Poor mental health is a struggle many people from all over the world are facing. The youth are especially more vulnerable to it, with pressures from work or school weighing them down daily. If you’re an individual who’s hoping to help young adults with their mental health struggles, you may take an online health coach course from a reputable institution, and offer your reliable services.
Health coaches may not be psychiatric therapists, but they’re trained to help treat a number of health conditions, including high levels of stress. It is known that certain mental health conditions can be attributed to or triggered by heightened stress levels, so your expertise and services as a certified health coach will be vital.
In this article, we’ll show everything you can do to help improve a client’s mental health.
Know The Causes of Mental Health Issues
Your patient or client will deeply appreciate if you’re well-informed about their mental health condition. Even if they haven’t been diagnosed with any illness yet, knowing the possible causes may help you spot signs of their condition being serious.
A number of factors cause poor mental health. If your client has been through any of the following, you may rule it in as the main source of their struggle:
- Abuse, trauma, or neglect, whether in childhood or adulthood
- Social isolation
- Discrimination or stigma
- Bereavement
- Severe or long-term stress
- Long-term physical health condition
- Being someone’s carer for a long period
- Substance abuse
- Domestic violence or bullying
- Physical conditions such as head traumas or neurological conditions that may affect their behavior
Lifestyle factors such as lack of sleep and other unhealthy habits are also common causes, so it’s important to ask your client when their poor mental health usually flares up. That way, you can work out the actual cause and develop a good wellness plan for them.
Consider Natural Remedies
Since health coaches aren’t qualified to prescribe drugs or any sort of medical treatment, you can develop a no-medication treatment plan for your client. Maintaining constant communication with them is key, as it’ll be the best way for you to track their progress. You can also offer counseling, using your profound knowledge about managing stress and emotions.
Encouraging exercise is a good strategy as well. Ask your client what type of exercises will they be comfortable doing, so that you can create a regimen they can commit to.
You may also try a more holistic approach by recommending natural therapies. Harvard has found Omega-3 fats, and herbs such as St. John’s wort, maca root, and Valerian to be effective. Omega-3 fats, in particular, are even being studied as an alternative for anti-depressants, specifically for pregnant women.
If your client is seeking therapeutic activities, you may recommend meditation, relaxation exercises, writing, aromatherapy, and playing with pets. Drinking herbal teas and taking herbal supplements may also help, since they aid in sleep and reducing anxiety.
Develop a time management plan for them as well. It will significantly benefit your client if the cause of their poor mental health is juggling too many responsibilities at once. Teach them to divide their tasks into smaller projects so that they can end each day with less stress.
Health coaching has a lot of benefits on the mental health, as the treatment plan you’ll provide can surpass the effects medication. Of course, medical treatment shouldn’t be ruled out, especially if your client’s case is severe. But still, your ability to change your clients’ behaviors and lifestyles is invaluable, and the impact you’ll have on their lives will definitely be treasured.
