Unexpected Detour to NBHWC Certification

Do you remember asking or being asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Certainly, health and wellness coaching was not a consideration among the usual teacher, nurse, or administrative assistant options. Maybe a sports coach was a possibility, but it was not in my area of interest. Cancer registrar was not on my radar either. It’s interesting how I have worked in such unique fields. Although health and wellness coaching, or at least coaching, has been around for decades, and is becoming increasingly well-known.

I worked as a cancer registrar for over 18 years and wanted a change. But what? While working at Mayo Clinic, I would take my lunch break and dream about a different role. Maybe there was a job that would allow more interaction with others or one that would include creative encouragement. Every week I would faithfully read Mayo Clinic’s e-newsletter. In December 2016, I noticed an article highlighting wellness coach training that would begin in January. What is wellness coaching, I wondered. After I had read about it, I thought, This is it! This is exactly what I want to do!

I had been on my own wellness journey. I changed my diet and learned to run long distances. So, I appreciated the challenge of change. Questions ran through my mind: Was there time to register and be accepted into the program? How many times was it offered? Was this my only chance? Thankfully, they offered the training four times a year. I was thrilled to be able to be part of the class that started in March. There was even a cost advantage as a Mayo Clinic employee. Since I had a bachelor’s degree, there were no additional prerequisites. After I requested my college transcripts, I was on my way. The pieces were falling into place.

Mayo Clinic’s wellness coach training program was twelve weeks online, except for the third week, which took place in-person at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota (1). Classes done remotely? I had not been in school for decades! Would I like this? Could I do this? It required a lot of reading. Part of the assignment included posting answers to questions and then commenting on others’ answers. This was very different from my prior learning.

Since I worked at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, during the third week of class, I flew to Minnesota for in-person training. We received training on concepts such as motivational interviewing, nutrition, exercise, and touring the Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center. There were around 30 people in my class, and we divided into triads to practice coaching. The other two in my triad were also from Arizona. This made it convenient to practice coaching the remaining nine weeks of the program. In an hour, the three of us took turns being the coach, the client, and the observer. In my initial coaching sessions, I sounded like an interrogator. I asked rapid-fire questions. Silence in a session was painful. I hoped the one in my triad playing the part of the client was willing to chat.

After successfully completing the twelve-week course, triad practice coaching, and the written exam, there was a Performance Skills Assessment (PSA). In preparation for the PSA, we were given three scenarios that we were expected to coach. The person conducting the PSA role played one of those scenarios and assessed how we coached. This was done telephonically and was included in our final grade. What a relief and what excitement to pass in June 2017. Next came applying what I learned.

The last phase of Mayo Clinic’s wellness coach training program was obtaining 50 hours of coaching practice. Who could I practice coaching with? The requirement was someone other than family or friends. Maybe someone at church? God continued to lead in every aspect.

Other Mayo Clinic employees also took the training. One of them was involved in a weight and wellness solutions pilot project. An area this project lacked was a wellness coach. I fulfilled my coaching hours working with several patients in this pilot. It was thrilling to be able to put my new coaching skills to practice. Of course, the overarching goal was weight loss, but it overlapped into many other areas, including fitness, work/life balance, and even faith. I enjoyed exploring people’s hopes and plans.

After logging our sessions for a total of 50 hours, we were required to choose one person whom we coached and summarize the coaching experience. This included documenting the focus of our coaching conversations, goals, values, readiness, successes, etc. That was the final component of the training. After that information was submitted and approved, I was officially a Mayo Clinic-certified wellness coach in March 2018. One year after beginning the training, I was eligible to take the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) exam (2).

The next opportunity to take the NBHWC exam was in June 2018. I was excited to accomplish this and dive into my new coaching career. There were ten practice exam questions on their website at that time, which I reviewed. After I completed the training and practice coaching sessions, I applied for the exam. I felt ready.

The big day finally arrived, and I felt anxious. As I drove to the testing center, it was in an unfamiliar part of town, which was quite a distance from where I lived. I had directions, but after exiting the freeway and driving a few minutes, it was obvious I was not going the right way. The area looked rural with farming fields. I was lost and immediately shot up a quick prayer. God heard me. I called my husband. Then I turned around, got back on the freeway, and eventually to the right exit. Thankfully, I had left early enough that I made it to the testing center in time. Of course, by then I was frazzled and uncertain. I completed the test in the allotted time. Relieved, I drove home.

Now the hard part – waiting for the exam results. I believe it took a full six weeks until I received my test score. Unfortunately, it was not what I was hoping for. I failed! No, that cannot be right. I was disappointed and heartbroken. Where did I go wrong? Did I not sufficiently prepare? Was it test anxiety? Maybe I was not cut out to be a health and wellness coach after all. Internally, I felt defeated and gave up.

My pity party may have lasted from a few weeks to a few months. I guess the dream of being a Wellness Coach was still alive. Maybe I could try again. I will take it seriously this time, I thought. There were multiple test preparation training options, and I participated in one of them. In addition, I bought multiple books focusing on specific coaching principles. I spent a couple of hours most days reviewing and studying.

When test opportunities became available, I applied for the exam again. This time I tested on July 1, 2019, the last day of the testing window. This time I chose a different testing center, which was a little closer to home. I drove there before test day to become familiar with the route. Exam day rolled around again. I felt relatively confident, even though I felt similarly the previous time. I was rested, had directions to the testing center, and was eager to complete the exam.

The commute went smoothly. I found a parking spot and arrived on time. The answers to the questions seemed to be flowing, but of course, there were some tricky ones. I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders when I completed the exam within the time limit. I could mentally move forward now, but I would have the challenge of waiting for my results. It was still several weeks until that happened. This time I passed! I was ecstatic and felt on top of the world! Praise the Lord!

As a child, I never thought that one day I would grow up and become a Health and Wellness Coach. I was excited, but a little scared to switch careers after working in one job for years. I believe God understood and answered my heart’s desire for something else. He provided an opportunity for training and education in an area that interested me (3). Failing the exam was awful and embarrassing, but a time to consider learning and growth. This is exactly what coaches offer their patients and clients. I feel like my life has come full circle. The majority of my years have been reviewing, analyzing, and documenting patients’ cancer information. Now I contact and encourage cancer patients for optimal living, specifically regarding tobacco cessation. Now I can ask and answer, “What else do you want to be when you grow up?”