You passed the NBHWC exam — congratulations! Now what? In this episode of The Coaching Lab, Dr. Cooper and Leigh deliver the post-certification roadmap every new National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) needs. Whether you're aiming for a salaried role at a hospital, corporate wellness program, or insurance company, or you're ready to launch your own coaching practice, this episode walks you through every step.

What you'll learn:

• How to leverage your NBHWC credential on LinkedIn, your resume, and professional bios to signal credibility to employers
• Which professional associations are worth joining (National Wellness Alliance, American College of Lifestyle Medicine, and more)
• The real pros and cons of employment vs. contractor work vs. entrepreneurship — plus hybrid models that let you do both
• Where health and wellness coaches are actually getting hired right now (hospitals, corporate wellness, health insurance, gyms, EAPs) and what salary to expect
• How to start your own coaching practice: business structure (LLC vs. sole proprietor), setting your rates, landing your first clients, and the tech stack you need (scheduling, payments, video, notes)
• Marketing that works for health coaches: niching down, building an online presence without burnout, content creation, in-person networking, referral partnerships, and Google Business Profile
• Scope of practice, liability insurance, client agreements, intake forms, and HIPAA basics for clinical settings
• Recertification planning (36 CEs every 3 years), advanced credentials, mentorship, and peer support
• Mindset essentials: navigating imposter syndrome, setting boundaries early, and building a sustainable practice instead of burning out in year one

Whether you're a brand-new health coach, a wellness professional adding NBHWC to your credentials, or an aspiring coach planning your next move, this episode is the practical, no-fluff guide to turning your certification into a thriving career.

Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/

Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/

Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here.

YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannel

Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com
Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive
Website: CatalystCoaching360.com

If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218. This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.

We are thrilled to have one of the pioneers of health & wellness coaching, Wellcoaches founder Margaret Moore (you likely know her as Coach Meg) join us on this special episode of The Coaching Lab podcast!

Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/

Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/

Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here.

YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannel

Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com
Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive
Website: CatalystCoaching360.com

If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218. This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.

Most people think mindfulness means downloading an app or sitting quietly for ten minutes. Serena Jain is here to respectfully challenge that assumption — and to show coaches and high performers what's actually possible when mindfulness is practiced with intention and depth.

In this episode of The Coaching Lab, host Dr. Brad Cooper sits down with mindfulness teacher and MBSR practitioner Serena Jain for a conversation that is equal parts science, application, and experience. Serena unpacks what Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction actually is, how it differs from general meditation practice, and why it's become one of the most evidence-backed tools available for addressing chronic stress, improving self-awareness, and creating lasting behavioral change.

For health coaches, this one goes beyond theory. Serena walks through how mindfulness can deepen the coaching process, practical ways to incorporate it into sessions while staying within scope of practice, and what to say to clients who are convinced they're simply "bad at meditation." And in a rare moment for a podcast episode, she guides listeners through a live mindfulness practice — so you don't just hear about it, you experience it.

Whether you're a seasoned coach looking to add a powerful tool to your practice, someone considering the coaching profession, or a high performer navigating a relentlessly demanding life, this conversation offers both the why and the how.

Topics covered: mindfulness-based stress reduction, MBSR, mindfulness for coaches, health coaching tools, stress management, chronic stress, mindfulness vs meditation, mindfulness in coaching practice, coach self-awareness, mindfulness for high performers, mindfulness for beginners, Serena Jain, how to start mindfulness practice, mindfulness exercise, coaching techniques, wellness coaching, performance coaching, mindfulness research, scope of practice, The Coaching Lab podcast, Catalyst Coaching 360

• Serena's Website: https://serenajain.com/
• Link to Serena's guided meditations: https://serenajain.com/mindfulness-programs/guided-audio-meditations/.
• This guided audio can also be accessed on SoundCloud, which can be downloaded as an app onto a smartphone: https://soundcloud.com/user-869280929.

Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/

Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/

Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here.

YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannel

Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com
Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive
Website: CatalystCoaching360.com

If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218. This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.