Training
This section provides information on trainings available and related resources for health coaching.
On this page:
Health coaching – an introduction for health professionals
Who can become a health coach?
In New Zealand people in these roles have been trained as health coaches:
- receptionists
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healthcare assistants
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Whanau ora workers
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community health workers
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peer support workers
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care coordinators
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Stanford course leader
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primary care practice assistants
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navigators.
Training options for health coaches
As the role of health coaches is relatively new in New Zealand, the options for formal NZQA qualifications for health coaches is limited. However, there is a lot of interest and additional NZQA courses are likely to appear over the next 12 -18 months.
The following courses provide a useful starting point. You will then need to continue learning and developing your skillset through a range of additional trainings as shown further below.
Health Navigator NZ & Health Literacy NZ 2-day training course
This two-day initial training course is delivered at the request of District Health Boards and Primary Health Organisations. After the course participants need to be supported in their practice to use their health coach skills. Workshop content includes culture competence, building health literacy, listening skills, behaviour change, care planning, social networks, using written resources and apps with patients, confidentiality, privacy and staying safe as a health coach.
For enquiries contact Susan from Health Literacy NZ.
Tamaki Health health coach training
Tamaki Health also provides a two-day training course based on the Health Coaching curriculum develooed by the USA's Centre for Excellence in Primary Care.
For more information contact Leona from Tamaki Health.
PreKure health coach certificate
This certificate provides the practical tools and resources you need to make your job as a health coach, GP, nurse, nutritionist, physiotherapist, or caregiver easier. You'll discover the evidence based for preventative medicine, enjoy more job satisfaction and see better health outcomes for your clients/patients. PreKure is also NZQA micro credentialed to level 5 (diploma level) and can provide practicum training in the core skills and competencies of health coaching, alongside preventative lifestyle medicine education.
Visit website here.
Holistic Performance Institute health coach training
Holistic Performance Institute provides a number of training courses to become a health coach, nutrition coach, or fully qualified and Accredited Sports Nutritionist or Clinical Nutritionist eligible for registration with the New Zealand Clinical Nutrition Association with online nutrition courses and health coach courses from The Holistic Performance Institute..
Visit website here.
Additional skills or training
In addition, existing skills are likely to come from completing one or more of the following courses:
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Stanford Patient Education Research Centre Training for Self-Management Programs
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Flinders University Chronic Condition Management Program (The Flinders Program) to give health coaches a strong understanding of self-management support and a structured approach to care planning for any patient with any combination of health, social and mental health issues
Then, depending on a potential health coach's previous skills and background, one or more of the following training programmes could be useful to fill out any gaps:
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Motivational interviewing training BPAC, Best Practice Journal, 2008 Oct; 17:42-43.
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Brief intervention training Matuaraki, New Zealand
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FACT (Focussed Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) training by Bruce Arroll
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Nutrition training Heart Foundation, New Zealand
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Smoking cessation training Ministry of Health, New Zealand
Resources
Health coaching tools and resources University of California Centre for Excellence in Primary Care
The lay person Improving Primary Care Guide LEAP Programme
References
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Main J, Anstis O, O’Brien J. Transform patient outcomes through patient journey mapping Ko Awatea. 2016 August; 492.
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Bodenheimer T, Lorig K, Holman H, Grumbach K. Patient self-management of chronic disease in primary care JAMA, 2002;288(19):2469–2475.
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Bennett HD, Coleman EA, Parry C, Bodenheimer T, Chen EH. Health coaching for patients with chronic illness Family Practice Management. 2010 Sept/Oct:24–29.
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Anderson P, Hally MD. A new approach to making your doctor-nurse team more productive Family Practice Management. July/Aug 2008:35–40.
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Wolever RQ, Dreusicke M, Fikkan J, Hawkins TV, Yeung S, Wakefield J, Duda L, Flowers P, Cook C, Skinner E. Integrative health coaching for patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized clinical trial The Diabetes Educator. 2010 June 9;36(4):629–639.
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Vale MJ, JeLinek MV, Best JD. Coaching patients on achieving cardiovascular health (COACH): A multicenter randomized trial in patients with coronary heart disease Archives of Internal Medicine. 2003 Dec 8;163(22):2775–2783.
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Merrill RM, Aldana SG, Bowden DE. Employee weight management through health coaching. Eating and Weight Disorders: Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity 2010 Mar-June;15(1-2):52–59.
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Terry PE, Seaverson, ELD, Staufacker, MJ, Tanaka A. (June 2011). "The effectiveness of a telephone-based tobacco cessation program offered as part of a worksite health promotion program" Population Health Management. 2001 June;14(3):117–125.
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Adair R, Wholey DR, Christianson J, White KM, Britt H, Lee S. Improving chronic disease care by adding laypersons to the primary care team: A parallel randomized trial Ann Intern Med. 2013 Aug 6;159(3):176–84.