When people experience more stress than they can handle, they usually struggle in many different areas of their lives.
Sleep gets disrupted. Relationships grow tense. Nutrition habits regress.
More alcohol and sweets tend to come into the picture. Exercise becomes a thing of the past.
The scale often goes up.
It’s not uncommon for stressed folks to complain, “What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I get anything done? What happened to my willpower? Why am I so lazy?”
Thing is, they’re not lazy. They’re just suffering from toxic stress.
This is where stress management coaching—aka stress management training—can make a big difference.
Certified stress management coaches help people set priorities, learn relaxation skills, and reduce their overall stress load. End result: Clients feel better—and finally are able to uncover the energy and bandwidth needed to successfully tackle other wellness goals.
Maybe you’re thinking: I want to help people do that! If so, this article will guide you through everything you need to know about stress management coaching.
What is stress management training? What does a stress management coach do? How do you become a stress management coach?
It’s all here. Keep reading to find out.
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What is stress management?
Stress—from little daily irritations to big life changes—can build up over time. When stress overwhelms your ability to recover, it can…
▶ suppress your body’s immune responses
▶ mess with your GI tract
▶ increase the risk of heart disease
▶ up your risk of depression and anxiety
(Learn more: The effects of stress on the body.)
It also makes it harder to do other things that are good for you, like getting enough sleep and eating enough veggies.
Stress management training gives you a comprehensive toolkit that can help you and your clients break free from the chokehold of stress. By better managing stress, you can not only improve your health, but also become more productive and happier.
What is stress management coaching? What does a stress management coach do?
Stress management coaches help people understand, grow from, and ride out stress with more ease. Their stress management training allows them to help clients pull a variety of “health levers” needed to feel and perform better.
Stress management coaches lean into their deep understanding of physiology and psychology to help clients…
▶ build more resilience
▶ deal with the stress in a more positive way
▶ learn strategies and practices that help them gain more control of their lives
Stress management coaches assess each client as an individual, gather vital data to understand clients’ needs, track their progress, and identify and clarify their goals. They then work closely with clients to develop an action plan to reach those goals—and help them re-assess and re-adjust as needed.
(For a deeper dive into some of the techniques coaches use read: How to build resilience.)
Who do stress management coaches help?
Many people decide to become certified stress management coaches so they can make a bigger impact as nurses, registered dietitians, chiropractors, personal trainers, health coaches, group exercise instructors, or athletic coaches, among other helping professions.
Others get certified because they see a growing need, including the…
▶ Nearly half of parents who say their level of stress has increased in the past two years
▶ Three out of every five employees who, in an American Psychological Association survey, reported lack of interest, motivation, and energy due to work related stress
▶ Countless people who are looking to break old patterns and habits that result from chronic stress
Stress management coaches can help people pinpoint what causes stress, as well as develop a personalized roadmap to deal with those stressors.
What’s the difference between a stress management coach and a licensed behavioral therapist?
Stress management coaches complement the help offered by licensed behavioral therapists, but they don’t replace it.
Licensed mental health professionals undergo more training and education than stress management coaches do. For example, psychiatrists must complete medical school and then go on to residency and specialty training. Psychologists and licensed social workers usually have Master’s level degrees and specialized clinical training.
That specialized clinical training qualifies psychiatrists and some psychologists to diagnose mental health conditions. It allows mental health counselors to use a range of therapeutic tools—such as dialectical behavioral therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and psychoanalysis—that are out of scope for people without this specialized training.
While stress management coaches do spend a lot of time talking to clients about the stressors they face, they cannot diagnose people with depression, anxiety, or any other mental health condition. Nor can they prescribe medication. They can, however, help people put into practice what their mental health team suggests.
In this way, stress management coaches can work with someone’s mental health practitioner much as an orthopedist might work with a physical therapist.
Why do people need stress management coaches?
When it comes to improving their physical health, a lot of people focus on fitness and nutrition. Yet, in today’s high-stress world, fitness and nutrition aren’t always enough. To support fitness and nutrition habits—especially during major life upheavals—most people need solid stress management skills, as well as sleep and recovery tools.
Think of sleep, stress management, and recovery as the foundation that supports all other health habits.
The good news is that small changes can make a big difference.
(FREE guide: Learn how to relieve stress.)
Why do people become stress management coaches?
Most people who pursue a certification in stress management techniques are already working in or adjacent to the health and fitness industry. As a result, they’ve realized the importance of sleep, stress management, and recovery to everyone striving to lead a healthier life. They want to go beyond the basics and get a pro-level understanding of these topics so they can better direct their efforts to help their clients reach their health and wellness goals.
By learning more about the art and science of stress management, certified stress management coaches can help their clients develop greater resilience.
How do I become a stress management coach? What credentials are required?
You can become a stress management coach by earning a certification from a program that includes both the science of stress as well as advanced coaching methods needed to help clients better manage it.
We’ll just come out and say it: We offer a comprehensive stress management coaching certification that we’re very proud of. (It’s called the Precision Nutrition Level 1 Sleep, Stress Management, and Recovery Coaching Certification. Go here to get on the waitlist).
That said, our certification is merely one of many. Whether you ultimately sign up with us or a different program, you want a certification that…
✅is rigorous
✅has earned the respect from others in the industry
✅puts clients at the center of all that they teach
You want a program that does more than just give you a certification. You want one that can help you confidently deliver results to your clients.
If you’re a health and fitness pro…
When your clients are stressed and exhausted, everything else becomes a struggle: going to the gym, choosing healthy foods, and managing cravings.
But with the right tools, you can help your clients overcome obstacles like chronic stress and poor sleep—leading them toward the lasting health transformations they’ve always wanted.
PN’s Level 1 Sleep, Stress Management, and Recovery (SSR) Coaching Certification will give you these tools. And it’ll give you confidence and credibility as a specialized coach who can solve the biggest problems blocking any clients’ progress. (You can enroll now in the SSR Certification at a big discount.)
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