From Presence to Possibility: The Next Chapter for Health & Wellness Coaching

We stand at a pivotal moment - rooted in the presence and progress of our past, even as we stand ready to meet the complexities of an unfolding future. For decades, health and wellness coaching has quietly transformed lives and fostered meaningful behavior change, yet the profession remains largely misunderstood, undervalued, and underutilized across health systems. From Presence to Possibility is a call to honor the foundation that has been built while envisioning a bolder future that reimagines care. Through evolution, co-creation, collaboration, and leadership, we will not only protect the integrity of our professional work but will actively shape what comes next. We will honor the roots of our practice while also daring to take it to the next level. In doing so, we will go beyond facilitating the acceptance of health and wellness coaching to embed it into the very fabric of health and human care. 

​Session 1A​

Coaching for Health and Wellbeing: Leveraging Character Strengths to Inspire Change​​

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​Perla Cisneros, MScE, MS, NBC-HWC Perla Cisneros is a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) with a Masters in Health Coaching and Applied Nutrition. With over a decade of experience, she brings a compassionate, strengths-based approach to helping individuals reconnect with their inner resilience and move toward meaningful, sustainable lifestyle change. Her work spans clinical settings where she has collaborated with care teams to support whole-person health to community-based and virtual platforms, where she works with individuals navigating social determinants of health (SDoH), including housing, food access, and mental well-being.​​

​Session 1B​

​​​Health Coaching in Times of Collective Trauma​​​​​

Every health challenge or crisis has three aspects: physical, mental, and emotional. In this session. In this session, we will focus on supporting clients who are coping with a chaotic emotional reality in three contexts: health challenges, medical crises, and family caregiving. We will explore the experience and principles of emotional chaos and how they differ from trauma, and learn the four stages of coaching our clients to regain emotional balance and agility.

Following this session, participants will be able to:

• Name the difference between trauma and emotional chaos.
• Name the principles of emotional chaos.
• Name and implement the four stages of coaching through emotional chaos.​​
  

Shiri Ben-Ar​zi​, NBC-HWC, MCC​ Health, Medical and C​aregiver Coach. Founder and director of HMCI – the Health and Medical Coaching Institute. Shiri is a coach, supervisor, workshop facilitator, author, and international lecturer. Additionally, she holds certifications in Embodiment Coaching, End-of-Life and Grief Coaching, ADHD Coaching, Grief Educator, and NLP. Shiri served as the co-leader of the ICF Health and Wellness Community of Practice from 2019 to 2022 and as the co-president of ICF Israel from 2022 to 2024. Over the past 15 years, Shiri has worked with leading international pharmaceutical companies, medical organizations, patient advocacy groups, and hospitals. Shiri is dedicated to promoting social change in health and healthcare systems by advocating for a patient-centered medical practice within healthcare systems based on the Coach Approach​​

Session 1C​

Coaching at the Edge of Burnout, Mental Health and Workplace Wellbeing​​​​​​​

As burnout and mental health concerns surge in today's workplaces, coaches are uniquely positioned to make a meaningful impact. This session explores how coaching can address the rising demand for mental well-being support, especially in professional environments where stress, exhaustion, and disengagement are on the rise. Learn how to recognize the signs of burnout, understand where coaching complements (but does not replace) mental health support, and apply evidence-based coaching strategies that foster resilience, clarity, and sustainable change. You'll leave with tools to confidently support clients while staying within the boundaries of your role as a coach.​

Following this session, participants will be able to:

• Distinguish between burnout, chronic stress, and clinical mental health concerns, and understand how to stay within their scope of practice as coaches.
• Apply evidence-informed coaching strategies to help clients recognize, prevent, and manage burnout in workplace settings.
• Articulate the business case for burnout and mental health coaching and position themselves as strategic partners in workplace well-being initiatives.​
  
  

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​Ellen Kocher, ICF MCC, NBHWC, MS-HWC​  ​  Ellen is an Economist and certified Workplace Wellness Consultant and Coach with a Master’s degree in Health and Wellness Coaching, ICF MCC, NBC-HWC, and certified Digital Well-being Coach. Educated in the USA, Ellen has lived in Switzerland for nearly 40 years. After a decade as a finance executive, Ellen transitioned her career to focus on workplace well-being, dedicating the past 20+ years to empowering individuals and organizations to embrace holistic health and resilience. As a coach, consultant, and mentor, Ellen specializes in supporting career and retirement transitions, as well as guiding young entrepreneurs and coaches in building thriving businesses. Ellen’s work spans diverse audiences, including the aging population, with initiatives to raise awareness about menopause, andropause, and the needs of the 50+ workforce. She has coached hundreds of individuals and teams to move from knowing what to do to taking meaningful action. Her book, Wake-Up, Shake-Up, Thrive! How to Lift Up Your Life in Your 50s and Beyond, highlights strategies for navigating transitions and thriving in later life. A dynamic speaker, author, and thought leader, Ellen has received international recognition for her contributions, including the National Wellness Institute’s Circle of Leadership Award. She has held distinguished roles, such as Chair of the Global Wellness Institute’s Health and Wellness Coaching Initiative and Global Leader of the ICF Health and Wellness Coaching Community. Ellen resides in Geneva with her husband and three children, embracing life’s transitions with curiosity and purpose.

Session 1D

​The Gut-Brain Connection: Integrative Approaches to Mental Health and Wellbeing​

This training explores the intricate relationship between gut health, hormonal changes (perimenopause/menopause), and mental health. Participants will gain an understanding of how gut microbiota influence brain function, mood regulation, and overall well-being. The training will examine the impact of hormonal shifts on mental health and how nutrition, lifestyle, and clinical interventions can serve as alternative or complementary approaches to traditional mental health treatment.​ Through evidence-based research, and interactive discussions, participants will learn practical tools to assess and support clients experiencing mental health challenges through a holistic, gut-centered approach.

Following this session, participants will be able to:

• Explain the gut-brain connection and its role in mental health, including how gut microbiota influence mood, cognition, and emotional regulation.
• Identify the impact of perimenopause and menopause on mental health, including physiological and psychological symptoms associated with hormonal shifts.
• Assess nutritional and lifestyle factors that contribute to gut health and their implications for mental well-being in diverse populations.​
  

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​Rajitha Bommakanti, RN, NBC-HWC Rajitha Bommakanti, RN, BSN, NBC-HWC, FCN, culinary coach, and Level 1 Certified CBCT instructor has been practicing nursing for over 30 years in various medical specialties. She works as nurse case manager and as National Board-certified health and wellness coach. In her nursing journey, Rajitha has seen gaps in patient care and the impact chronic medical conditions had on her patient’s quality of life. On a quest to make a difference, she moved into a health transformation space where she is a health partner in educating, inspiring, and empowering people to make small changes to their lives to improve their health. Rajitha is a habit change specialist. Her mission is to empower women to embrace menopause transition with confidence, dignity, and grace. She supports and energizes women to thrive during their menopause journey and reach their full potential, using an evidence based holistic coaching. ​​

​Session 2A​​

Reignite the Coaching Spark: Reconnecting with Values, Meaning, and Purpose​​​

In the ever-evolving landscape of health and wellness coaching, it's easy to become focused on outcomes, metrics, and client progress sometimes at the expense of our own sense of purpose and vitality. This session invites coaches to pause, reflect, and reengage with the foundational values that drew us to this profession in the first place. Through experiential exercises and reflective practices, we will explore how reconnecting with our personal and professional values, meaning, and purpose can reignite our passion, deepen our presence, and enhance our effectiveness as coaches.​

Following this session, participants will be able to:

• Identify and articulate their core coaching values and how these influence their practice.
• Engage in visioning to explore alignment between their current and ideal coaching self.
• Reflect on personal meaning and purpose in their coaching journey and explore strategies to integrate into their ongoing professional development​.
  
  

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​Amanda Gabarda, Ed.D, MPH, NBC-HWC, CHES​​​ Dr. Gabarda is a national board-certified health and wellness coach and a recognized leader in health behavior change, coaching, and clinical education. With over 15 years of experience across healthcare systems, academic institutions, and corporate wellness, Dr. Gabarda brings a unique blend of strategic insight and human-centered practice to her work.​ She currently serves as Senior Director of Clinical Training & Development at UPMC Health Plan, where she leads the design, scaling, and evaluation of evidence-based training programs, clinical competencies, and health behavior change interventions. Her work supports digital, telephonic, and in-person health coaching, care management, and service coordination—ensuring quality, consistency, and impact across the continuum of care.

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Renee Greenwald, MS, NBC-HWC ​​ Renee Greenwald is the Manager of Clinical Training & Quality Assurance at UPMC Health Plan where she is responsible for supporting the Clinical Training and Education team with developing the Motivational Interviewing skillset of UPMC Health Plan clinicians through various training and Quality Assurance Review. She has a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Slippery Rock University and a Master of Science in Exercise Science and Health Promotion, specializing in wellness and fitness and wellness coaching from PennWest California.  Renee is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers and is a Nationally Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach with about 5 years of experience in health coaching and 5 years of experience of staff education and training.

Session 2B

​​They Need a Therapist, not a Coach! Coaching Clients with Mental Health Struggles Whil​​e Lovingly Staying in Your Lane and Being Awesome​​

This session assumes awareness of trauma-informed MI and coaching and goes one level deeper into how to recognize coaching/therapy crossroad points in situ within yourself and from the client, and ways of responding. If time allows, we can also touch on working with therapists and psychiatrists.

Following this session, participants will be able to:

• ​Feel more at ease working with clients who present with moderate mental health struggles or trauma.
• Identify one coaching skill they would like to practice and apply in coaching these clients.
• Identify two resources and/or ethical considerations that are needed in working with higher needs clients​ 

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​​​Nam Phung Nguyen, MPH, MFT, NBC-HWC Nam is a proud native Californian, the first generation from refugee parents. She was trained via the Mayo Clinic Wellness Coaching program, and finds alignment in working alongside physicians and mental health clinicians in all the places she has found herself. She worked as a bilingual case investigator and contact tracer for the Contra Costa Department of Public Health during COVID, as a health and wellness coach for Kaiser Permanente Northern California, and is a contract coach for Spring Health and has a private coaching practice. She is currently a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at The Wright Institute in California.

Session 2C

​Coaching From the Inside Out​​

This session explores the essential role of nervous system regulation and co-regulation in effective health and wellness coaching. Drawing from somatic coaching practices and trauma-informed frameworks, we’ll focus on how to recognize nervous system signals in both the coach and client, and how to use simple tools to support emotional regulation and relational safety. Special attention will be given to co-regulation—the way our presence, tone, body language, and energy can help calm or activate the nervous system of those we support. Whether you're new to nervous system work or looking to deepen your understanding, this session offers practical tools, embodied learning, and opportunities for reflection. Coaches will leave with increased self-awareness, strategies for maintaining grounded presence, and a deeper understanding of how co-regulation can be used to support sustainable change and resilience in coaching. Intended Audience: Health and wellness coaches of all experience levels who want to integrate body-based awareness, nervous system literacy, and trauma-informed tools into their practice. Particularly valuable for coaches supporting clients with stress, anxiety, overwhelm, or burnout—and for coaches looking to reduce their own emotional fatigue and enhance their sustainability.

Following this session, participants will b​e able to:

• Recognize the role of co-regulation in the coaching relationship, and how the coach's nervous system state can influence client safety, presence, and connection.
• Identify nervous system cues and shifts in themselves and their clients during coaching sessions, using accessible, trauma-informed language.
• Apply in-the-moment regulation and co-regulation techniques to stay grounded, promote trust, and support client transformation.​​
  

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Amy Matilla, LMT, PMP, NBC-HWC Amy Mattila is a seasoned wellness leader, project strategist, and educator with over 20 years of experience supporting people and organizations in creating meaningful, lasting change. She currently serves as Special Project Manager at Presbyterian Homes & Services, where she leads human-centered initiatives that promote aging with dignity, wellness, and purpose. Amy also teaches in the Integrative Health & Wellness Coaching Masters Program at Northwestern Health Sciences University, guiding future coaches to become grounded and effective change agents. In her private practice, she offers one-on-one coaching, mind-body healing sessions, and self-paced programs focused on anxiety, trauma, stress, and lifestyle transformation. With a foundation in compassionate leadership and creative problem-solving, Amy helps people and projects thrive at the intersection of health, wellness, and human connection.​

​​Session 2D ​

Health Coaching for Hypertension: Five Key Lessons from a Pilot Program​​

This session will share the real-world experience of designing and implementing a pilot health coaching program for Medicare and Medicaid patients with hypertension. Developed to empower patients in self-management and reduce blood pressure through tailored support, this initiative uncovered valuable lessons about what works and what doesn't when integrating health coaching into a clinical care setting. Presenters will highlight five key takeaways from the pilot study. Whether you're launching a new program or refining an existing one, you'll leave this session with insights you can put into practice.​

Following this session, participants will be able to:

• Describe the structure and goals of a health coaching pilot program designed for Medicare and Medicaid patients with hypertension in a clinical health setting.
• Identify five key lessons learned from the development and implementation of the program.
  
• Examine practical insights from the pilot to design, launch, or refine health coaching programs aimed at improving hypertension outcomes.​
  

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​Vicki Bautista, Ed.D, NBC-HWC ​ Vicki Bautista, Ed.D, NBC-HWC is the Program Director for the Doctor of Education in Healthcare Education & Leadership and the Doctor of Education in Interprofessional Leadership at Clarkson College. As a Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach through the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching, she brings over 15 years of experience in higher education and a background in health promotion and wellness across non-profit, government, and research settings.​

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​Amy Cosimano, Ed.D, RN, DipACLM, NBC-HWC​ Amy Cosimano, EdD, RN, DipACLM, NBC-HWC, is an assistant professor in the department of family and community medicine at Creighton University. She teaches in the Integrative Health and Wellness MS program and facilitates the health and wellness coaching and healthy aging concentrations. Dr. Cosimano brings over 20 years of higher education experience in both nursing and graduate education. She also has administrative experience and is a board-certified health and wellness coach. She is passionate about lifestyle medicine, health and wellness coaching, motivational interviewing, and working with others to cultivate personal habits to live long, healthy, and productive lives.

​Session 3A

​Expanding Possibility and Purpose: Advanced Coaching Strategies for Client Visioning​​

Visioning is a foundational tool in health and wellness coaching but how can we take it further to unlock deeper transformation? This session explores advanced strategies for client visioning that go beyond the basics, empowering coaches to help clients access creativity, resilience, and purpose through structured and imaginative approaches. ​

Following this session, participants will be able to​​:

• Apply the Seven Steps of Courageous Visioning to guide clients in creating meaningful, values ​based visions that support motivation and long-term change.
• Utilize right-brain visioning techniques including metaphor, imagery, and creative exercises to help clients expand their sense of possibility and overcome limiting beliefs.
• ​Integrate trauma-informed awareness into visioning conversations to create safe, inclusive spaces for clients who may struggle to imagine or articulate their future.
  

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​Brittany Chapman, MSW, NBHWC​ Brittany Chapman is a Clinical Engagement Coordinator on the Clinical Training and Education team at UPMC Health Plan. In this role, she supports clinicians in developing and enhancing Motivational Interviewing skills through ongoing training and conducting Quality Assurance Reviews. Brittany holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Wright State University and a Master's degree in Social Work from the University of Southern California. A National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach, Brittany has been practicing health coaching since 2013 and has over five years of experience in education and training.   ​

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​​Indira Stokes​​​, MPH, NBHWC, CHES Indira is a Clinical Engagement Coordinator at UPMC Health Plan where she is responsible for training and skill development of health coaches and care managers. She has a bachelor's degree in Biology and Economics and a master's in Public Health from the University of Pittsburgh. Indira is a Certified Health Education Specialist and a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach. She has been practicing health coaching since 2016. ​​

Session 3B

What If They Already Have It? Coaching Youth and Young Adults Through a New Lens: A Strength-Based Approach Inspired by The Wizard of Oz​​

​Rachel Charron, MSW, CAPSW, ACC Rachel Charron (MSW, CAPSW, ACC) is a dedicated educator, professional coach and podcast host who creates environments where students feel seen and heard as they explore their identities, aspirations, and personal challenges. With a background in social work and public health, she brings expertise in strength-based initiatives, mental health, and trauma-informed care to her coaching and teaching. She is passionate about supporting future health and helping professionals build tools that will assist them in navigating the emotional demands of their work so they can ultimately have greater impact on the people and communities they serve. ​​​​

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​Session 3C 

​​Trauma Informed Coaching: Navigating Addiction & Recovery with Confidence​

Did you know that 48.5 million Americans struggle with addiction? Yet, despite its profound impact on leadership, productivity, relationships, health, and financial well-being, addiction recovery remains an underrepresented specialty in coaching.​ As a Master Coach and addiction recovery expert, Shelly-Anne Mckay will guide you through a trauma-informed and neuroscience-based approach to coaching clients whose addictive patterns—whether related to substances or behaviors—are blocking their ability to achieve success. In this workshop, you'll gain valuable insights to better understand addiction and confidently support your clients, even if you're not a recovery coach. Shelly-Anne will also bust the top five myths about addiction that often shape our beliefs and approaches today. You'll leave with an expanded perspective, increased compassion, and practical knowledge to navigate these conversations within your scope of practice. If you're a life, health and wellness, leadership, or executive coach, this session will help you recognize hidden barriers that could be limiting your clients' potential—while supporting them in reclaiming the life they deserve.​​

Following this session, participants will be able to:​

• Expand Your Understanding: Uncover the many forms of addiction and recovery that may be impacting your clients.
• The Brain & Behavior Connection: Learn how trauma, neurodivergence, and physiology influence substance use and behavioral addictions. Trauma-Informed.
  
• Coaching in Action: Discover how to create a safe, nonjudgmental space that fosters trust, emotional regulation, and empowerment—without stepping beyond your coaching scope.
• Ethical Navigation: Learn to spot signs of addiction and respond with confidence while honoring the ICF Code of Ethics, scope of practice, and client autonomy.
• Resources & Tools: Walk away with practical strategies and coaching-friendly resources to support both you and your clients. Be the coach who can recognize and address the invisible challenges holding your clients back.
  

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​Shelly-Anne Mckay​​, NBC-HWC, MCC, CPCC, CCRC, CPRC, A-CFHC, CFAC  Shelly-Anne Mckay — Executive & Mental Wellness Coach for High Performers Shelly-Anne Mckay helps high-performing leaders reconnect with their core values, lead with purpose, and protect their mental wellness in the face of relentless demands. Her coaching is grounded in the belief that sustainable success comes from alignment—when leaders are clear, connected, and living in integrity, they perform at their best and feel deeply fulfilled. With over 30 years of experience across coaching, business, and media, Shelly-Anne is a Master Certified Coach (MCC) and Director of Coach Credentialing for the IAPRC. She has mentored thousands of coaches globally and works with CEOs, creatives, and senior leaders navigating growth, burnout, and personal transformation—often quietly struggling with stress-related habits or addiction. She is the cofounder of Unalome Agency, a boutique firm offering private recovery and wellness services for celebrities, executives, and high-profile professionals. She also founded Soul Sisters United, a supportive initiative for women recovering from ultra-processed food addiction, and is a passionate advocate for mental health and holistic wellness. Shelly-Anne created the F@RK This! self-paced recovery series, developed the internationally approved Professional Food Addiction Coach Certification Program, and is both the producer and host of Craving Clarity—a YouTube TV series showcasing breakthrough coaching moments in real time. Her work blends strategy, compassion, and lived experience to help leaders thrive—mentally, emotionally, and professionally.​​

Session 3D

​​Specialized Coaching for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Evidence-based Guidance for Best Practices​

Health and wellness coaching has gained increasing recognition - and support from a growing body of research - as a key driver in effective behavior change for a wide range of health conditions and some mental health conditions. For individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), coaching has received less recognition and research attention than have either pharmacologic or therapeutic interventions. However, over the past several decades, specialized ADHD coaching has received increasing recognition, and related research has emerged. This session provides health and wellness coaches with an introduction to ADHD and specific coaching considerations focused on the unique needs of individuals with ADHD. ​

Following this session, participants will b​e able to:

• Describe 3 areas of adaptations in the coaching paradigm for successful ADHD coaching.
• Articulate three distinct needs of the client with ADHD.
• Identify three key resources for a coach to optimally support the client with ADHD.​
  

​​Session 4A

​How Behavior Analysis Can Help​​ Health and Wellness Coaching​​ (and Vice Versa)!

Many people consider Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to be a treatment for autism - but it's actually a comprehensive science of behavior that can be used to address any socially significant issue in society.  Unfortunately, confusion about what ABA is and what it isn't has led to a parallel "discovery" of behavioral principles. What if we combined what we know about Health and Wellness Coaching with the principles of behavior analysis? What would we learn from each other? In this talk, myths and facts about behavior analysis will be discussed as well as how both disciplines can work together to fill in gaps in knowledge about behavior change. Implications for policy and practice will be discussed. ​

Following this session, participants will be able to:

• Describe briefly the basic principles of behavior analysis and how behavior analysts view learning (e.g., antecedents, behavior, consequences) and use resources that will improve coaching practice.
  
• Compare myths about behavior analysis to facts about behavior analysis.
  
• Use what is learned about the evolution of Applied Behavior Analysis to improve policy recommendations around coaching (e.g., preparation of coaches, licensure and insurance reimbursement)​.
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Christine Barthold, BCBA-D, NBC-HWC, ACE-CPT, PN1 Christine Barthold is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral (BCBA-D) who has a passion for helping people to be their best selves. She has been working with individuals with developmental disabilities for almost 30 years. An early adopter of certification, she received her BCBA (now BCBA-D) in 2001, and has worked in home, hospital, residential, and community settings with individuals across the lifespan. Chris believes that ABA is a science that can be applied to just about anything. In addition to her BCBA-D and Licensed Behavior Analyst (VA) Credentials, she is a Certified Personal Trainer through the American Council on Exercise, Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certified Coach, and a CrossFit Level 1 Coach. She recently received her National Board Certification for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBC-HWC), and is the only BCBA-D to hold both credentials. At present, Chris is an Associate Professor and the Academic Program Coordinator of the ABA program at George Mason University. She also works as a clinical behavior analyst, providing ABA services in the community.​

​Session 4B 

​Burnout Prevention for High Achieving Women: An Anti-Burnout Initiative​​

A research-backed, call-to-action for women who are done setting themselves on fire to keep others warm and finally ready to lead with wellness first, client centered and future in focus. ​You’ll learn a step-by-step protocol for reversing burnout before the breakdown, remembering the forgotten ‘why,’ and unlocking your next level of leadership without losing yourself on the journey to success. We’ll explore the deeper roots of burnout in ambitious professionals, with a focus on high-functioning women in helping roles. Designed especially for health and wellness coaches, clinicians, and leaders who either support high-achieving women (or are one themselves). This session offers tangible tools to lead with wellness first, client centered and future in focus.​

Following this session, participants will be able to:​​​

• Recognize and reverse the unique patterns of burnout in high-achieving women especially those in helping professions and leadership roles.
• Redefine their root cause of burnout and re-align with their values.
• Access flow state as a protective measure against burnout to achieve great things with more joy and less stress.​
  

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​Cassie Heller, MS, NBC-HWC Cassie is on a mission to ​heal the culture of business by bridging the gap between health and success. She is currently pursuing her Phd studying burnout prevention in high-achieving women and hopes to inspire impact through promoting wellness-first leaders of tomorrow.​

​Session 4C 

Health Coaching in Action Bridging Gaps and Boosting Collaboration​​ in Diabetes Care​

When clients are navigating complex conditions like Type 1 diabetes, effective communication and emotional support are just as important as medical advice. In this session, you'll learn how health and wellness coaches can play a powerful role in supporting individuals and families without crossing clinical boundaries. Through real-life coaching examples, you'll explore how to guide client reflection on continuous glucose monitor (CGM) data, reinforce provider recommendations, and foster more confident self-management. Whether you work independently or on an interdisciplinary team, you'll walk away with practical coaching tools to enhance collaboration, reduce burnout, and elevate client outcomes in high-burden health settings.

Following this session, parti​cipants will be able to:

• Describe how health and wellness coaches can ethically support individuals with chronic conditions like Type 1 diabetes without practicing outside their scope.
• Apply coaching strategies that improve client reflection on CGM data, emotional responses to health metrics, and self-management behaviors.
• Demonstrate how to reinforce provider recommendations and enhance interprofessional communication using client-centered coaching tools.​
  
  

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​Abby Cooper​​​, MS, NBC-HWC​ Abby Cooper serves as the Director of Coaching at Risely Health. She specializes in Type 1 diabetes and health coaching, empowering individuals to improve health outcomes. As both a professional and a parent of a child with Type 1 diabetes, Abby brings a ​unique and compassionate perspective to her work.

​Session 4D 

4Cs of FUN: Growing Compassionate Synergy for Enhanced Wellness​​

In this session, participants will be creatively immersed in cultivating emotional resilience through mind-body strategies. Participants will understand how thoughts can drive self-motivation. One key takeaway is that participants will gain access to a person-centered, strength-based self-coaching protocol to foster optimistic thinking.

Following this session, participants will be able to:

• Deepen metacognitive understanding of how thoughts drive motivation and behavior change.
• Reflect on collective consciousness about how clients can humanistically honor and address emotional currency in social environments.
• Self-assess personal boundaries around work-life balance and self-compassionate practices.
  
  

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​Jennifer Lacy, NBC-HWC  Jen is a distinguished teacher with thirty years of experience, a self-published author, and a doctoral student studying Psychosomatic Medicine. She is a board-certified health and wellness coach with a Mindful Applications for Healthcare certificate from The College of Integrative Medicine and Health Services at Saybrook University. As a certified group fitness instructor through the American Council of Exercise with seven years of experience coaching middle school volleyball and 1.5 years of experience in life coaching for undergraduate students, she brings a unique perspective to reframing negative thought patterns. She has presented at conferences on topics ranging from mindfulness meditation, physiological awareness, and classroom management, including a recent session on self-compassionate practices at the Attachment Trauma Network conference in Feb. 2024.​

​Session 5A 

​​​Coaching with Compassion: Real World Tools for Supporting Burned Out Clients​​

So many people know what to do for their health, they just can't find the capacity to do it. In today's burnout-heavy culture, wellness coaching must evolve beyond habit trackers and surface-level accountability. This session introduces a compassionate, real-world approach to supporting high[1]functioning clients who are deeply burned out. Drawing from her work coaching hundreds of clients in the corporate space, across diverse backgrounds, industries, and identities. Markel shares a micro strategy-based method that creates sustainable change without overwhelming clients. As the founder of LuxeWell Haus, a boutique wellness consultancy dedicated to bridging the gap between internal and external well-being in aesthetic-driven industries, she brings a fresh, human-centered perspective to the coaching field. Her work centers on guiding clients not just to look well, but to feel well by anchoring growth in self-awareness, identity, and small yet doable steps forward.​​

Following this sessi​​on, participants will be able​​​ to:

• Identify signs of high-functioning burnout in clients who may appear "well" externally but feel depleted internally.
• Apply micro-strategy coaching techniques to help clients build sustainable, low-pressure behavior change.
• Implement real-world coaching tools that honor client bandwidth and reduce overwhelm in wellness goal setting.​
  

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​Markel Quidera, NBHWC  Markel is a board certified wellness coach, corporate health educator, and founder of LuxeWell Haus, a boutique wellness consultancy designed to bridge the gap between internal and external well-being. Through her work in corporate wellness, she has coached hundreds of individuals from diverse professional, educational, and cultural backgrounds. Giving her a deep understanding of the real barriers people face when pursuing well-being in a burnout-driven world. ​​Her signature approach blends mindset work, identity alignment, and micro-strategies that help clients create sustainable momentum, not by doing more, but by reconnecting with themselves. Whether working with individuals or collaborating with wellness-forward spaces like med spas, boutique fitness spaces, and aesthetic providers, she brings a powerful message: true wellness starts within. She is passionate about helping people move from pressure to presence, guiding them back to a place of clarity, alignment, and compassion.​​

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​Session 5B

​Sleep Coaching: How to Help Yo​ur Clients Get Their Best Sleep​​

Sleep health supports physical, mental, and emotional health. Learn to apply your health coaching skills in behavior change, motivation, and core values to help your clients sleep better, and learn how better sleep can support every other health goal.

Following this session, participants w​ill be able to:

• Describe the components of good sleep health.
• Discuss with clients how sleep health can support other health goals, including eating, exercise, and mood goals.
• Engage in core coaching skills for sleep health, such as motivational interviewing and values clarification exercises.​
  

​​	​Susanna (Zan) Barry, PsyD, NBC-HWC Zan is a clinical psychologist and national board-certified health and wellness coach. She develops wellbeing programs in sleep health, stress resilience, mindfulness, motivation, and meaning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.​

​Session 5C

Earthmind Outdoors G​​roup Coaching​

Session 5D 

AI Meets Human Intelligence: Navigating Workplace Wellness in the Digital Age

This presentation will examine the emerging wellness challenges at the intersection of artificial intelligence and human cognition in modern workplaces.  As managers and executives increasingly adopt AI tools to boost performance, they're discovering unexpected challenges where artificial intelligence meets human cognition. This intersection creates new forms of workplace stress and requires fresh approaches to employee wellbeing. Drawing on neuroscience research and applied psychology, attendees will learn practical approaches for supporting employee wellbeing as organizations navigate this technological transformation.​

Following this session, participants will be​​​ able to:

• Identify and assess AI-related workplace stressors by recognizing the neurological stress responses and cognitive load patterns that emerge when humans work alongside AI systems, enabling more accurate diagnosis of technology-interface stress symptoms that may be misattributed to traditional workplace factors. [NBHWC competencies 3.4. Client awareness, perspective shifts and insights; 5.2.3. Surroundings and environment]
• Apply evidence-based neuroscience strategies to support employee wellbeing in AI-integrated workplaces, including practical tools for building cognitive resilience and maintaining wellness during technological transitions. [NBHWC competencies 3.5. Client self-efficacy; 5.2.5. Personal and professional development]
• Develop tailored coaching approaches for supporting clients through AI-enhanced work environments, integrating professional ethics considerations while implementing specialized wellness programs for organizations navigating digital transformation. [NBHWC competencies 3.8. Improving support; 5.1.2. Describe dimensions of wellness and their interconnectedness]​
  

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​Jeanine Stewart, PhD, PCC, NBC-HWC, SHRM-SCP Dr. Jeanine Stewart is a neuroscientist, an ICF PCC executive coach, NBC-HWC corporate and workplace wellness coach, and former C-level executive who works with leaders of major global organizations, government agencies, and educational institutions. A strategic thinker with an entrepreneurial nature, Jeanine has created distinctive leadership development programs based on scientific evidence about what works to help leaders and organizations quickly align and engage the people who matter most in realizing an organization's full potential. A master facilitator and frequent speaker, Dr. Stewart helps leaders navigate complex organizational challenges while fostering psychological safety and supporting resilience in their teams.​​​

12 - 12:15 PM CT | Break

Improv for Coaches – where coaching meets the spontaneous art of improvisation. Discover more joy in coaching, as we play with presence, active listening, succinctness, and co-creation – embracing the bottomless well of possibilities in each coaching moment.​​

This highly interactive session will benefit coaches at all levels of experience. Using improv rules and structures from theatre and comedy, as well as those tailored just for coaches, you'll experiment, play and learn. You’ll get comfortable with not pre-planning or getting ahead in your coaching conversations, and trust in the bottomless well of ideas and possibilities that we all (coaches and clients) can access at any time. 

Following this session, participants will be able to:

• Come into a calm, creative, resourceful state.
• Actively listen with somatic awareness.
• Bring more playfulness and empathy into your coaching.
• Find more freedom in your coaching through non-judgment of self and others.
• Deepen coaching competency and skill​
  

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​B​etsy Salkind, PCC, NBD-HWC (Right) ​​Betsy Salkind is a certified health coach with expertise in team, mentor and leadership coaching. She trained at the Mayo Clinic and was Associate Director and Lead Mentor Coach for ADAPT Health Coach Training Program. A professional comedian and TV writer, with credits including The Tonight S​​​​ Amy J. Warshawsky, MCC, NBC-HWC​​ (Left​)​ Amy Warshawsky is a leadership and mentor coach with expertise in coaching individuals, teams and groups. She integrates somatic practices with coaching to deepen self-awareness and embodied leadership. A former faculty member of the ADAPT Health Coach Training Program, Amy has held roles in nonprofit and higher education settings. She holds an MS in Journalism from Northwestern University and a BA from Cornell University. She is a co-creator of Improv for Coaches. ​

Recognition and Benefits

Each confirmed sponsor will receive:

• Exclusive sponsor recognition during the designated session (opening keynote or culminating activity), including a sponsor-branded slide, verbal acknowledgment with a brief written message read to the attendees by the emcee.
• Logo placement on the conference website, tagged social media posts, and promotional emails
• Option to include an online demo, digital giveaway, resource, or promotional offer for attendees for use after the event
• One complimentary conference registration​
  

​Eligibility and Sponsorship Categories

Sponso​rships are open to non-educational organizations whose products, services, or missions align with the professional interests and ethical standards of health and wellness coaches. Eligible sponsors may include:

• Health-related technology platforms
• Professional coaching organizations
• Mental health and well-being services
• Fitness and nutrition service providers
• Insurance and benefits companies with relevant offerings
• Wellness product vendors
• Service providers that support health and wellness coaches (e.g., billing platforms, business tools, marketing support, practice management software)​​.
  

Standards for Acceptance

All ​​​sponsors must align with the core values of the university and the mission of the conference. Sponsorships will not be accepted from organizations that:

• Promote unlicensed or unverified health claims
• Conflict with evidence-based practices in health and wellness
• Engage in discriminatory, predatory, or unethical practices

All sponsor materials are subject to review and approval by the conference planning team. The university reserves the right to reject any sponsorship request that is not in keeping with its institutional values or the goals of the event.​

​S​ponsor Involvement Limits

Sponsors may not influence conference content, speaker selection, or research shared during the event. Participation as a sponsor does not imply endorsement by the university or its affiliates.​​​​