In reaction to this trend, clinicians often tell their patients to do things to lower their stress levels: diminish anger when driving, go to bed earlier, take a walk, relax, and do whatever is needed to reduce stress. The patient might even receive a stress reduction brochure or class list. Six months or a year later, the patient returns and their numbers are no better. The clinician again tells their patient to do things to lower their stress levels and the process repeats itself. The physician is frustrated by what they see as patient “non-compliance” (increasing the physician’s stress) and the patient is frustrated having not followed the orders, leaving them feeling guilty, ashamed, and thus experiencing even more negative effects of stress and exacerbating their condition.

An effective means of breaking this cycle is for the clinician to remember that stress reduction involves deliberate, managed lifestyle change—which is difficult for anyone. Managing change is so difficult, in fact, that large businesses and corporations marshal whole “change management” teams to oversee change and despite that effort, are often unsuccessful. Yet individuals are often left to fend for themselves when it comes to lifestyle changes. Clinicians do not have the time to assist or support the patient in managing these lifestyle changes. This is where Healing Ground health coaching can help. 

Assisting and supporting clients as they manage lifestyle changes to achieve a more satisfying state of well being is what I do. While the tasks I perform as a coach are many, basically I assist the client in recognizing and defining their stress reactions, educate them about ways to work with these reactions, and partnering with them to provide accountability that encourages sustained behavior change.