The beauty of a holistic health journey is that it’s different for everyone. It also changes and evolves and there isn’t really a “typical” cookie-cutter process for everyone. Most times you won’t really know what it is that you need until you have your first session. From there, a practitioner can create a roadmap for you that will constantly change as you go through your journey.
Our mental and emotional selves are connected to our physical health and wellbeing. This is exactly what Anna Bothe believes when she works with someone in their holistic health journey.
You can learn more about Anna and her coaching here:
What made you want to get into this field?
It was a combination of personal interest, life experiences, and what I call “divine timing” that brought me to this work.
My passion for understanding why we experience the life we do and how we can improve that experience started in high school and evolved from there. Despite my early interest, I didn’t see it as anything I could make a career out of so I majored in Business Economics at UCLA and set my sights on management consulting. I liked the idea of being a “professional problem solver” as some call it, but I learned the hard way that if you’re truly passionate about something, it won’t just go away – no matter how you try to stuff it down.
Long story short, I became incredibly unhappy at my job and when an opportunity fell out of the sky to exit my job and pivot in my career, I knew what I wanted, and no other definition of success was worth my happiness.
10 months later, I had 3 certifications under my belt and was running a couple of clients through my 12-week program. Entering this field has been the best decision I’ve ever made.
What has been your favorite aspect of this work?
I realized back in the previous job that I cared about connecting with and helping people more than anything. I feel most fulfilled when I am able to make someone feel seen, heard, understood, and empowered.
That will probably always be my favourite thing about this work-sharing those moments where I feel like I am giving someone that in real-time.
Can you explain what holistic health coaching is and what a typical session with you is like from start to finish
This phrase is used a lot and I can’t speak for everyone, so this is what I believe holistic health coaching means.
For me, it is about seeing the individual as more than just the physical and acknowledging the incredibly beautiful ways that their mental, emotional, physical and spiritual selves are connected to their state of wellbeing/health. Then, with that understanding, the coach is there to provide guidance and whatever support the client needs to improve the area of wellbeing they came to the coach for. However, they will likely walk away with a deeper understanding of themselves, their health, and what creates their ~dis-ease~ or imbalance.
A session with me will always be part of a larger roadmap because there is far too much to cover than what a single session has room for. There isn’t really a “typical” session with me because all of my clients are different people with different priorities and preferences. People come to me because I’m not so typical, but more so individual.
What sort of health challenges can holistic health be effective for and why?
Depending on the host of certifications and life qualifications of the coach, holistic health coaches can be effective for anything that doesn’t require serious medical attention. Even still, I’ve known some health coaches to guide clients to solutions that prevented the need for surgery and even allowed for early remission from cancer.
Why is that? – Well, holistic health coaches are able to see things and understand things that most trained in only one methodology might miss. They deal with interconnectivity and almost every health challenge is. You can’t spot treat as I say… there is a whole person, and you must address all of them.
Also, these kinds of coaches tend to be out of the box thinkers and often things that people need help with the need out of the box solutions.
Is there a technique or modality in your practice that you have found to be the most beneficial to the people you work with?
As I said, every person is quite unique. However, affirmations always make their way into my coaching. Mindset, as in thoughts, beliefs, desires, and fears, is one of the most powerful forces at play in a person. Mindset can make or break an approach.
I find that affirmations are a gateway into the deeper realms of brain rewiring but still give folks a way to ease into it.
What is holistic health like from the patient’s point of view?
From the patient’s point of view, I think it’s again about feeling like you are being seen and addressed as an interconnected, whole being. It’s about your feelings being heard and weighed in the decision of what to do and how to proceed. And it’s about having your eyes opened to all the ways that you are affected by your internal and external world.
What would you say to someone skeptical about holistic health and its effectiveness? How do you approach that?
I believe it’s never our job to convince people of anything, but to really listen to their reasoning and then provide our reasoning and supporting evidence in a way that makes the person feel safe enough to change their mind if they so choose. If anyone is going to change their mind, they will do so because the environment is conducive to that change – you and how you articulate yourself are key pieces of that equation.
So, I would do just that – listen to them, empathize, explain my point of view and experience with its effectiveness, and make sure they feel comfortable in the conversation.
Besides holistic health do you have any universal health and well-being tips that you’d like to share?
There are so many tips out there so my tip has more to do with whether or not someone will end up using any of those tips. And the tip is-
Get clear on your why and connect deeply to that why. Allow it to change over time, but don’t ever go without one. If you want long-lasting health, it will take intention and consistency. If you want to create a world where holistic health is available to all, don’t settle and understand how your choices affect more people than just you. Lastly always come from a place of true, soul-level love.
If there was one piece of advice you could give to someone who is struggling, what would it be?
If you feel like something should be better or can be – believe that. Keep an open mind and find a way to see the beauty in your journey. There is always hope, but upgrade that to faith and I believe something good will arrive.
What resources would you recommend? (books, podcasts, websites that you’ve found helpful)
I am a big fan of anything by Louise Hay, but I love “You Can Heal Your Life” by her.
I’d also recommend “Biology of Belief” by Bruce Lipton and “Becoming Supernatural” by Joe Dispenza which are excellent reads about how your thoughts affect your reality.
If you struggle with your relationship with food, I’d recommend Geneen Roth’s “Women, Food, & God” – it’ll change things.
I shy away from nutrition podcasts or books because I think it can be confusing to have more information in your head. I find that people need less information and more guidance on how to discern what works for them. Start by defining what food is and should do for you, and see where that leads.
Your journey is completely different to that of the person next to you. This means you need to be open and willing to try different things and accept that your journey will morph and change as you continue to learn and the more your practitioner learn more about you.
Anna Bothe is a trained and certified holistic health coach who can help you navigate these waters. Learn more about Anna and her work here:
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