How is Functional Medicine Health Coaching different from the services I’d get from working with a Functional Medicine Practitioner?

A coach and practitioner take different, though complementary, approaches. As a National Board Certified Functional Medicine Health Coach I do not order labs, prescribe medications or supplements, diagnose, or treat conditions. I leave that part up to the licensed practitioner. As a coach, I focus on the foundational areas of health, the roots of imbalance that lie beneath a diagnosis or labwork, aka: lifestyle medicine.

Another important comparison is that a practitioner will assign you a protocol, in which it can be easy to continue to assume a more passive role when it comes to your health. What I’ve found from personal experience and in my practice, is that when we take that information and assume an active role, that’s when we see major changes. It’s one thing to be told what’s wrong, and what to do, and an entirely different thing to actually understand the why behind it and be able to implement changes sustainably. This is why it can be so powerful to work with both a coach AND a practitioner as members of your personal healthcare team. As a coach, I can teach, educate, and provide resources in a collaborative fashion, always eliciting your “why”, your strengths, and your knowledge as the expert in your own body first.

Don’t I need lab work?

You don’t! While it can be motivating for some to see data on paper and pinpoint disturbances in the body, it’s not a requirement. You don't need labs to work on things like your gut health, your detoxification, your nervous system, your sleep, your blood sugar regulation, and your mindset. And when you do work on these pieces, any labwork you get after is more likely to look balanced and any supplement protocols will also work more effectively for you. With that said, if you already have gotten recent labwork from a practitioner that you want to discuss - absolutely feel free to share it in your sessions, we can use it as one of many helpful tools.

Can diet and lifestyle really clear up my skin?

It absolutely can! When we lower the inflammation that comes from imbalanced diet and lifestyle factors, and amp up the nutrition and self love, great transformations can happen. 

Will I have to completely overhaul my life to see results?

I will never tell you to change everything about your life, especially all at once. That can be totally unrealistic! Not to mention cause more stress which will only backfire in your body and on your skin. I work with you, on your level, to determine what can be done and what you’re inspired to take action on, and we take baby steps from there.

How long will it take to see results?

Look, I know we all want immediate results, especially after suffering for so long, but making lasting positive impacts on your health from a foundational and cellular level isn’t easy or quick, and that’s why you’ve got me to lean on. It takes a while to get sick, and it also takes a while to get well, and when you get there, the rewards are better than anything. 

Can you help me with other things if I don’t have acne?

Yes! What I love so much about lifestyle medicine is that it takes a holistic approach that can help any chronic condition. Whatever you’re struggling with, there’s always improvements we can make together.

Is this covered by insurance?

Some are able to use HSA funds towards health coaching. It depends on the plan you have, and you will likely have to get a referral from your physician. Please refer to this HSA and FSA Accounts for Health and Wellness Coaching Services statement for more details.