FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

National Institute of Whole Health & Bark Coaching Institute Partner to Provide Whole Health Education® with Health Coaching Competencies

Sedona, AZ – Two long standing AHNA endorsed programs, Bark Coaching Institute, formerly AsOne Coaching, and the National Institute of Whole Health, are working together to provide a comprehensive program which includes both whole health patient education and health coaching competencies for nurses.

Nurse health coaches are becoming an important component in addressing the urgent need for reducing chronic conditions, heart disease, obesity, metabolic syndrome and stroke. An innate part of nursing skills and knowledge is providing patient education and behavioral change facilitation. What the Whole Health Education with combined Health Coaching Competencies program adds to the nurse’s tool box is two fold.

The Whole Health Education component provides an evidence-based, demystified body of health knowledge and information that goes beyond the linear, symptoms oriented, treatment oriented education nurses receive during training. By having a clear, integrated and scientific understanding of how and why disease manifests in the body due to chronic lifestyle choices, nurses can provide their patients with the information they need to take greater control of their health. In addition, nurse professionals can use this new whole person health information to take better care of their own health.

The Health Coaching Competencies taught under the guidance of Linda Bark, RN, PhD, MCC, gives nurses new tools and modalities with which to facilitate their patient’s organic choices of how they would like to get well, stay well and take control of their health and the quality of their life.

The combination of these two evidence-based, hospital tested disciplines are not only important skills for today’s nurse, but this patient education model of disease prevention with health coaching, is a billable and reimbursable health insurance service when provided in a medical practice or by a nurse practitioner.

The combined program meets the published guidelines that Medicare, Medicaid, the Institutes of Medicine and the Joint Commission for Accreditation of Health Organizations (JCAHO) published in 2005 for the practice of health care in all settings. These guidelines include: “patients at the center of their healthcare decision making; care for the whole person; and evidenced-based patient health education” as key guidelines.

Dr. Bark is the founder and director of Bark Coaching Institute, formerly AsOne Coaching. She will be providing coaching competency training for NIWH as part of the Whole Health Education practicum and externship portion of the program. Her career in coaching began almost 20 years ago when she trained with early founders of the coaching movement. Her coaching training program is an International Coaching Federation accredited, distance education program in Coaching Skills and Competencies for all levels of the coaching profession.

NIWH, established in1977, has for over three decades, provided evidence-based, integrative whole health programs, delivered through relationship-centered, whole person health focused programs for health care and medical professionals who desire to provide more than symptom oriented patient care. This approach integrates the most current medical research with a natural outlook on healing and the wisdom of various spiritual teachings, all of which are grounded in integrity and compassion.

Both organizations are pleased to be working together to provides these two important “missing links” in health care. Beginning in early August 2010, both organizations will be participating in a Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Community Health pilot study which will evaluate the effectiveness on patient outcomes utilizing Whole Health Education with health coaching. Eight (8) MGH nurse health coaches will receive the Whole Health Education training and health coaching competencies. They will document during the training, and for a one year period afterwards, how the model of Whole Health Education impacts their work with their patients to create sustainable lifestyle changes and improved health outcomes.

For more information, you may contact Dr. Linda Bark at 510-864-2006 or the National Institute of Whole Health at 888-354-4325, www.niwh.org.