I remember the first time I heard the title "holistic nurse" and a spark ignited within me. I thought, wow that might be the perfect field for me. I knew prior to going into the nursing profession that I wanted to integrate holism and integrative medicine into my nursing practice. I thought the only way I could do that was by becoming a nurse practitioner. Then I found a Bachelor's Degree program that focused on holistic nursing and that will equip me to become certified in that arena. This program has been teaching me how to be more holistic as a bedside nurse, but something was missing.
Enter nursing coaching.
Nurse coaching is a board certified health coach role with the knowledge and background of a nurse combined with integrative and holistic modalities.
When I learned about this possibility, I knew this would be a great fit for me. I could begin practicing holistic and integrative medicine years before I could even finish my NP. That doesn't mean I won't still pursue that, but that DOES mean that I be able to begin seeing clients this year rather than in 6 years for example.
I was watching a video today of a woman around my age who also lives with Cystic Fibrosis like Elias who was emotional about feeling as though her healthcare was out of her control and I thought to myself, "this is why I am so well equipped to be a nurse coach". I understand the patient and caregiver perspective and struggles while also understanding the role of the nurse and western medical field (including the good and the bad that comes with that). I know what home life with a chronic disease and medical management looks like. I understand how hard it is to be a caregiver and still have to figure out how to prioritize your own health. I also know what it's like to not do that well, and then have to make major lifestyle changes to prevent chronic illness from also affecting you.
As a nurse coach, my clients will not face judgment from me. We will partner together to figure out what your unique needs are and where we need to focus our time, attention, and goals. Together we will take a holistic and integrative approach to create lasting lifestyle that supports holistic health.
I am so looking forward to learning how to better support my clients and patients.
