Course Description
Many current and future clients may experience diagnosed depression or sub-threshold depressive symptoms. Physical activity and other lifestyle strategies have long been recognized as beneficial for overall health, and growing scientific evidence highlights their positive effects on mental health. As such, it is important that health and wellness coaches are familiar with the relationship between lifestyle behaviors and depression, and how they can support clients in a safe, client-centered way.
Society, as well as the broader health and wellness community, has increasingly recognized the importance of mental health. This progress helps reduce stigma and encourages individuals with depression to seek support. This course was developed for NBC-HWC–aligned health and wellness coaches to help them support clients experiencing depression using evidence-informed strategies.
The course was developed by EpiConsult LLC, a biomedical consulting and medical communications agency. The content was created by a team of experts from medicine, biochemistry, public health, epidemiology, and behavioral health. All material is grounded in scientific research and peer-reviewed publications.
Course Objectives
Participants who take this course will:
- Develop a clear understanding of how and why physical activity and lifestyle strategies can support clients with depression
- Learn practical, client-centered approaches to promote mental wellbeing in diverse settings
- Understand strategies for overcoming common barriers to engagement and behavior change
- Gain knowledge to support clients safely and effectively within the scope of a health and wellness coach
