When considering a health coach or ‘hub practitioner’, think of some of the following attributes:
First Impressions You can tell a lot about a practitioner by the way they try to get to know you. What questions do they ask when you first meet? Do they offer a complimentary first visit to introduce themselves, identify your needs and assess your health? Are they quick to acknowledge that other professionals may need to be involved in some of your management? Share your goals and expectations with the providers you’re considering, and ask them direct questions about their philosophy on health care, wellness and treatment strategies. Get a feel for the personality fit, style of accountability and long term perspective.
Credentials and Education What training, education and qualifications does the therapist have? How invested are they in ongoing professional development and in remaining current with the latest techniques, advances and treatments? Are they registered practitioners of a professional board and members of a professional organisation or peak body that gives you some confidence in their code of conduct? Do they hold accreditation with a quality assurance assessor?
Experience Regardless of age or years in the profession, does the therapist have experience with your particular condition? Do they have capable and trusted colleagues around them to call upon who can add to their experience?
Results and Feedback What results does the practitioner get with your area of concern? What do other clients say about them? Ask for direct experiences and feedback from others in similar situations. Proof of the pudding is always in the eating. Who else do you know under the care of this practitioner?
Fit and Feel Do you feel an instant rapport and connection? Does the practitioner have similar interests or at least demonstrate an empathy and understanding for what you want to achieve? Do you feel comfortable with them? Are they respectful and willing to discuss your health, rather than just give instructions?
Philosophy of Care What does the practitioner believe with regards to health? What is their philosophy? Do they agree with the mutual partnership and active participation of clients in their own recovery? Do they get bothered when you ask questions? Do they invite you to ask about things you still don’t understand? Are they good educators, and not just ‘doers’? Are they characterised as a more traditional therapist or do they adopt something akin to the more effective Results4Life approach?
Practise what they Preach Does the practitioner practise what they preach? You wouldn’t engage a bankrupt accountant or a lawyer embroiled in his own legal battles. The best person to help you is the one who has helped himself. Someone who can’t swim certainly can’t save anybody else from drowning. Those therapists who have not applied the same healthcare principles to their own lives—through good nutrition, exercise, and proactive wellness decisions—certainly don’t have the tools to properly mentor you.
Part of a Team There is not just safety in numbers, but wisdom. The concept of having just one person oversee your healthcare is flawed. The perspective you receive is far too narrow. Look for a practice with multiple providers and strong team integration where they actively consult with one another about your situation. This model delivers real accountability, wisdom and assurances that nothing has been missed.
Punctuality If you are going to commit to be on time for your appointments, will this practitioner do the same? Or are you more likely to be left sitting in a waiting room because the practice has overbooked? The way others treat your time is a strong indication of the value they place on you.
Convenience & Accessibility How difficult is it to get an appointment? Does this practitioner keep several daily slots open for emergency visits? Will the therapist make themselves available via phone if necessary? When the therapist is sick or on scheduled leave are there other team members who can provide continuity to your treatment plan? Is it easy to get to their physical location? Are there extended hours of operation so that you can be accommodated early in the morning, late in the evening or even on weekends? Do they have an after-hours service or on-call feature? Back In Motion introduced a free 24 hour injury advice line in direct response to our clients’ demand for convenience. For convenience, it’s like our practices are never closed.
Affordability Confidently ask about the fee schedules and be clear about what they include so you can determine the value you’ll be getting for the money invested. Effective health care is not necessarily cheap – but it should always be high value. The price of different treatments will vary from practice to practice, but be sure to diligently assess what service standard and results you can expect from your practitioner. Complimentary initial visits, treatment guarantees and the opportunity to package services into more affordable bundles are amongst some of the more progressive payment options provided by reputable practices. Be cautious if these things are not on offer. Rebates on private health insurance or through other government subsidy programs should be a standard offering. If affordability becomes your only reason for not being able to commit to treatment with your preferred practitioner, then I encourage you to raise these concerns.
Love and Trust My professional career has been centred on trying to build, in its simplest form, both love and trust with people. This is also the overarching vision of the Back In Motion Health Group. These attributes represent two essentials that should be sought in every team member, health coach, mentor and practitioner that you invite to accompany you on the health journey.
“Love and Trust … should be sought in every team member you invite to accompany you on the health journey.”
Love might seem like an unusual attribute to seek in a therapist. However, it speaks very directly to the experience you receive under someone’s care. I am convinced if you are not treated like a valued person, with exceptional customer service that exceeds your expectations, then you are unlikely to love visiting the practice. A lack of enjoyment is the top of the slippery slope that eventually causes people not to return. Practitioners cannot get clients better if they decide not to come to their next consultation. So I am convinced that people must love their experience in healthcare (to the extent this is practical) if it’s to achieve the lifelong benefits to which we are committed. As a result, my clients are made to feel like valued members of our broader family. We respect them, care deeply for their results and show them personal attention at every opportunity.
The second core attribute to discover in your therapist is trust. This is possibly more intuitive than the first. Trust speaks to your confidence and belief in the practitioner’s credibility, authority, qualifications and expertise in diagnosing your condition and developing the right health plan. It’s one thing to love visiting a practice, but if you don’t actually get the results you need then warm customer service and a welcoming environment become moot points. Without firm trust most clients find it difficult to follow the advice and direction of their practitioner, and naturally suffer a compromised result.
As a clinician I hold myself accountable to these two high standards of developing love and trust with my clients by reminding myself of what I call the ‘mother test’. I rate any advice, care or recommendations I give a client against the gold standard of how it might differ should I be treating my own mother (grandmother, wife, children). Naturally, immediate family members would be given the best I have to offer due to my intimate and vested personal interest. Why should a client receive anything less? This analogy helps me put time, money and personal bias into perspective and leaves me with a sharp focus to make deliberate decisions I believe are truly in the best interests of the client. Treat them like I would my own family.
Coach or Crutch? An effective health coach provides guidance but doesn’t control. They empower but don’t overpower. Although I want my clients to view me as a valuable