Health coaching in the breast cancer field

Anyone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer knows what a stressful roller coaster it can be. The support of a health coach may make all the difference.

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Health coaching is a relative newcomer to the field of patient care. The burden of lifestyle disease, which includes breast cancer, is growing larger and the cost of treatment higher. Health coaches provide a bridge between healthcare providers and their patients, filling gaps that doctors simply can’t fill with the time they have available. 

Behaviour change specialists

Health coaches are behaviour change specialists. You know how difficult change is. Comfort zones are easy to stay in, but sometimes they aren’t serving you well. At other times, as with a cancer diagnosis, you’re forced into change. A good health coach comes alongside you and helps you find solutions yourself, helping you make the necessary changes with resources you may not have known you possessed. Imagine having a skilled best friend as an ally on your journey, helping you navigate the challenges, providing information and education as needed, and eventually setting goals as you claim your life back. 

Practical examples

Recently, quite a few patients in the survivorship phase (finished treatment) have consulted with me to find out how to get their lives back and prevent the cancer from recurring. The assistance I give is to implement effective weight loss strategies, if necessary; offer guidelines, and help implement an exercise and movement regime; manage stress and relationships; deal with sleep issues; manage side effects of ongoing therapy such as tamoxifen.

However, a health coach can help at any stage. If you’re going through initial diagnosis and faced with multiple treatment options and have decisions to make, a health coach can help navigate that, by listening empathetically and helping you sort out your fears and feelings, and providing practical guidelines on stress management, self-care, etc.

Note, health coaches don’t prescribe treatment, but can provide information if required, especially around healthy lifestyle choices. We are also trained in all kinds of stress management techniques.

Cost

Some medical aids have started using health coaches for chronic diseases, such as diabetes, but unfortunately, it’s not covered for breast cancer. As health coaching is still an unregulated industry, there are no remuneration codes and you would be expected to carry the cost. The cost of coaching can vary enormously. Much depends on the experience and qualifications of the coach but expect to pay between R400 and R1200 per 50-minute session. Coaches generally offer packages of 6, 8 or 12 sessions at a reduced rate. 

How to select a health coach

Because health coaching is a new field, it’s still quite unregulated, so please source the right coach with the relevant qualifications. The recognised courses are usually a year-long with about 600 hours of training on the basis of good health habits, including nutrition, exercise, stress management, sleep and managing relationships. Another key skill is motivational interviewing which facilitates behaviour change. Visit Functional Medicine Health Coaches Association South Africa (fmhcasa.com) to find qualified coaches in your area. Most offer a free Discovery Session, to see if the relationship will be a good fit. It’s an extremely personal process, and you have to feel comfortable.

Final thought

Health coaching is an emerging field that has the potential to change the face of disease management and positively impact peoples’ lives.

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