Chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory illness, and arthritis are among the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 60 percent of U.S. adults have at least one chronic condition, and 40 percent live with two or more. These ongoing health challenges require more than just medical care. They call for sustained behavior change, emotional support, and a whole person approach. This is where health and wellness coaches play a vital role.

At Mentor Agility, we train health and wellness coaches who are prepared to meet this challenge. Our trauma informed, narrative based approach equips coaches to work in a wide range of settings, including healthcare, where they support individuals in managing chronic conditions with resilience and dignity. The coaches we train are certified through programs accredited by both the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC), ensuring the highest standards of professional practice.

We specifically teach the NBHWC health and wellness competencies outlined in Section 5 of the 2026 NBHWC Content Outline (www.nbhwc.org), preparing our coaches to confidently address behavior change in the context of chronic disease. These competencies include health education, behavior change theory, and evidence based lifestyle recommendations that are essential for coaching in healthcare and wellness settings. While ICF accreditation supports excellence in coaching through a universal set of professional competencies, it does not include health or wellness specific content. By earning dual accreditation, Mentor Agility ensures that our coaches are equipped with both the broad professional foundation endorsed by ICF and the specialized training required to practice effectively in health and wellness contexts.

Cultural Competence in Coaching

Cultural competence is essential in healthcare, and it is an integral part of how we train coaches at Mentor Agility. Effective coaching in health settings requires an understanding of each client’s unique background, values, and lived experiences. Our coaches are equipped to work respectfully and skillfully across cultural lines, fostering trust and tailoring support to meet the needs of individuals from all walks of life. This sensitivity is vital to reducing health disparities and improving outcomes in diverse populations.

Understanding the Weight of a Diagnosis

A chronic illness diagnosis can upend a person’s world. Beyond treatment plans and medications, there is often grief, confusion, and fear. Everyday tasks may take on new complexity, and personal identity can shift. Health and wellness coaches understand that managing a chronic condition is about more than following a regimen. It is about learning to live well amid change.

Coaches offer a supportive, nonjudgmental space where clients can express fears, explore values, and build the confidence to move forward. They are not replacements for clinical providers, but partners who walk alongside clients as they define their goals and take meaningful, sustainable steps toward improved well-being.

Why Coaching Matters in Chronic Disease Management

Coaching is an evidence based approach that promotes behavior change, a cornerstone of chronic disease management. Research in the field of health & wellness coaching, as referenced in the Compendium of Health and Wellness Coaching: 2023 Addendum consistently shows that working with a coach improves self efficacy, adherence to treatment, and health outcomes. Health and wellness coaches help clients identify strategies for movement, nutrition, stress management, medication adherence, and rest. Just as importantly, they help clients cultivate hope.

Unlike directive healthcare models, coaching emphasizes collaboration. Coaches listen deeply, ask powerful questions, and support clients in identifying what they are ready to change. This client centered process fosters autonomy and empowers individuals to take ownership of their health journey.

A Trauma Informed Approach to Behavior Change

Living with a chronic condition can be incredibly traumatic. At Mentor Agility, we use a trauma informed approach that recognizes how medical experiences, systemic barriers, and personal history can impact a client’s ability to make and sustain change. Our coaches learn to create emotional safety, trust, and empowerment which are critical elements for supporting behavior change.

This approach is especially important for individuals who may have experienced previous trauma, medical mistrust, or significant life disruptions. By offering a coaching relationship grounded in compassion and curiosity, our coaches help clients shift from surviving to thriving, even in the face of ongoing health challenges.

Who Can Benefit and Who Can Coach

If you are a trained and certified coach looking to expand your practice, working with people who have chronic conditions offers a meaningful path to impact. If you are a healthcare provider, partnering with a certified health and wellness coach can improve patient engagement and long term outcomes. And if you are living with a chronic condition, coaching can give you tools, strategies, and support to navigate your health in a way that feels empowering, and not overwhelming.

Elevating the Role of Coaches in Healthcare

Health and wellness coaches fill a critical gap in healthcare. They translate insight into action, confusion into clarity, and isolation into connection. As behavior change experts, coaches help individuals live better lives with the conditions they face.

At Mentor Agility, we are proud to train health and wellness coaches who are prepared to support transformation in real world settings, including healthcare. Culturally competent, trauma informed, and grounded in evidence based practice, our coaches are ready to meet the needs of patients and their families, and a diverse and evolving healthcare landscape.