Coaching is a process of self-reflection, goal setting, action planning, learning and growth. Health and wellness coaching focuses specifically on helping each client define, attain and sustain optimal health and wellness. The coach facilitates this process by asking questions, providing insight, identifying strengths and potential challenges, guiding and offering information. Coaching uses knowledge and techniques from the fields of positive psychology, human behavior theory, and motivational interviewing. A coach is always rooting for you but is not a cheerleader! A coach will challenge you and ask you to think deeper and set goals that stretch you while respecting your self-knowledge and decisions.

Practically speaking, coaching is a collaborative conversation between the client and coach. The process of coaching begins by discussing what is most important to the client, their goals and vision for the future and our work together. Follow up sessions focus on identifying additional information or resources the client might need to work toward their goals, developing action steps that work progressively toward health and wellness goals, problem-solving and learning from challenges.

TLDR: Coaching is an evidence-based process designed to help you feel your best!

Check out this page from the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching for links to recent scientific journal articles and media coverage related to health coaching.

Katie Ouzounian, DNP, FNP-C, NBC-HWC is a board-certified Health and Wellness Coach and Family Nurse Practitioner. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in Family Nurse Practitioner studies and Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She has worked in healthcare for over 15 years including primary, urgent and long-term care. Most of her career has focused on working with people experiencing chronic illnesses, mental health challenges, addictions and disabilities, as well as providing health education and supporting healthy aging. Katie’s doctoral studies included a focus on integrative health and she has completed many continuing education courses through the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine, including a certificate in Integrative Health Coaching. Katie is board-certified in health coaching through the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching, the most rigorous standard currently available for health and wellness coaches, which requires demonstrating competence in a wide range of topics related to health coaching as well as the process of coaching itself. Katie has experience coaching clients of many different backgrounds with unique health and wellness goals, including healthcare workers and first responders. Katie spent seven years as a search and rescue volunteer where she responded to many wilderness and urban search and rescue missions as part of a K9 team, and served as the team medical advisor and training coordinator. This is also where she met her husband, who ended up making a career change to law enforcement (with a side of EMS and fire).

Generally, individual coaching clients meet with the coach every other week. The first session is typically 60 minutes, followed by a 45-minute follow up session, with subsequent sessions between 30-45 minutes. We may meet more or less often depending on your needs and preferences. Although you may experience benefits from just one or two sessions, to experience the full impact of coaching and increase the likelihood of lasting change we recommend committing to at least six sessions over three months.

Katie’s experience as a healthcare provider, first responder and spouse of a first responder has provided many hard knocks opportunities to develop insight into the unique challenges associated with these roles. Through personal experience and observation, Katie learned the importance of developing proactive health habits to maintain wellbeing despite chronic stress, unpredictable schedules and trauma exposure. At the same time, she recognizes that everyone has a unique experience and even a group of people experiencing the same situation may all feel a different impact. As a coach, Katie will hold a non-judgmental space for you to reflect on and share as you feel comfortable the factors impacting your health and we will work together to make a plan to address them.

While we prioritize work with the above groups, if you feel we might be a good fit to work together please reach out.

Our first 20-minute consultation is free. After the initial consultation, prices are as follows.

Individual Coaching:
+ Initial session (60 minutes) $115
+ Follow-up session (30 minutes) $55

We offer a 35% discount on individual coaching to clients whose annual household income is 350% of the Federal Poverty Level or below. Click here to see if you qualify.

Individual Coaching with sliding scale discount:
+ Initial session (60 minutes) $74.75
+Follow-up session (30 minutes) $35.75

Group Coaching:
Pricing varies based on the group, but group coaching is typically the most affordable option to participate in coaching. Sign up for our email list to be notified of upcoming groups.

Health insurance currently does not reimburse for health coaching services. (There are changes in the works to allow for this in the future.)

If you have a Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA), check with your plan administrator to see if you can use these funds for health coaching.

Health coaching may help improve your overall health and wellness and is often beneficial for people experiencing health challenges, but coaching is not a substitute for other health care. It is important that you establish and maintain a relationship with a primary care provider and follow up with your healthcare team according to their recommendations. In health coaching we can discuss health conditions you may be experiencing and actions you might take to promote wellbeing, but health coaching does not diagnose or treat any specific health condition. Coaching with Tough Roots is also not a substitute for mental health or dietitian services. (There are some coaches who are also dietitians or mental health practitioners; you can search for them here.) Although Katie is also trained as a nurse practitioner, coaching services are completely separate from this role. Coaching services are guided by the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching Scope of Practice.

While the field of coaching is informed by psychological and behavioral sciences, coaching is not therapy. In general, coaching focuses on a current or future goal or challenge while therapy may involve more detailed exploration of past as well as current issues. Therapy can be used as a treatment for mental illness, while coaching cannot. (Coaching can be an additional support for those who have received or are receiving appropriate mental health services.) For a more detailed discussion of this topic, click here.

Tough Roots recognizes the importance of confidentiality and trust in the coach-client relationship and will keep information shared by the client confidential to the fullest extent permitted by law. We have implemented safeguards to protect personally identifiable information that is created or received during the course of our work together.