2.14.19 HCTP May 2018 Check In Call #9

>> Hey, everyone. And welcome to your monthly check-in call. My name is Tessa. I'm a course advisor here at the school and in alum from 2010. I'm also excited to be connecting with all of you today. We also have Amanda on the line who is also a course advisor here at IIN. And on this call, we're going to go over what you have been learning in the past month, what's coming up, and you'll have the opportunity to ask us your questions and interact with us in real time which is really our favorite part here. So before we dive in, I just want to make sure that you know how to make the most out of this call. So let's go over just a little technical housekeeping. All right, so during the call, you can ask your questions by going to the Questions Chatbox on the GoToWebinar control panel. Dana is also with us from the Student Success Department, and she'll be answering your questions right in there during the call. So even if we don't get to some of your questions or don't necessarily, you know, read your responses out loud, she's in there, you know, and she's happy to answer any questions you have. All right, so let's test this out. Head on over to the Questions box, type in your name, and let's switch it up. How about you share the last thing that you cooked? Just to make sure that this is all working. And for me, I made spaghetti squash last night. How about you, Amanda? >> I made a veggie stew last night. People are writing in. Healthy Nutella, gluten-free oatmeal. Yum! Quinoa and lentils. >> Yeah, we have Tracy who cooked a veggie burger, and that sounds awesome. Beverly, "I cooked artichoke chicken." Oh, that sounds so good. I've been on a real artichoke kick lately. Kylie wrote in, "I made a chicken curry last night." Valerie wrote ratatouille. Awesome. Let's see. We have Alicia saying veggie and baked chicken. A lot of chicken on this call. Megan said spaghetti squash. Awesome. 'Tis the season. Lynn said mashed cauliflower. Love it. Renee, "Black bean soup." Yasmeen says curry stew with tofu and veggies. We have Stephanie, "I made a one pan chicken and butternut squash dish." Let's see. I'll read a few more off. We got great energy on the call today, you guys. Sarah said vegetarian tacos. This sounds good. Supriya said black eyed pea curry. Awesome. Well, there are so many delicious recipes coming and you guys continue share, Dana's in there like I said. And so from here, I'm going to pass it back over to Amanda to go over what we learned in the past month. >> Thanks, Tessa. Yeah so, all right, guys, the pace has definitely started picking up during the second half of the curriculum. And I'd like to use some time now to check in with you all. So what have you been working on this month? Are there any successes you'd like to share, anything that you're having trouble with? You know, whatever you've been feeling this past month, share in the Questions box. I'll read a few. And so, you know, we can celebrate you. So share away any success stories, anything interesting coming up for you guys. Well, I'll share one for myself. I have kind of been dabbling in meditation for quite some time, and I just reached a month of consistency. So I've been doing it every single day for one month, which has been awesome. Okay, so Katrina wrote in, "I have one client I'm working with for free, just beginning though." That's good. It has been good. Awesome, Katrina, that's super exciting. Yeah, and you guys are kind of at that time where you can start to think about these things, right? Rosie wrote in, "I'm practicing Kundalini Yoga." Awesome. Kylie says, "I've made a couple of huge transformations this month." Really cool. Yeah. Shauna, "I've been posting more nutrition lifestyle tips on social media." Great. Monica, "I'm having trouble on being strict on my eating." Well, that's okay, right? Again, we're still works in progress, all of us, right? So no big deal, Monica, you just kind of, you know, do what you can, don't be too hard on yourself. We're all learning and we're all in different places, and that's okay. Josana wrote in, "Practice Pilates." I used to do Pilates, Josana. So awesome. Love that. Alicia wrote in, "Exploring Ayurveda." Tracy, "Finally broke the 140 pounds mark." Yes, really awesome. Good for you. Yes. Jordan wrote in, "I'm currently working on asking someone to be my first client." Really exciting. Yeah, it's a really good time for all of that to start kicking in, right, guys? Awesome. And Jill wrote in, "I've been practicing barre and made a huge move forward with it." Really cool. Yeah, all right. Awesome, guys. I love these calls because they're a great reminder that you're not alone, right? You're all going through this together. And I've taken many online courses myself, and I know it can sometimes feel isolating at times, right? So there's no one to hold you accountable or share thoughts about the material, but that's one reason these calls are so valuable. They create community from across many, many miles and it definitely seems like many of you have experienced some of the same feelings over the course of the last month, so that's really cool to see. Yeah, awesome. >> Yeah, and thank you so much for sharing, Amanda. That's so cool. I work so closely with you and had no idea about the one month of consistency. That's so cool. And I just... I love our community here because so many people are doing so many amazing things, you know, as IIN grads. All right, so now that we kind of have a good idea of where everyone's at, let's take a couple of minutes to review the main takeaways of the curriculum since we last checked in. So I'm going to have Amanda kind of take the wheel here because this next topic, I think, really falls in line with what she was just talking about. And she's going to talk a bit about spirituality. >> Thanks, Tessa. Yeah, so in Module 29, we talked a lot about the idea of spirituality, and how this can be such a crucial part of primary food which we're going to dive into a bit more soon. So we also learn about how spirituality can even influence dietary preferences and restrictions. Spirituality is one of the slices of the Circle of Life and an incredibly important and exciting area to delve into. So you all learned about spirituality through a primary food lens, and how bringing balance to this area of your life is key for optimal health and wellbeing. I hope everyone gain some insights into their own spirituality after this module. And just like everything we teach in the curriculum, you learned that spirituality is bio-individual. So what spirituality nourishes in one person is going to be very different from what it feeds in another. And while some clients will really connect with the spiritual slice of their lives, many might not, and that's okay, right? As a coach, you can help them expand the meaning of spirituality to fit their preferences, values, and personalities. The overarching theme here is that spirituality is about finding a deeper meaning in life, and aligning with your higher self or even with something greater than yourself. So for more analytical clients, you might frame it as seeing the bigger picture or something along those lines. So what's also interesting is that our definitions and meanings of spirituality can significantly change over the course of our lives. So for example in one chapter of life, spirituality might mean spending time alone and meditation perhaps, whereas in a later life chapter, it might mean building relationships with others. The good news is that there's no right or wrong way to be spiritual. Spirituality is a process that ebbs and flows, and it's unique to everyone. So what does this all really mean, and why are we learning about spirituality in the curriculum? Well, because having a sense of purpose and interconnectedness, feeling like you're part of something bigger than just yourself is so, so important. Whether we're starting our coaching businesses, interacting with others, or just going about our days, having a broader perspective in our lives, supports health and happiness, and you can apply this to all areas of the Circle of Life, right? So I would love to hear from you all. What spirituality means to you, and how you incorporate it into your life, whether on a daily basis or every now and then? How do you all bring balance to this area of your primary food? And remember, as I mentioned before, bio-individuality is at play here and there's no right or wrong way to be spiritual. So if you guys want to share some stuff, I'd love to read it out. And again, you know, I shared earlier, for me, that's kind of been my meditation practice recently. And that's been working for me. So anything coming up for you guys. Yeah, okay. Yeah, Rosie wrote it, "For me, 10 minutes each day of meditation." Awesome. So similar to me, right? Well, while you guys are writing in, we can continue on here. But, you know, again, just to keep in mind, there's such diversity when it comes to spirituality. And if you currently feel as though you aren't really being nourished in this primary food, hopefully, you know, we can continue finding inspiration as we move through the course here. So some of you guys are typing in now which is awesome. So Sarah writes in, "You know, as a kid, I went to church, as an adult, I struggled to go every week. I prefer reading and watching videos of my favorite preachers." That's awesome. Yeah, thanks, Sarah. Thomas says, "Prayer at night, and then the morning reminds me that I have a spiritual team that guides me." Awesome, awesome. Yes. Melanie says, "Walk on the beach, spend some quality time in nature." Definitely. I resonate with that too. Yeah, lot of spending more time in nature, right? Definitely. "Yeah, I also can't wait for the weather to get a little better so I can be barefoot in the grass," Alicia. I'm into that too. Yeah, Jordan writes in, "Recently just went to India to become yoga certified, learned a lot about what it's like to be a yogi." Really resonating with you and your boyfriend. Very cool. Awesome. Himana writes in, "For me, grounding practices in the form of breathing techniques." Awesome. Diane says, "Mentally and physically in the morning when I wake up, take a long walk, stretch, listen to music." Definitely, awesome way to start your day, right? So yeah, as you can see here, guys, right, a lot of different things, a lot of, you know, different ways to connect with this sense of spirituality, and right, as I said before, there's no one right way to do this and, you know, you can kind of continue exploring and figuring out what works for you and what feels best here. Cool. >> Awesome. Yeah, great responses, you guys. And it really is cool to just see how different we all are when it comes to this topic. So thank you so much for sharing all of that, Amanda. All right, so I'm going to shift gears here. We also learned about the importance of one of my favorite topics that I am constantly working on and that is setting boundaries. So this is such an important lesson for new coaches specifically. And it can be really tricky to navigate at first. So as you're building your business, you, of course, want to be accommodating, but at the same time, you want to make sure you're creating a sustainable model for yourself, and you feel comfortable with the boundaries that you've created, right? So this is something that I think many of us struggle with, even in our own personal lives. And it can also, you know, even shift boundaries that used to work for you may not work anymore. So it's all about kind of checking in there, right? So when it comes to your clients though, as a coach, you have to think about what is going to be sustainable for you. So a few questions that you can ask yourself are, you know, "Do you, for instance, feel okay texting with clients or is that something that you prefer to avoid? Do you want to meet with clients in the evenings and weekends or would you prefer scheduling during the weekdays only? Also, if a client is running late, will you allow the appointment to run over?" That's something you want to ask, "And if so, by how much?" So these are all examples of the types of questions you may want to start thinking about as you begin to see clients. So some things you may have to figure out as you go, and that's totally fine. We're always learning. So it's really important to think about boundary setting as fluid as well because there's going to be a lot of trial and error when it comes to that. And again, it can be tricky to navigate, but a really great way to remove any awkwardness that can sometimes arise from unclear boundaries is to make sure that you set expectations right off the bat. So if you don't want to receive phone calls after a certain hour, then let your client know the hours you're available and unavailable, and you can even put this in writing. You may also want to consider, you know, determining a cancellation policy and make your clients, you know, aware of it. So these are all questions you can start to ask yourself. It's really important. And again, the easiest way to do it is to really communicate this upfront because, you know, then they can agree to it, it's all understood and then you can get started with the coaching. >> Thanks, Tessa. Yeah, so let's talk a little bit about marketing, guys. This was introduced in Module 29. And marketing yourself effectively is a great way to make sure your business is visible and that clients know both what you offer and how to reach you. So part of being an effective marketer is being able to tell a story. Often, we don't really connect to brands as much as we do with the story surrounding them, right? So a story could be the story of why the company was founded. A lot of family owned companies use this. It might also be a story that illustrates how the target audience could benefit from the product or service. Either way, stories make your business more memorable, and you'll be more likely to find clients who resonate with your message. So one example is an ad for Chevrolet, the car, right, which in about 30 seconds shares the story of a girl and her dog and how this dog was with her for years. He rode in the car when she learned how to drive and when her parents dropped her off at college. And it ends with the tagline, a best friend for life's journey. So Chevrolet is selling their car as an important part of life's journey, right? Definitely an emotional commercial if you haven't seen it. But think of the brands you like and their stories. You know, you can feel free to share some examples in the Questions box as we move along here. So yeah, let me know if anything comes up for you guys if there's any sort of stories or commercials, you know, similar example that I shared that you remember that resonates with you. But, you know, I think many of us feel funny about marketing ourselves and putting ourselves out there, right? It can definitely be a scary feeling. And I think we can feel afraid of being perceived as self-absorbed if we share about ourselves too much or over share. But here's the thing, of course, we want to make sure we have a sense of self-awareness and don't have an ego about it. But it's okay to tell the world what you're passionate about, it's okay to be open about your interests and your journey. And it's exactly this openness and honesty that your future clients will connect with most. It's less about saying, "Look at me. I'm awesome, I do this and I do that, and I could do this and I could do that," right? And more about saying, "I've been there, I want to help you, and here's what I have to offer." So how's everyone feeling about that? Are you excited about marketing yourself or a little nervous perhaps, what's the story that you might share when marketing yourself? Feel free to share in the Chatbox, and we can read some off. >> Yeah, Tracy mentions, "Apple definitely markets to the individual and their lifestyle." Totally, yeah, they have a really strong marketing angle there, right, but it definitely works. So again, thinking about how you might apply this type of thing to your own coaching practice when you guys start marketing yourselves, maybe some stuff will start to come up. Don't be shy, you can share in the Chatbox. But I'll just kind of keep continuing on and if we see some cool stuff, we'll share them here. But, yeah, you know, sometimes there are definitely mixed feelings out there about marketing yourself, and that's totally normal. So to help you move forward, refer back to the content called tell your story. This will help you hone in on your messaging, which you'll then have to create your practice. Let's see here. Yeah, Reginald wrote in, "I do feel very conscious about marketing myself." Definitely. Yeah, it's a little daunting, right? It can feel even crazy. I know I felt that way when I was doing it. I was like, "What am I going to write about myself, this is so embarrassing, you know, who cares what I have to offer?" But again, this is all part of it. I mean, people want to understand, you know, A, where you're coming from, what your story is, what you have to offer, and how they can, you know, maybe connect with you because maybe that's exactly what they're going through as well, right? Yeah, you know, it's interesting. I'm seeing a lot of people writing right now. And it looks like a lot of people have some nerves around this topic. And like Amanda was saying, that's totally normal. It would actually be strange if you didn't because I think a lot of us have a hard time really sitting down and being able to talk about ourselves, right? And I know one of the things like when I speak to really great coaches or people who are doing great things, there's a really authenticity about the way that they're expressing themselves, right? And that takes time, you're going to continue to hone in on that as you're sort of looking at things like your target market and other things like that. And it's really going to take a lot of practice, but you're all in the right space. You know, we just introduced this topic. So now is the time to really start practicing and kind of getting in there and figuring out, you know, what your authentic self is. And that's what's going to be magnetic to your clients. So, you know, we're seeing a lot of these nerves here, but again, that's totally normal, you're all in the right place. Okay, so I'm going to do a little more recap here. One of the other things we reviewed in Module 30 is that we learned a lot about how our relationship with food can affect our health, right? So this is a big topic. We learned about disordered eating, how to coach clients who have complicated food relationships, and we learned about when we should reach out for a referral, right? So this is a really important topic. We're going to dive a bit deeper into this, but I know, you know, it can be tricky to navigate here. So one of the most important distinctions in this content is that difference between eating disorders and disordered eating, right? So just wondering, does anybody know the difference? You know, feel free to write in and share. And, you know, really, as we covered in the curriculum, eating disorders and disordered eating are not the same thing, right? So eating disorders, for instance, are clinical conditions, right, and often require a multidisciplinary team to help aid recovery, which is an ongoing process for many people who struggle with this. So these people would include a physician, a therapist or even an RD, right? So eating disorders, they can be incredibly complicated and delicate. So if you suspect that a client has an eating disorder like, anorexia, bulimia, or extreme dietary habits that are negatively affecting their health and wellbeing. As a Health Coach, that's when you'll make a referral so that your client can begin the recovery process by getting help from a clinical professional who specializes in eating disorders, right? So that's a really important thing to remember. So if your client is, for instance, avoiding social situations due to food, also hiding their eating habits, or becoming defensive, or eluding any questions about foods, these could be red flags, and these could be signs that he or she needs additional support there, right? So if you see these things, research specialists or treatment centers in your area, you know, and make a referral. But what you'll probably see more often here, however, is clients who have patterns of disordered eating, right, which is different, which aren't as drastic, but it can still have those major health implications and can turn into an eating disorder over time if not addressed in those early stages. So some forms of disordered eating, maybe stress eating, or emotional eating, also eating out of boredom, eating on dysregulated schedule even, or frequent diet cycling also. So really one of the best ways to help clients who are experiencing any of these habits is to get to the why or the root cause, right? So what is the feeling or emotion behind their eating habits? And, you know, I'll ask you guys what is the best way to do this as a Health Coach? Does anybody want to write in? Yep, that's right. Yeah, I'm getting a lot of people saying high mileage questions which I know is a big topic in our curriculum. So again, there are those questions that start with how, what, or when. Now these questions can help your client to open up and really start exploring what is motivating their behavior. So in this case, even though you're trying to get to the why, it's always important to remember that you stay away from why questions which can be interpreted as judgmental, and clients may not be as willing to share and that's how they perceive it. So it's always good to remember that when you're approaching high mileage questioning. But nearly, everyone has a complicated food relationship, right? You know, in one way or another, our food relationship is affected by everything, from the food environment we grew up in, you know, to our daily schedule, to our food preparation skills, you know, to the friends that we spend time with. Also, you know, our state of health or even economic status. All of these things affect our food relationship, right? So helping a client to explore why they are behaving a particular way around food can be difficult. And there are many, many layers there, but it can be really invaluable for your client as well. So a lot of people struggle with two different sides of eating, either dieting or indulging, right? So you're going to see, you know, oftentimes one or the other. And this is something that, you know, you will encounter as a Health Coach. And when it comes to a nutritious diet, people often have an all-or-nothing mentality, right? This can end up being a cycle with people constantly moving from one end of the spectrum to the other, and it can be really unsatisfying and even unhealthy. So for example, let's say you have a client who finds himself eating large portions of sweets right after work, often he doesn't really eat much during the day. Let's try this out. What type of questions would you ask this client to find out more about what's going on? So again, this case study, it's a client who expresses to you that he gets home from work and he immediately goes for the ice cream in the fridge, and also says to you, "I didn't really eat much lunch during the day, I barely eat, I'm so busy." What are some high mileage questions you would use there? And this is great. Cindy says, "How, when, and what." Yep, you can really ask any question, you know, regarding that if you're starting with those words for sure. This is a great one. Rachna says, "How does it make you feel when you eat any food?" That's a great place to start. And what's great about that is it's not a yes or no question, right? This is an opportunity for this client to really just start talking, right, start expressing. The conversation may go anywhere, but it's really he has the floor and, he can really start to express kind of his relationship with food and how he feels about it. Let's see. Aaron says, "Are there any other activities you'd enjoy doing in the evening after work?" Yeah, absolutely, I mean, I think that that's a really good place to start as well. It's a great high mileage question. This is a good one. Alicia says, "What happens during the day that prevents you from eating at work?" Yeah, and I think that really gets down to it, right, because I think we're all thinking the same thing, like, how can we get this guy to, you know, try and eat during the day so that he doesn't binge after work. And I think that that could really get him talking, and you guys could probably really come up with a cool plan for him. Let's see. Meg says, "What areas of the Circle of Life are you satisfied and dissatisfied with?" I love this because as a Health Coach, and even just in general for myself, the Circle of Life is something I come back to constantly. It is such a great tool. In fact, you know, with my clients, I will have them fill it out every other time we meet, and we go over, you know, what has changed. It's such a great parameter. And even here internally, a lot of us, you know, on the faculty and staff here will check in and do, you know, the Circle of Life constantly. That's just such a great tool. I love... I love that you said that, Meg. And these are great high mileage questions. Asking these will really give you a better sense of why he's not eating during the day and so hungry when he reaches for sweets as soon as he gets home, right? So as a Health Coach, you can really help your clients to find balance in their diet, so they aren't always on one end of the spectrum or the other. So really, if you imagine like a seesaw, I think that's how many people feel when it comes to their food relationship. You know, there often isn't a sense of balance, but by helping clients to explore their food relationship, you know, and develop dietary habits that work for them, and, you know, helping them to navigate the barriers they encounter when it comes to nutritious diet, you are providing a truly incredible service for them as a coach. But the conversation should really start with helping to bring awareness to your client of their eating habits, right? So more of a behavioral and emotional standpoint before you even begin discussing food because it's not the root of the issue most of the time, right? You know, maybe your client needs to explore, let's say, more techniques for stress management, for example, which can, you know, naturally help to support healthier dietary choices. Or maybe your client is, you know, running on a few hours of sleep. So, I just... You know, I want to make sure that makes sense, you know, how do you guys feel kind of in general about the high mileage questioning, you know, really helping people to heal their food relationship can really do wonders further a long-term health and wellbeing. But what about this excites you? You know, how are you guys feeling? Because I know that it can take some time to get used to the high mileage questioning. So is there anything that you guys are feeling, you know, for those of you who've been doing your Health Histories or coaching already? You know, what about this line of questioning excites you? And is there anything that you guys feel maybe a little unsure of? So feel free to share. I think we're going to continue on. I'm going to pass it over to Amanda, but we'll definitely be in there answering your questions or taking a look at sort of how you guys feel around this topic. >> Thanks, Tessa. Yeah, awesome. So let's move into managing emotions. So in Module 31, we talked about managing emotions specifically about anger. And I think this is one of many emotions that were often taught to hide or suppress, and it can feel uncomfortable to feel angry, right? Or it might feel like we get out of control if we let ourselves feel or show anger. But having anger can be a really powerful catalyst for change, right? It can kind of be a wakeup call. We feel emotions for a reason and they're all beneficial. Of course, how we express our anger makes a big difference. What do you guys think about that? I mean, feel free to share. I know I've experienced that, right? I mean, sometimes suppressing anger can really feel uncomfortable, right? I mean, it really does. And it can even make you feel some physical side effects, right? So yeah, I mean, do you guys feel comfortable expressing anger? Do you try to avoid it? Does anyone have any interesting strategies or tips or tricks for expressing anger in a productive way? Let's see here. Well, yeah, we will keep moving on. I mean, keep feel... You know, feel free to write in there. I'm going to delve a little deeper into this. "Deep breathing." I love that, Jordan. That's what I was just about to say. Yeah, that's a great way to just kind of, you know, step away from the situation, kind of connect back to the present moment, focus on your breath, right, calm the nervous system a little bit. And then, you know, really assess what the situation is a little bit away from that sort of anger snowball that can happen. "I give myself some cooling time if I feel emotions will take over," Tracy says. Yeah, awesome, right. If you're able to do that in the moment, that's amazing. "Journaling and exercise both helped me process anger, " says Stephanie. Definitely, yeah. Same for me, Stephanie. I find that, you know, when I'm really just feeling it, moving my body, getting a little bit physical really helps to kind of, you know, let it go a little bit easier. "Deep breathing." Yeah, a lot of people talking about deep breathing, connecting back to the breath, helps them connect back to the present moment. Awesome. "Messy drawing." I love that, Valeria. Yeah, very cool. Yeah, Cindy says think about the outcome first which can help keep yourself more calm. Definitely, right. Again, kind of stepping back from it 'cause the anger can sometimes take over, right? Yeah, I like this one is interesting. Thomas says, "I feel comfortable expressing anger, but I noticed people don't open up to me for fear, I may get angry." That's interesting. But I think that's really cool, Thomas, that you're able to kind of be really honest with your emotions. And I do think people get a little uncomfortable when that happens, right? But that's interesting. And really thanks for sharing that. Monica says running helps a lot. Yes. Yeah, all of these things help to kind of put whatever's going into perspective and helps to defuse the emotion a little bit, right? And, yeah, I think also being able to channel anger into creativity, which some of you mentioned is really great as well, right. So cool. Well, let's... You know, feel free to keep sharing. Again, we're in there responding to you guys. So keep going. But we're going to shift gears a little bit here, just for the sake of time, we're going to move into women's health. So another major topic from Module 31 is women's health, right? And whether we're talking about menstruation, pregnancy, menopause, or anything between or beyond, women have unique healthcare needs, right? And when it comes to women's health concerns, a really disappointing truth is that they're not always given the consideration they deserve. So like emotions, right? This is often an area that clients may feel uncomfortable discussing. You know, also symptoms that often accompany some women's health issues like fatigue, or bloating, or headaches may not seem all that serious and can be caused by a million different simple explanations. But the truth is they could indicate more serious problems. And as a Health Coach, when you're working with women, one of the most important things you can offer is validation and encouraging them to be their own healthcare advocate. So listen, reflect back. And if your client has specific health complaints, encourage them to see their doctor, right, and to get a second or third opinion if necessary. So we also talked about the menstrual cycle. And how reducing processed foods from the diet, exercise and stress management can help to reduce discomfort throughout the cycle, right? So all things to kind of keep in mind here. But yeah, let's continue shifting gears, we're going to review what's coming up for you guys. So you're in a really exciting time in the course here. And, you know, let's just kind of review a little bit about what's to come. So in Module 32, which opened up this week, we're going to talk about aging with a focus on how to age well and with health. So you're going to learn about one of my absolute favorite topics, the Blue Zones. Have any of you ever heard of the Blue Zones before? Really interesting stuff. It's a fun topic. And, you know, if you're not really familiar with it, you'll be learning all about them soon. But the Blue Zones refer to the regions of the world with the longest living populations, including Okinawa in Japan, Sardinia in Italy, and Loma Linda, California, just to name a few. And what I think you'll find really interesting here about all of these populations is that they all follow different diets which further enforces the idea that there's no one perfect diet out there, right? And another thing you'll learn about them is that primary food elements that they all have in common, it's fascinating and it's such a great reminder that diet is important, of course, right? But when it comes to our health, there are many other factors playing a role here. And you'll also be learning about intimacy and living a sexually empowered life. Yes, right? And coming up, we're also going to talk more about the food system. So Mark Pittman's lecture, Reclaim Your Food Supply offers an eye opening look at the food industry and what we can do to support not only our own health but the health of our planet. We have Vani Hari, or the Food Babe as you might know her is also going to teach how to be a food activist and how you may not realize it, but you have major platform to create meaningful change in our food system. We'll also dive deeper into how to use social media in your practice to build awareness of your brand, right? We mentioned that earlier today, marketing yourself so you'll kind of get a little bit more of a glimpse on how to do that with social media. And in Module 34, we're going to get more into the school food system, and how we can feed our children quality foods to support growth, mental development, and a healthy weight through creating more sustainable school food systems. And we won't go deeper into these topics right now since you're about to hear all about them soon in the next few modules. But we just wanted to give you an idea of the great topics you have to look forward to here. And other exciting things to think about in the coming weeks are your specialty resources which are opening up, as well as your teaching classes resources also opening up soon. And then one of the biggest things coming up is your first Coaching Circle. So the Coaching Circles are such an amazing chance to get some real time feedback from a successful Health Coach and to connect with some of your fellow classmates. So these are such an awesome part of the program, and I know you may not know what to expect right now, but I think you'll really love them. I know I really did, and I think most students say that the Coaching Circles are, you know, one of the best aspects of the program, especially at this point, just 'cause a lot of stuff has changed, and you guys are kind of gearing up to, you know, get this stuff going in real life. So really exciting time. >> Excellent. Yeah, there's a lot coming up. That's so exciting. I mean, everything from your Coaching Circles which, you know, Amanda just said are just so exciting to all of these topics. I mean, every single one of them... I'm so excited about. I love learning about them. So super exciting stuff. Okay, so we're going to move on to the best part of this call, which is the Q&A. Any questions you guys have. So I mean, you can take this opportunity to go ahead and type them in. We won't have time to answer all of your questions live on this call. So really we'll focus on the questions that will be applicable to most students, especially like at this point in the program. But there are many, many different types of questions you can ask here. Just keep in mind that if you have a question, there's a really good chance someone else's wondering the same thing. So definitely share. There's no right or wrong questions here. And sharing might help other students who are kind of going through the same challenge. So I encourage all of you to go over there now, start asking your questions. Amanda and I are going to start sifting through here. And Dana will also be answering your questions just like she has been. I know a lot of you are seeing she's responding to all of your comments and all of your questions so far as well. And we're really just going to try and get to as many as possible right now. So head on over. Okay. So this is just a great sort of technical question we can get started with. Lynn wants to know, "How long do we have access to the libraries, etcetera, after we graduate?" So the cool thing is that, you basically have access to them indefinitely, the modules are what you have access to for two years. So I think this is always an important thing to reiterate and gives a lot of our students peace of mind that after graduation, you know, everything will be there. The modules will be removed after two years, but your resources are yours to keep. I would definitely recommend downloading them and saving them, you know, offline, just so that you always have them. But they're there for you. One thing that I will say though is the libraries and all of the resources, they're really great to have, especially now as you're kind of, you know, launching your health coaching business or just getting started, but we strongly encourage you guys to continue your education outside of IIN. So there are a lot of options out there for you, including our Advanced Courses which we can include information on that as well. There are a lot of different ways that you can further your education on these topics. And also, I mean, just the nature of this industry, it is constantly evolving, right? So we really want to make sure that you guys are, you know, kind of putting your education first and really moving forward. But we keep everything there for you for at least two years and then the resources indefinitely. They're yours to keep. >> Another technical question about Coaching Circles which I know I mentioned earlier. So yeah, let's just kind of clarify what those are. Basically, easiest way to think about them is there a small group call so with a few fellow classmates from all over the world, right, usually about six-ish students on the call and you can access these on a phone, also, you know, over a computer. But yeah, you simply have to be present on the call. And they're super fun led by a successful working Health Coach, a graduate of IIN of course. And you might talk about, you know, maybe some coaching strategies. You'll probably do some sample coaching with each other, which is really fun. You might talk about business ideas or intentions for, again, sort of getting the ball rolling with all this stuff. And it's just really fun to, you know, again, just connect with fellow students and get a glimpse of what people are doing out there in your class. And again, you know, that's why these calls are so helpful, just connecting and knowing that we're not all alone here, and we're all at different places and we're all, you know, maybe have different intentions and things we want to do. And they're just a great way to kind of lay all of that out, get some good feedback. You know, I know for me, I gained some really clear action steps at that time, which was super helpful for me moving forward sort of for the last half of the course. So yeah, I think just have an open mind and they're super fun. And again, just a great way to connect and kind of clarify anything that might feel still little confusing. >> Awesome. Yeah, great question. And I like that we're getting a lot of questions coming in in anticipation of graduation. That's pretty exciting 'cause it is on the horizon for you guys here. And this is a good one to know. Karima wants to know, "Will we still be able to chat in the Facebook after graduation, or again, answers for questions we may have after graduation?" Awesome question. So your class's Facebook group, that'll stay intact. The Facebook moderator, Noah, he won't be moderating anymore. But if you guys, you know, kind of have a rhythm or a flow in there, you can all stay connected. But the cool thing that you can do once you graduate is join our alumni Facebook group. And so that's going to be all students from, you know, many different generations and years of IIN graduates. Awesome way to really kind of cast a wider net in terms of connection, and I strongly recommend that you all do that. And we'll have plenty of information, you know, as graduation approaches how to join the alumni Facebook group, but it really is important for you guys to stay connected. I think Amanda mentioned earlier, you know, one of the things about online learning is that it can feel very isolating, right? And of course, a lot of you are out there connecting to your own community, which is great. But really connecting with each other and collaborating, you know, bouncing ideas off of each other, we have such a strong community here and a lot of alumni. So I think you guys will really get a lot out of that group. But if you've been, you know, chatting and really utilizing Facebook, that is great. It's such a good way to really connect with each other. And yeah, we'll have more info on that alumni Facebook group as graduation gets a little bit closer. All right, a lot more questions coming in here. Let's see. I saw one. Okay, this one has to do with one of the recaps. So Karen says, "I'm so glad that we're learning about boundary setting with clients. I'm a people-pleaser and I have trouble setting firm boundaries. So I struggle with ending sessions on time because I don't want to cut off my client when they're talking." Well, first of all, that's awesome that your client, you know, is talking so much. That means that, you know, you're really creating that space for them to feel comfortable. So first of all, congrats on that. And yeah, I mean, so many people struggle with this, you know, and I'm glad you asked it. One really helpful trick in your circumstance is to let your client know ahead of time that you'll be setting a timer for the session. That'll help, you know, to respect both your client's time and yours, right? So it's kind of a win-win for both of you. You can also let them know that when the timer goes off, you will make a note to pick up with whatever was being discussed, you know, in the next session. So whatever their train of thought was or they were saying, so that that doesn't get lost. You know, often clients will bring up important topics right at the end of a session, that tends to be, you know, a pattern that you'll definitely encounter. So if that happens, say something like, you know, "To make sure that we know what we want to cover, let's use a few minutes at the beginning of each session, you know, to identify the three main areas you want to focus on," right? 'Cause a lot of these conversations, especially when your client really gets going, they can go all over the place, which is great. But and really setting that intention in the beginning is going to help you stay organized. And, you know, if something important comes up towards the end, which it likely will, you can make a note to address it like I said at the next session. And you can let them know that. You can say, "How does that sound to you?" You know, and again, it's really all about that communication within boundary setting, you know, making sure that your boundary is really resonating with your client and, you know, that can be a situation that goes both ways as well. And again, you know, it is important to encounter these situations with, you know, strong boundaries upfront, but they can be fluid, especially right now is you're really figuring out your rhythm as a coach. So great, great question. And I don't think you're alone there either, Karen. >> Okay. I saw a good question. Meg wrote in, "Still unclear about my niche. Do you recommend being more clear about this before seeing clients?" Yeah, good question, Meg. So I think that's okay if you're still unclear about this. I mean, yes, it would be awesome if you, you know, knew exactly what you wanted to do, and you knew exactly the type of client you wanted to be coaching and what you wanted to focus on and, you know, super specific about everything. But I think, you know, you're still in the course, right? We haven't graduated yet. So that's okay, that you're still navigating that. And I think you might kind of be in that place through the end here, and maybe even after graduating, that could be an ongoing process. You might even find that when you start working with clients, that's the greatest way to kind of discover exactly what your niche is, right? So I say, don't stress too much about it, you know, have that intention of, you know, wanting to define it as you continue working with clients and as you continue with the course here. But I think it's okay that you're not 100% clear, and I think that just simply by working with people and, you know, continuing to practice and hone your craft, you'll really be able to narrow that down even better. So I think it's fine, and I think just keep on doing what you're doing. Again, the best way to discover this stuff is to just, you know, get out there and actually do it. So that seems to be the case for you. So not worried about you maggots, it's going to clarify soon. Awesome. Yeah, so this is a great question from Karima. And I'm sure a lot of people will write in that they're feeling the same way. She says, "I haven't done any coaching sessions with anyone yet because I don't have that confidence yet. And I'm a bit nervous about it. How do I know whether I'm doing a good job as a Health Coach? How do I know if I'm asking the right questions?" So everybody who starts out with health coaching is going to feel the exact same way, Karima. You are not alone here. All of these feelings are totally normal and they're important to really express and feel at this stage. My first piece of advice here would be to schedule a Health History, and that might seem terrifying to you, right, you know, because there can be that feeling, you know, when you're feeling that fear, it can feel almost like you're paralyzed, right? But that would be step number one, don't worry about what everybody else is doing, schedule one Health History with somebody and see how it goes. You know, and you might find that, you know, getting started might feel a little clunky or, you know, you might find that it comes naturally to you, or anywhere in between, you're going to meet yourself where you're at, right? And it's really all about putting one foot in front of the other and taking that step, stepping outside of your comfort zone, right, 'cause that's where the real change happens. So I would say that's your first piece of advice. And then what happens from there is you'll see, "Okay, that wasn't so bad." You'll schedule another Health History. And then what happens, and this is why Health Histories are so important is that that's really where you're honing in on your coaching skills, right? That's where that training starts. You're building that muscle so that you can become a successful coach. And it doesn't happen overnight. So really start there. Don't put any pressure on yourself to... You know, try and get a bunch of clients or schedule a bunch of Health Histories, schedule one and make that your goal from now until the next time we have a call here. And I think that you'll find that it's going to feel really liberating and really great for you as a coach and in this practice 'cause if you think about it, I mean, you were attracted to this course for one reason or another, right? There was an intention there. And not all of this is going to be easy. You know, it's not easy. And you'll find though that by taking action. That's where that real change is going to happen. But, you know, I like also how you asked. You know, "How do I know whether I'm doing a good job as a Health Coach?" And, you know, I like that question because it's really sort of broad. And I think, you know, in health coaching and just in any sort of career, you're going to feel those moments of doubt, right? Like how do I know if I'm doing a good job, how do I know... And I think that, you know, one practical way is that, you know, you can have your clients sort of... You can, like, send them like a survey, or they can let you know exactly, like, how they feel in terms of feedback. And that's going to really help you by applying that feedback to your practice, right, because again, you're just building this muscle. And, you know, it's going to take time. Like I said, this is all a process, but really just stepping outside of your comfort zone and taking that first step is how you're going to really start this process. So best of luck to you, Karima. You know, hopefully, in the next call, you'll be on and you can sort of check in with us and let us know how that Health History went. All right. So, you know, for the sake of time, we just want to move onto another portion of this call that we really love. This is so great. This is just an opportunity for everybody to toot their own horn, and that's the success story. So let's just check in and, you know, hear about your successes in the past month. You know, did you schedule a Health History? You know, did you get a paying client, sort of what's going on? Did you connect with another student? Are you going to collaborate? Tell us all in anything that's going on with you? Yeah, just write something that's, you know, happened over the past month that you're really excited about and we'll read a few off. We love this, so definitely share away. Okay, this is awesome. Okay. Yvonne says, "I have this..." "I have this client that wants to renovate the program." Awesome. Well, that's so great. That's a super exciting opportunity for you, Yvonne. Thank you so much for sharing. All right, Monica says, "I have two clients right now." Awesome. That's huge. That's great. And then she also says, "I feel stuck, but looking forward to going to networking sessions and promoting my work." Well, yeah. And I think it really is important to celebrate you right now for having two clients. That is huge. And I like that you're also kind of thinking about these next steps here, you know, networking and promoting. Again, this is all a process. I think what can often happen to us is, you know, we feel like we want to be able to have all of these things perfect right now, but it's a process, right? And I think that that's a huge celebration. So congrats on that. Awesome. Yeah. Brunei wrote in, "I've helped my mom with her IBS by suggesting..." She experimented with probiotics. Love that. Awesome. Yeah. And I feel like it's typical that sometimes mom is usually tough to change, right? They could be tough clients. So that's a huge win, Brunei. Awesome. Sarah says, "Just signed on with a small company to do wellness Wednesdays." Awesome. Very cool. Tracy said, "A client that is really an introvert, after a couple of sessions has really opened up and sharing like crazy." Yes, great job. Awesome. Elizabeth enrolled in the advanced business course. Very cool. Shauna met Dr. Berzin. Woohoo! Founder of Parsley Health. Very cool. Yeah, we love her. Ellen says, "My client has signed up for an extension." Awesome. So, you guys... I mean, you guys are doing things out here. This is great. Supriya says, "I have one client and I'm offering free service and two are in process." Yes. Very cool. Jordan has clients coming for more advice, which makes me feel like I'm setting a good example. Yes, yes, yes. Very cool, guys. Jessica recently collaborated with another IIN grad and you started a company together. "Yes, we both each have our own unique niche that complements one another." Really great. Really great. Pamela helped a patient by recommending turmeric for inflammation. Fantastic. Yes. Very cool. Sherry says, "I'm turning 70 years old later this year. I'm pretty happy and proud. I'm doing this at this time in my life." Awesome, Sherry. Yes. Yes, we are excited for you too. Katrina says, "I'm organizing a huge event in Florida, Holistic Hair Loss Convention." Very cool. Yeah, guys, ton of amazing things here. We love hearing all the stuff that you're up to. It's so inspiring and I think, you know, that's maybe all we have time for today. But again, I think this was a great call. I'm inspired. I want to jump back in the course myself. So thank you for everyone for making the time to be with us today. You know, as I said, we had a great time and, you know, we absolutely love connecting with you and being here to support you. We really look forward to speaking with you again soon. And we wish you an amazing upcoming month in the Health Coach Training Program. Bye, everyone.