Two Day Introductory Workshop Details
Workshop Overview
Health Coaching is particularly well suited to assisting patients to achieve chronic disease self-management and lifestyle risk factor reduction. This evidence-based model of health coaching is compatible with the Flinders and Stanford Models of chronic disease self-management. Health Coaching can be conducted individually or in small groups, in person or via telephone and electronic means. View a detailed description of the model, including recommended training components.
The program is an Australian first in delivering high quality training in Health Coaching to health professionals who work with patients or clients to make cognitive and behaviour changes. The workshop has been delivered throughout Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales, the Northern Territory and in Queensland. Workshops have been sponsored by organisations including Community Health Services, Divisions of General Practice, Departments of Health, various Professional Associations (DAA, APNA, ADEA & APS) and corporate health services providers.
Participants will be provided with the foundation knowledge and professional skills to commence health coaching in their workplaces to enhance their current professional practice. These skills enable health practitioners to assist their clients or patients to reduce lifestyle risk factors and adhere to recommended medical treatment regimens for chronic condition prevention or self-management.
Participants in this workshop will be encouraged to develop networks with other Health Coaching health professionals and contribute to the ongoing development of the Health Coaching field.
Workshop Structure & Teaching Program
This two-day workshop is intensive in its content and practice components. The practical sessions develop health coaching skills in the context of exploring and changing participants’ own health behaviours. This adds a personal and challenging dimension to participants’ skills development.
The workshop combines lectures, discussion, demonstrations and practical sessions that develop skills in each of the training components of the HCA Model. These include:
- Fundamental principles of health behaviour change and barriers to change
- Theoretical foundations of Health Coaching
- Essentials of Motivational Interviewing and Solution-focused Coaching
- Agenda Setting using a Readiness to Change framework
- Identifying and addressing cognitive barriers to health behaviour change (beliefs, attitudes, expectations, thoughts) and enhancing motivation for change
- Identifying emotional barriers to change, brief interventions to manage emotions and referral issues.
- Setting effective goals, including Goal Hierarchies, Goal Setting “do’s and don’t’s”, Goal Striving, Action Planning, Contingency Planning and Relapse Prevention.
- Transferring Health Coaching practice into the workplace
The training is conducted with a focus on health behaviour change for the management of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions. Competency in basic communication and counselling skills is assumed.
Training Resources
Comprehensive lecture notes, reading materials and worksheets are provided. Participants will have free access to the Members area on the HCA website to download revised and updated worksheets in electronic format for use with patients or clients.
Facilitators
Places are strictly limited to 24 participants per workshop. Workshops are conducted by at least two facilitators.
View information about our Primary Facilitators
Attendees
Health practitioners and program managers such as:
- Dietitians & Nutritionists
- Exercise Physiologists & other Exercise Scientists
- Dentists and Dental Hygienists
- General Practice Doctors
- Nurses: Including Practice Nurses, Diabetes Educators, Community Health Nurses, and Chronic Condition Self-management Key Workers
- Occupational Therapists
- Pharmacists
- Physiotherapists
- Podiatrists
- Psychologists
- Public Health Managers and Health Promotion Specialists
- Social Workers
- Speech Pathologists
- Other staff involved in rehabilitation, chronic condition prevention or self-management
Workshop fees
Workshop fees can be found on the registration form for individual workshops.
Comments from Past Participants
View evaluation statistics and more comments
“I am seeing a lovely lady with rheumatoid arthritis who has a very poor food intake - We found she doesn't like eating in front of other people as she is self-conscious about the appearance of her hands (due to the arthritis) & the difficulties with using a knife & fork. Lots of other issues have come up which I believe would not have had I not implemented the coaching techniques. I probably would have given her suggestions for increasing her nutrient intake & wondered why it didn't work!!”
Accredited Practicing Dietitian
“I found the course most valuable in regards to increasing self management skills in patients with chronic illness or health problems. As a Diabetes Educator and Practice Nurse the skills covered in the course were very applicable to patient education sessions I take part in every day. The course was well run and informative. It presented new information to address patients needs related to lack of motivation or lack of interest in caring for their health. I would recommend this course to any health professional who is interested in assisting patients improve their ability to care for their health.”
RN, Diabetes Educator (to Divisions of General Practice - Victoria)
Requirements for Certificate of Attendance
Please note that it is expected that participants attend for the entire two days of the workshop. It is not recommended that you arrive late or leave early on either day.
The workshop is fairly intensive and we intentionally have an even number of participants in the workshop so that all of the practical exercises can be conducted in pairs.
Attendance certificates may not be awarded to participants who miss sections of the workshop.
