Course Description
During their professional practice, most health and wellness coaches will encounter clients who struggle with behaviors related to addiction, compulsive habits, or unhealthy relationships with exercise, food, substances, or body image. Clients may present with signs of excessive exercise, disordered eating patterns, extreme weight-control behaviors, substance misuse, muscle dysmorphia, or other concerns that may affect their overall health and well-being. These challenges may be openly discussed by clients or may emerge indirectly during coaching conversations.
Many health and wellness coaches, however, feel uncertain about how to recognize these concerns, communicate appropriately within their scope of practice, and support clients while facilitating referrals to qualified healthcare professionals when necessary. This course is designed to provide health and wellness coaches with a foundational understanding of addiction and addiction-related behaviors that may impact health and wellness outcomes.
The course presents current evidence-based knowledge to help coaches better understand the biological, psychological, and social factors associated with addiction and related conditions. Participants will explore topics including exercise addiction, substance use disorders, food addiction, eating disorders, muscle dysmorphia, body image concerns, and the relationship between addiction and mental health. The course also emphasizes the coach’s role in supporting behavior change, maintaining professional boundaries, recognizing red flags, and collaborating with other members of the healthcare team.
By the end of the course, participants will be better prepared to recognize addiction-related concerns, engage clients in supportive and nonjudgmental conversations, and apply health and wellness coaching principles within their professional scope of practice.
Learning objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Describe the nature and characteristics of addictions, including both substance-related and behavioral addictions, as well as eating disorders and muscle dysmorphia.
- Identify common types, causes, and contributing factors of addictions and food-related disorders that may be encountered in health, wellness, and fitness settings.
- Apply key communication and support skills to interact with clients who may be experiencing addiction-related concerns in an informed, ethical, and nonjudgmental manner.
- Recognize common warning signs, risk factors, and behavioral indicators associated with addiction, disordered eating, and related conditions.
- Explain the role, scope of practice, and professional boundaries of the health and wellness coach when supporting clients affected by addiction-related issues.
- Determine when referral to qualified healthcare professionals is appropriate and describe strategies for effective collaboration within an interdisciplinary care team.
