Many people think they hire a health coach for guidance or advice on managing a chronic condition. However, the real reason they want a coach is more impactful. They want clarity, confidence, and someone to help them manage the moving pieces. They want to feel capable, even when they feel overwhelmed by a new diagnosis or worsening health condition.
In this blog, I’ll share:
- Why clients say yes to health coaching
- What they say they want vs what they’re really getting out of working with a coach
- A practical takeaway for anyone who is a health coach or considering a coach for chronic condition support
What’s Driving Yes Decisions Right Now
Urgency: Many clients feel overwhelmed after a new diagnosis or when managing worsening conditions.
One client, for example, had diabetes and wasn’t taught how to safely inject insulin. Reading instructions online didn’t make her feel confident. That sense of uncertainty made taking actions to balance her glucose feel scary. The solution: we reviewed how to use insulin and how to treat appropriately if she made a mistake.
Value: Clients want strategic guidance and help prioritizing next steps while making sense of the information and advice they’ve already received.
For this client, we walked through her insulin doses in real time, using a chart provided by her doctor as she was about to eat. This gave her confidence in her dosing after a day or two.
Frustrations: They’ve had enough of conflicting guidance, unclear next steps, and feeling like they have to handle everything alone.
The client now contacts me when she has questions, and we can go figure out challenging meals together. If I’m not available in real time, we review her actions for real-life learning.
Recognizing these patterns helps identify what truly matters to people seeking health coaching support.
Here’s another moment that made this clear: A client called about her mom, who had several new diagnoses and seemed to be slipping mentally. The client wasn’t looking for information. She needed someone to help make sense of all the pieces, prioritize what mattered most, and share the responsibility of managing care.
When you understand this, your positioning changes. You stop leading with standard coaching methods and start speaking to what clients truly need: relief.
What Clients Are Actually Buying
Clients often say they want guidance, but what they’re really seeking is:
- Capability: Knowing what to do first and feeling confident doing it
- Support: A backup to help manage complex care decisions
- Relief: Less overwhelm by planning their next steps before situations become urgent
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
- Many people say they want guidance, but they’re really seeking a way to feel capable as they navigate complexity.
- Overwhelm often comes from unclear next steps. Breaking things down into what matters first can be a game-changer.
- Clients feel stuck because no one else is looking at all the moving pieces. A clear perspective can be more valuable than more information.
- The right questions, about what feels unmanageable now or what’s been tried, reveal the true urgency and help prioritize action.
Keeping these outcomes in mind speaks to the deeper needs clients hope to address.
For Health Coaches, Know Your Own Demand Drivers
Take a moment to reflect:
- What do your last five yes clients have in common?
- What did they say that revealed the real driver behind their decision?
- How will this change your coaching techniques?
Understanding these patterns helps you connect more deeply and position your support in a way that actually matters to the people you serve.
Quick Takeaway for Anyone Considering a Health Coach
Ask yourself:
- Are you feeling overwhelmed or stuck, even with all the information you have?
- Do you need someone to help prioritize next steps and make sense of conflicting advice?
- Are there conditions you’re expected to manage, like diabetes care or managing your parents' health, but need more confidence to show you're doing things correctly?
- Would having another perspective make you feel more capable and less alone?
If the answer is yes, a health coach can provide clarity, confidence, and shared responsibility, not just guidance. It’s about feeling capable and supported as you take the next steps with purpose.
With Care,
Cheri Sacks R.N., C.D.C.E.S
Cheri Sacks, "Your Neighbor, The Nurse"
Ready to stop fighting your body and start healing? Send me a message. Let's work together to build connections between your body, mind, and health. You can find other helpful articles at Chronic Health Wisdom
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