My journey to becoming an IIN Health coach
I am often asked, why health coaching? How did you get into it? Truth is that it was unplanned. I had just left my fashion executive career in London and embarked on a new journey. In the midst of self-healing and inner exploration during a period of high anxiety, eating disorder and burnout, I was introduced to the concept of holistic health and well-being. That is, nourishing oneself not only with good nutrition on the plate but also in other areas of our lives such as relationships, career, movement and spirituality to name a few. Rather than treating the symptoms with traditional medicine, holistic healing focuses on treating the cause. Which leads me to how I expanded my knowledge on holistic health and my decision to become a health coach.
As I started to read more on holistic health and shared my journey and learnings on Instagram, I was overwhelmed with responses I was receiving from friends, previous colleagues, instagram followers and other women within my community who were finding it insightful and relatable. I realized then that so many others were longing for a new way of life, where health and careers can co-exist, and to feel balanced and true to themselves. I felt a sense of purpose and meaning in guiding these women on their journey to holistic wellness and started researching coaching certifications. The Institute of Integrative Nutrition (IIN) hit home for me as it deeply resonated with everything that I had learnt so far about health. I could also understand that it was considered as a respected nutrition and health coaching school as I was talking to professionals in the wellness industry. Any doubts I had about the course were washed away when an IIN alumni kindly offered me a 30 minute conversation to speak about the course and her experience.
The IIN philosophy is based on bio-individuality which means that there is not a one-fits-all solution when it comes to health and nutrition and embracing our uniqueness which is a concept I believe in. IIN taught me the business skills required to kick-start my coaching career which laid the entire foundation for my business today. I had been equipped with the tools and knowledge to take on clients from the day I graduated and left feeling super inspired to spread on the knowledge I gained to help others transform their lifestyle for the better. While IIN will fully equip you to become a powerful coach, you can also take the course as an investment in yourself or as a foundation to pursue another profession within the wellness world.
The IIN program is done digitally and includes a mix of live sessions and pre-recorded content, which worked well for me as I studied while traveling and working as a yoga teacher. It is easy to study whilst you’re working with something else as you can adjust the study time to fit your schedule. The exams are easy but act as important milestones to make sure that you are keeping up with your studies and not procrastinating.
Today, being a health coach for me means taking clients on an inner journey of self-discovery through authentic conversations, guiding them to strive towards the best version of themselves with the help of tools like yoga, journaling, self-inquiry, nutrition, movement and meditation. This opportunity to support clients towards their unique health and lifestyle goals would not have been possible without my education at IIN and I feel so much gratitude for this experience. If you are feeling inspired to learn more about holistic health or being a health coach, take the first step and check out a sample class here. I am also happy to answer questions via email or set up a 20-min call to share my experience if you are seriously interested in the program. We need more health coaches out there and I would love to see you step into this profession!
If you decide to embark on IIN journey, mention “Yohanna Mannelqvist” in the application form to receive my ambassador discount of $2000.