coach, a provider, a dental hygienist, or anyone interested in what health coaches actually provide and how they can impact society, this episode is one you need to share. Until next time, keep rooting within.