Coaching
I'm excited to partner with you on your health and wellness journey. I follow the guidance of the NBHWC, and partner with clients seeking: "...self-directed, lasting changes, aligned with their values, which promote health and wellness and, thereby, enhance well-being. [I] hold positive regard for clients and a belief in [their] capacity for change, and honoring that [they are] the expert of their life, while ensuring [all of my] interactions are respectful and non-judgmental. [I] do not diagnose or prescribe, nor give unsolicited advice; the client will self-determine their vision, goals, and action steps; and the client will be actively engaged in trying new behaviors as planned with [me] as a partner."
Oscar's Coaching Training, Approaches, and Expertise
My training and approach to Health and Wellbeing coaching is guided by the work of Dr. Suzie Carmack at YogaMedCo, and her "Wellbeing Ultimatum" framework.
My work, as your coach, is to support you in take steps toward reaching your vision and impact for your life. Typically, health is defined as a state of (dis-ease). This definition relies only on what your medical chart says. In my coaching approach, wellness is conceptualized as a strategy for living, loving, and leading life. From this perspective, we can tackle questions like: How are you preventing and/or managing illness? How are you working, living, and playing in congruence with your values? Further, as defined by Dr. Carmack, well-being is how we sense and share our own life story (Carmack, 2014). In our coaching work, we'll spend time exploring your story, and whether its aligned to where you want to be in the present and the future.
Flow of the "Well-Being Ultimatum" Framework (Picture Above)
It is typical that a coaching session begins on right side of the Theory of Change where we focus understanding and articulating your vision for impact on the individual , intra-personal, and societal level. However, things are always flexible, and if you are ready to dive into a specific domain or life challenge, we will do that. Then we would consider which one of 6 Koshas of Wellbeing (Physical, Financial, Social, Mental, Purpose, & Emotional) where you'd like to focus on, and which has brought on most blocks to your health and wellness, and overall well-being. When working with organizations as clients, we would consider the domains right under the Koshas (Engagement, Power, Productivity, Performance, People and Purpose). The outputs/measures help us monitor whether you are making progress toward your wellness goals (i.e., is healthy eating, self-compassion scale, stress reduction, etc.). I will support clients to identify actions that are SMART (Smart, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-Based) . The goals are often connected to self-care strategies, accessing other services/supports (medical providers, physical trainer, etc.), and healing and deepening social connections.
6 in 10 adults in the US have a Chronic Disease. Lets partner on Improving your Health!
For far too long, our health system has treated physical health symptoms, rather than supporting individuals and communities to understand and support wellness habits to address behaviors (i.e., tobacco use, poor nutrition, lack of physical activity, stress management, etc.) that impact negative health conditions .
By reflecting on the 6 Areas outlined by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, clients might come to understand the link between these behaviors and the wellness they seek.
The Power of Setting Intentions
Coaching sessions are guided by Three Powerful Questions that relate to setting intentions and having a long-range view of behaviors related to ourselves, with others, and in society. When clients have a space to pause, reflect, and consider implications of the present moment as it relates to the future, they may develop insights into what actions can catalyze their overall well-being.
Focus on Self-Compassion
Stress Management, Burn Out and Compassion Fatigue
Stress Management, Burn Out and Compassion Fatigue
The story we are telling ourselves related to our behaviors often activates our stress response system. Through our coaching session, we will learn about practicing self-compassion. As the image shows above, self-compassion leads to decreased stress, does not activate our stress response system, and helps us resolve challenges in ways that are more productive. Self-compassion also allows us to accept our life circumstances, and not allow them to stop us from growing and evolving as we adopt new behaviors and habits.
Stress Management, Burn Out and Compassion Fatigue
Stress Management, Burn Out and Compassion Fatigue
Stress Management, Burn Out and Compassion Fatigue
Chronic stress , burn out, and compassion fatigue are a big issues in a fast-paced society. Each of these issues often appear as behaviors that manifest in different life domains. As such, as we work together, we spend time to understand what is driving these issues, and learn strategies to reflect on what shift - whether internal or external - are needed to support your moving toward groundedness and healing versus chronic stress.
Expert Areas
Public Speaking & Communication
Public Speaking & Communication
Public Speaking & Communication
I have been a member of Toastmasters International for over 10 years. I have served as club president and treasurer, and have participated in weekly meetings, and educational speech contests and conferences. I am excited to partner with you on your journey to improve your public speaking, listening, communication, feedback, and leadership skills. To learn more about Toastmasters, click here.
Thriving with Challenges
Public Speaking & Communication
Public Speaking & Communication
As a person with a developmental stutter, practicing mindfulness meditation has allowed me befriend unpleasant sensations, emotions, thoughts, and anxiety brought on by trauma and stigmatization of stuttering . While related to the stutter with compassion is a daily practice for me, my relationship to stuttering has transformed, and allowed me to develop deep compassion and empathy for how much stress was developed subconsciously from how others reacted to my stutter, and the lack of social-emotional support I had. I am available to support others who are working with stuttering or related impediments that negatively impact your quality of life due to underlying stress and anxiety that arose from an unsuppotive environment and society.
Mindfulness: Stress Management and Mindful Eating
Mindfulness: Stress Management and Mindful Eating
Mindfulness: Stress Management and Mindful Eating
I am trained in 3 mindfulness-based evidence-bases curriculums, and can support clients one-on-one or a in group business setting to learn meditation tools to better understand their habits, and develop powerful skills to reduce stress, develop skills to self-regulate, and cultivate deeper emotional balance an wellness. Click here for more information.
Parenting, Child Development and Family Systems
Mindfulness: Stress Management and Mindful Eating
Mindfulness: Stress Management and Mindful Eating
I have over 15 years of experience working with adult learners, teens, and children. I have a Master's Degree in Education with a focus on child and adolescent development, and have an endorsement in Infant-Family and Early Childhood Mental Health and Reflective Practice Facilitation (IFECMH) by the CA Center for IFECMH. I work with others who are interesting in learning more about developmental milestones of children, and how to support them in ways that contribute to their health and wellness.
Affiliations
I am Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach through the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC).
D: A-3196582
I am an affiliate member of American College of Lifestyle Medicine, and regularly participate in professional development opportunities they offer.
Click the YogaMedCo logo to learn more about Dr. Suzie Carmack and her Health & Wellness model. I am a graduate of Dr. Carmacks's Health and Wellness Coaching program.
I currently work directly with Spring Health clients. If you are a member of Spring Health, you are welcome to sign up for coaching sessions directly through your Spring Health portal.