Unlock the potential of whole person health and wellness with insights from our special guest, Dr. Jessica Matthews. In this episode she shares her unique perspective, informed by her vast experience in exercise science, health coaching, and academia, to emphasize the importance of psychological and behavioral aspects in health behavior change. Learn how a coach-based approach can significantly improve adherence to exercise programs and lead to better outcomes for clients.
Explore the powerful role of lifestyle behaviors in preventing and managing chronic diseases, and see how empathy-driven coaching can empower lasting change. Through engaging discussions, we highlight the importance of meeting individuals where they are and utilizing their language to resonate with their personal health journeys. Dr. Matthews distinguishes between the expert and coach approaches, underscoring how focusing on the individual can lead to sustainable, long-term behavior change rather than relying on rigid guidelines.
We'll also delve into the professionalization of health and wellness coaching, you'll see the exciting strides being made in integrating these practices into healthcare settings, and how this parallels work in the exercise profession. This episode is a must-listen for those interested in advancing whole person health through a collaboration coach-based approach.
Our Guest: Dr. Jessica Matthews, DBH, NBC-HWC, DipACLM, FACLM
Dr. Jessica Matthews is an industry leader in the fields of health and well-being coaching and lifestyle medicine. A passionate educator and innovative curriculum designer, she has created graduate degree and professional certificate programs at several college in Southern California, including the M.S. Integrative Wellness program at Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) for which she serves as Program Director. Additionally, Dr. Matthews serves as Director of Integrative Health Coaching at UC San Diego in the Department of Family Medicine. There she has led the development and implementation of health and wellness coaching services within both clinical practice and research, to include hiring and supervising a team of national board-certified health and wellness coaches in the Centers for Integrative Health (CIH).
A passionate advocate for whole person health, Dr. Matthews serves as Chair of Board of Directors for The National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) and was among one of the first national board-certified health and wellness coaches (NBC-HWCs) in the country. Additionally, she is board certified in lifestyle medicine (DipACLM) and served on the board of directors for the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) from 2020-2023. In 2021, Dr. Matthews was named a Fellow of ACLM for outstanding achievement in the field of lifestyle medicine and exceptional dedication to advancing the organization's mission.
With extensive professional experience, including as a wellness entrepreneur and co-creator of The Health and Well-Being Coaching Conference, Dr. Matthews is a highly sought after consultant and keynote speaker who for over 15 years has regularly contributed as a health and wellness expert to numerous national media outlets, including, but not limited to, CNN, Women's Health, NPR, and O, The Oprah Magazine. She has published peer-reviewed articles as well as authored and edited a number of academic textbooks and chapters on topics ranging from health behavior change theory and health coaching skills, to stress management, mindfulness and happiness science. She has served as a commencement speaker at PLNU using the power of spoken word to speak God's word, and in 2019 she delivered a TEDx talk titled "Reclaiming Wellness."
Additionally, from 2006-2019 Dr. Matthews served as a lead educator and later as a senior advisor for the American Council on Exercise (ACE), and in 2017 she was honored as the IDEA Fitness Instructor of the Year—a top award recognizing superior instructional abilities and positive influence in the global health and fitness industry.
Links from this Episode:
The Health and Well-Being Coaching Conference
Supporting Sustainable Behavior Change (article)
National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjessmatthews/
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https://www.pointloma.edu/graduate-studies/programs/kinesiology-ms-integrative-wellness