Graduate Certificate in Health
and Wellness Coaching*

* pending MHEC (Maryland Higher Education Commission) endorsement and Accredited Coach Training Program (ACTP) approval

Program Highlights

Tai Sophia Institute’s Graduate Certificate in Health and Wellness Coaching is at the cutting edge of the wellness revolution, setting the standard for one of the top careers of the decade.

Research shows that health education alone is not enough to inspire people to change behaviors and make positive health choices. Health and wellness coaching is now recognized as a key competency and catalyst that can effect change.

This pioneering program will prepare you with the skills and expertise to empower people to take charge of their own health and create sustainable change.

Tai Sophia’s Graduate Certificate in Health and Wellness Coaching is:

• Taught by leaders and innovators in the fields of health and wellness, transformative leadership, and coaching
• Presented in a weekend format to accommodate working professionals
• Delivered over 11 weekends, with 15 graduate-level academic credits
• Eligible for federal financial aid
• Easily paired with other Tai Sophia graduate programs
• Approved by the International Coach Federation (ICF) as a 200-hour Approved Coach Specific Training (ACSTH) program
• Approved for continuing education units for select professions

Health and Wellness Coaching at Tai Sophia

Health coaching is an evidence-based process that empowers people to tap into their own inner source of motivation to restore and preserve health. A unique and essential component of Tai Sophia’s health coaching philosophy and curriculum is teaching people to become conscious of and listen to the body’s innate wisdom and regard their symptoms as teachers.

The curriculum encourages a wider view of the field of health and wellness in contrast to the current disease-focused model. Among the core competencies of health coaching are building rapport; helping people clarify their health goals and then implement and sustain health-generating behaviors and attitudes; guiding people in health-maintenance activities; and managing progress and accountability.

Course Descriptions

ISci 632: Foundations of Health and Wellness

This course addresses modern, historical, and cross-cultural perspectives on health, wellness, and sickness. Health and wellness of the individual is discussed in a context ranging from the societal to the molecular level. Emphasis is placed on understanding the biological basis of health and wellness practices, as well as the use of language in creating health-supportive narratives. As part of this course, students will engage in their own health-supportive practices and develop a deeper personal commitment to wellness.

COA 601: Becoming a Healing Presence

This course focuses on exploring the implications that the rhythms of nature, life skills, and language have on health and wellness. By observing their own ways of being, doing, and speaking, students begin to embody the practices that guide them in becoming a powerful healing presence and a catalyst for change in others.

COA 610: Fundamentals of Health and Wellness Coaching

Students are introduced to theories and trends in health coaching. Contemporary coaching models are introduced and students begin to build a repertoire of coaching skills. This experiential course develops observation skills, active listening, the art of evocative questioning, and the ability to motivate change.

COA 611: Principles and Practices of Health and Wellness Coaching

This class delves deeper into the spirit and practice of health and wellness coaching using the theory and skills of Motivational Interviewing, a widely recognized, evidence-based approach to behavioral change. Students receive practical skills for structuring a coaching session, planning, goal-setting with clients, and ensuring client accountability.

COA 620: Applied Healing Strategies

This course begins with a panel discussion that introduces students to practitioners of integrative modalities, such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, chiropractic, homeopathy, and energy medicine, to understand the role other healthcare practitioners can play in creating an overall wellness plan. Students design an experiential practicum that allows them to apply coaching principles and skills in a one-on-one setting with clients. Throughout the practicum portion of the course, students receive mentoring, coaching, and feedback from instructors and peers as they develop the skills of mind and heart necessary to become effective coaches.

Faculty

Program Manager

Cheryl Walker M.L., MCC

Core Faculty

Tom Balles, M.Ac., L.Ac.(UK), Dipl.Ac.(NCCAOM)
Katherine E. Johnson, Ed.D., PCC

Distinguished Guest Lecturers

Janet Baldwin Anderson, Ph.D., ACC
Robert M. Duggan, M.A., M.Ac.(UK), Dipl.Ac.(NCCAOM)
Ali Hall, J.D.
Maureen Pike, B.S.N., R,N., M.P.H.
James Snow, RH(AHG)
Rebecca Snow M.S., LDN, RH(AHG), CNS

Program Dates

April 13-15, 2012
April 20-22, 2012
May 12-13, 2012
June 16-17, 2012
July 28-29, 2012
August 25-26, 2012
September 22-23, 2012
October 20-21, 2012
November 17-18, 2012
December 15-16, 2012
March 16-17, 2013

All classes are held on Saturdays and Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with the exception of the opening course, which is held Friday-Sunday over two consecutive weekends. Class hours on Fridays are 3:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Why Study at Tai Sophia?

Founded in 1974, Tai Sophia is a premier, accredited educational institution dedicated to the art and science of healing and wellness. For over three decades, Tai Sophia Institute’s pioneering founders, world-class faculty, and exceptional clinicians have redefined health, wellness, relationship, and community, setting the gold standard for relationship-centered care, transformative leadership and social change, and self care.

Each of Tai Sophia’s programs is powerfully rooted in the wisdom of nature, teachings from the world’s great healing and wisdom traditions, contemporary knowledge, and cutting-edge science.

Whether your ultimate goal is to coach your patients and clients toward optimum health and vitality, integrate herbs into your clinical practice or home life, become a master practitioner of acupuncture, or be a more powerful and effective leader on the job or in your community, as a Tai Sophia student you will become a keen observer of your own body-mind-spirit and its innate wisdom, and learn to be a healing and transformative presence through your thoughts, words, and actions.

While you pursue your chosen course of study, in partnership with your classmates and instructors, you will reveal and develop your unique gifts and talents, achieve greater clarity about your passion and purpose, and gain a deeper sense of community and service.

Admission Requirements

Prospective students must meet the following admission requirements:

• Have a minimum of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited educational institution and submit an official transcript to verify completion.
• Submit official transcripts of highest degree earned beyond a baccalaureate.

Financial Aid

Federal financial aid is available for this program. To apply for federal financial aid, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Tai Sophia Institute’s school code for completing the FAFSA is G25784. A limited number of scholarships are also available. For additional funding options, such as private or alternative education loans, please contact Director of Financial Aid John Gay, Jr., at 410-888-9048 ext. 6628 or .

Tuition and Fees

Application Fee: $50
Tuition Deposit (due upon acceptance): $500
Tuition: $552 per credit for a total program cost of $8,280

Additional Fees: Required materials include books, and other additional reading material. The cost of required books and reading material is between $250-300. All required books can be found in our library. Students may choose to purchase suggested books, or may find several of them in our library.

To learn more about the Graduate Certificate in Health and Wellness Coaching, contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at admissions@tai.edu or 410-888-9048 ext. 6647.