When people experience more stress than they can handle, they often struggle in many different areas of their lives.
Sleep is disrupted. Relationships become tense. Nutritional habits go backwards.
More alcohol and candy tend to come into the picture. Exercise is a thing of the past.
The scale often goes up.
Stressed person complaining “What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I do anything? What’s wrong with my willpower? Why am I so lazy?”
The problem is, they’re not lazy. They just suffer from toxic stress.
This is where stress management coaching (aka stress management training) can make a big difference.
Certified stress management coaches help people set priorities, learn relaxation techniques and reduce their overall stress load. The end result: Clients feel better—and are finally able to discover the energy and bandwidth needed to successfully address other wellness goals.
Maybe you’re thinking: I want to help people do this! If so, this article guides you through everything you need to know about stress management coaching.
What is stress management training? What does a stress management coach do? How do you become a stress management coach?
It’s all here. Read on to find out.
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What is stress management?
Stress — from small everyday annoyances to big life changes — can build up over time. When stress overwhelms your ability to recover, it can…
▶ Suppresses the body’s immune response
▶ mess up your gastrointestinal tract
▶ Increased risk of heart disease
▶ Increased risk of depression and anxiety
(understand more: Effects of Stress on the Body.)
It can also make it harder for you to do other things that are good for you, like getting enough sleep and eating enough vegetables.
Stress management training gives you a comprehensive toolkit to help you and your clients break free from the grip of stress. By managing stress better, you can not only improve your health, but also become more productive and happier.
What is a stress management coach? What does a stress management coach do?
Stress management coaches help people understand, grow from, and overcome stress more easily. Their stress management training enables them to help clients pull the various “healthy levers” they need to feel and perform better.
Stress management coaches rely on their deep understanding of physiology and psychology to help clients…
▶ Enhance toughness
▶ Cope with stress in a more positive way
▶ Learn strategies and practices that help them gain greater control over their lives
Stress management coaches assess each client as an individual, gather vital data to understand the client’s needs, track their progress, and identify and articulate their goals. They then work closely with clients to develop an action plan to achieve those goals and help them reassess and realign as needed.
(For an in-depth look at some of the techniques coaches use, read: How to Build Resilience.)
Who does a stress management coach help?
Many people decide to become certified stress management coaches so they can make a bigger impact in their careers as nurses, registered dietitians, chiropractors, personal trainers, health coaches, group exercise coaches, or athletic coaches.
Others became certified because they saw a growing need, including…
▶ Nearly half of parents say their stress has increased in the past two years
▶ In a survey by the American Psychological Association, three out of five employees reported a lack of interest, motivation and energy due to job stress
▶ Countless people want to break old patterns and habits created by chronic stress
Stress management coaches can help people identify what causes stressand develop a personalized road map for dealing with these stressors.
What is the difference between a stress management coach and a licensed behavior therapist?
Stress management coaches supplement the help a licensed behavior therapist can provide, but they don’t replace it.
Licensed mental health professionals have more training and education than stress management coaches. For example, psychiatrists must complete medical school and then go on to residency and specialty training. Psychologists and licensed social workers usually have a master’s degree and specialized clinical training.
Specialized clinical training qualifies psychiatrists and some psychologists to diagnose mental health conditions. It allows mental health counselors to use a range of therapeutic tools — such as dialectical behavior therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and psychoanalysis — that would not be available to someone without this specialized training.
While stress management coaches do spend a lot of time talking to clients about the stressors they face, they cannot diagnose someone with depression, anxiety, or any other mental health condition. They also cannot prescribe medication. However, they can help people put their mental health team’s advice into practice.
In this way, a stress management coach can work with someone’s mental health practitioner, just as an orthopedic surgeon might work with a physical therapist.
Why do people need a stress management coach?
When it comes to improving physical health, many people focus on fitness and nutrition. However, in today’s stressful world, fitness and nutrition aren’t always enough. To support fitness and nutrition habits—especially during periods of major life change—most people need solid stress management skills, as well as sleep and recovery tools.
Think of sleep, stress management and recovery as the foundation to support all other healthy habits.
The good news is that small changes can make a big difference.
(free guide: Learn how to relieve stress.)
Why do people become stress management coaches?
Most people who pursue certification in stress management techniques already work in or are related to the health and fitness industry. As such, they realize the importance of sleep, stress management, and recovery for everyone striving to lead a healthier life. They want to go beyond the basics and gain a professional-level understanding of these topics so they can better direct their efforts to help their clients achieve their health and wellness goals.
By learning more about the art and science of stress management, certified stress management coaches can help their clients develop greater resilience.
How do I become a stress management coach? What credentials are needed?
You can become a stress management coach by earning certification from a program that includes the science of stress as well as the advanced coaching methods needed to help clients better manage stress.
We just came out and said: we provide Comprehensive Stress Management Coach Certification We are very proud of this. (It’s called the Precision Nutrition Level 1 Sleep, Stress Management, and Recovery Coaching Certification. to here enter the waiting list).
That said, our accreditation is just one of many. Whether you end up enrolling in our or another program, you will need a certification…
✅ Rigorous
✅Won the respect of people in the industry
✅Place the client at the center of everything they teach
You want a program that does more than just provide you with certification. You want a product that helps you confidently deliver results to your clients.
If you’re a health and fitness professional…
Learning how to help clients manage stress and optimize sleep can dramatically change a client’s outcomes.
They’ll “get out of the woods” and eventually move forward—whether they want to eat better, exercise more, lose weight, or get back in shape.
Plus, it will give you the confidence and credibility as a professional coach to address the biggest issues holding back any client’s progress.
brand new PN Level 1 Sleep, Stress Management and Recovery Coaching Certification will tell you how to do it.