Empowering change: Personal stories from MUSC’s Health Coach Certification program

MUSC’s National Board-Certified Health Coach Training & Education Program, a pioneering collaboration between the MUSC Health and Wellness Institute and the College of Health Professions, empowers students to guide others in creating sustainable lifestyle changes that support their health and well-being. But the journey doesn’t just transform future clients, it transforms our students, too.

We recently connected with three of our current students—Rick, Constance, and Jane—to learn about what this experience has meant to them and how they plan to use their training moving forward.

 

Dr. Rick Lockart

With over four decades of experience in conventional medicine, Rick came to the program with a wealth of clinical knowledge—and discovered a new way to connect more deeply with patients.

"The Health and Wellness Coaching Program has provided me with the skills and opportunity to be a compassionate communicator. Through the use of deep listening and empathetic, non-judgmental collaborative dialogue—Health and Wellness coaching embraces the true expert within a client/patient—themselves!"

Looking ahead, Rick sees his coaching skills as an important part of enhancing his current practice and supporting holistic health for those he serves:

“I plan to use my Health Coaching skills to enhance my medical practice and participate in a more holistic health journey for my clients and myself. My passion is to coach, support and empower my clients/patients to make sustainable lifestyle changes to affect better outcomes.”

 

 

Constance Reid

For Constance, the program was as much about self-discovery as it was about professional development. Her reflections speak to the personal growth and renewed purpose many students find during their time in the program.

“The most meaningful or valuable part of the health coach program for me is it allowed me to rediscover a lot of things about myself that I had forgotten. I developed a heightened awareness of my own feelings, strengths, weaknesses, and areas for growth. I was able to tap into myself and begin to give some of the care to myself that I give to others, which helped me to bloom.”

She plans to apply what she’s learned to her nursing career—and her life—with compassion and intention:

“I plan to use what I have learned professionally in the future in my nursing career to be a more effective and empathetic communicator and to understand my patient’s individual needs and motivations, which will foster a more holistic approach to health care. I want my patients to know that they are heard and have the power to change their situation. After all, the answer to change lies within all of us.”

 

 

Jane Hughes

For Jane, the Health & Wellness Coaching Program reinforced the importance of collaboration and trust in the coach-client relationship.

“The most meaningful part of this program has been learning how to co-create sustainable lifestyle changes with clients. I have learned that keeping the client at the center of their journey is so important in fostering a good coach/client relationship.”

As she looks to the future, Jane envisions collaborative care that bridges coaching and clinical practice:

“I want to use this knowledge to help clients achieve their health and wellness goals. I would love to work in tandem with other health care providers to provide my clients with the most up-to-date knowledge and a strong support system.”

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