Personal Wellness

Wellness means habits that support how you feel day to day. It is not medicine and it does not replace a doctor.

• Learn the terms: habit, sleep, movement, nutrition, stress, goal, routine, coach.
• Wellness has parts: body, mind, social and daily life.
• A coach helps a person set and keep goals. A coach does not diagnose or treat illness.
• Know where your role stops and a licensed health professional starts.
• Give one example habit for each part of wellness: a walk, a quiet break, a call with a friend, a set meal time.
• Compare two requests, 'help me keep a bedtime' and 'why do I get chest pain', and state which one you take and which you refer.
• Explain in one plain sentence to a new client what you do and what you do not do.

Activity. List ten wellness words with a plain meaning each and mark which ones are coaching and which are medical.

Standard to meet. Task: define ten wellness terms and mark the coaching line. Condition: from memory, then check. Standard: all meanings plain and correct, and the line between coaching and medical care stated.

A session has a shape. A plan has small steps the person can repeat.

• A session runs: welcome, check-in, one goal, one or two small steps, how to track, next time.
• Start where the person is, not where you think they should be.
• Small steps beat big promises: a ten-minute walk after lunch, a set bedtime, a glass of water with each meal.
• Write the plan in the person's own words.
• Open with a check-in question such as 'What went well since last time?' and listen before you advise.
• Limit each plan to two steps so the person can succeed within a week.
• End each session by writing the next date and one thing the person will do before it.

Activity. Run a mock 30-minute session with a friend and write a one-page plan.

Standard to meet. Task: run a mock session. Condition: 30 minutes with a friend. Standard: one goal, two small steps, a tracking method and a next date are written down.

Now you apply what you know. Help a person pick a goal, track it and adjust.

• Make goals specific: what, how often, by when.
• Ask open questions: What would make this easier? What got in the way?
• Track simply: a tick on a calendar is enough.
• Praise effort and progress, not weight or looks. Never promise a result.
• Apply the smallest-next-step test: if the person says 'maybe', shrink the step until the answer is 'yes'.
• Describe what you do when a week goes badly: ask what got in the way, then change the step, not the person.
• Evaluate progress every two weeks by counting the ticks on the calendar.

Activity. Coach one volunteer for two weeks with a weekly check-in and a simple tracker.

Standard to meet. Task: coach one volunteer for two weeks. Condition: with consent and a written plan. Standard: goal is specific, tracker is used, no medical advice is given, and the volunteer says what helped.

Health care is regulated in each province. Wellness coaching must stay on the right side of the line.

• Titles such as doctor, nurse, dietitian, physiotherapist, psychotherapist and some others are protected in many provinces. Use only titles you hold; check the current rule with the local authority.
• Do not diagnose, treat or promise to cure. Do not tell anyone to stop a medicine or treatment.
• Advertising must be true. Do not claim miracle results.
• Natural health products and supplements are regulated by the federal health agency; do not sell or advise on them unless you know the current rules and check them.
• List five situations to refer on: chest pain, thoughts of self-harm, signs of an eating disorder, pregnancy questions and changes to medicine.
• Describe your role with a plain title such as 'wellness coach' and check that no provincial rule protects any word you use.
• Check the advertising rules before you post any claim about results; if you are unsure, do not post it.

Activity. Build a table of what you may do, what you must refer, and who to refer to, for ten common client questions.

Standard to meet. Task: build a scope-of-practice table. Condition: using official public pages. Standard: each row shows a referral or a safe coaching reply and a source; no guesswork.

You earn only what remains after costs and unbilled time.

• Time includes prep, session, notes, travel and admin.
• Hourly cost = yearly costs plus the pay you need, divided by hours you can really bill.
• Compare single sessions, packages and group sessions.
• Sales tax may apply to some services; check the small-supplier limit with the tax agency.
• Calculate your real hours per session by adding prep, session, notes and travel.
• Evaluate a package of four sessions against four single sessions and say who gains from each.
• Check each month that income minus costs covers your pay target; if it does not, change the price or the hours.

Activity. Time three sessions end to end and set a price for each format.

Standard to meet. Task: price three formats. Condition: from your own time log. Standard: hours, price and result shown and a mentor can follow every number.

People choose a coach they trust. Show your method and your care.

• Write a one-page description of who you help and how, in plain words and without health claims.
• Offer a free 20-minute chat so people can meet you.
• Ask permission before using any client story, and remove names.
• Keep a simple list: contact, date, reply, next step. Only contact people who agree to hear from you.
• Practise saying in three plain sentences who you help and what a session looks like.
• Prepare five questions for a free chat that begin with 'What would you like to change?'
• Compare two places to meet clients, such as a community board and a local group, by cost and by how many people they reach.

Activity. Hold five intro chats and log the results.

Standard to meet. Task: run five intro chats. Condition: with consent and no pressure. Standard: notes kept, no claims made, and one lesson written.

Clients share personal things. Keep them safe.

• Health and personal details are sensitive. Keep notes locked and share nothing without written consent.
• Know when to refer: signs of serious illness, self-harm, abuse or an eating disorder. Have a list of local services ready.
• Keep a short written agreement: services, fees, cancellation, privacy and your limits.
• Consider insurance for your work; ask an adviser.
• Store notes in a locked drawer or a password-protected file and list who may see them (only you).
• Draft a referral list of five local services, such as a family doctor line, a crisis line, a community health centre, a pharmacist and a dietitian clinic; check the numbers are current.
• Write a cancellation rule, such as 24 hours' notice, and put it in the agreement.

Activity. Write an agreement template and a referral list for your area.

Standard to meet. Task: produce an agreement and a referral list. Condition: reviewed by a mentor. Standard: scope, fees, privacy and limits are all in plain words.

Now you run it for real, measure and decide.

• Set a goal such as three clients and ten sessions.
• Each week record hours, income, client progress and what you learned.
• Ask each client for feedback and one improvement.
• Choose at the end: stop, change or grow, and write a 12-month plan.
• Calculate weekly hours and income and compare them with your goal.
• List three changes drawn from client feedback and rank them by effort.
• Evaluate whether your income per real hour reached your target.

Activity. Run the pilot and present a 12-month plan to a panel of three.

Standard to meet. Task: run a 60-day pilot. Condition: real clients and a signed agreement. Standard: log complete, no medical claims made, and the plan uses numbers.

L1: Care aware learner. You can define: name the main terms, people and rules of personal Wellness. Focus module: Know the words of personal wellness (Understand, 6 h). Wellness means habits that support how you feel day to day. It is not medicine and it does not replace a doctor. Key points: Learn the terms: habit, sleep, movement, nutrition, stress, goal, routine, coach. Wellness has parts: body, mind, social and daily life. A coach helps a person set and keep goals. A coach does not diagnose or treat illness. Know where your role stops and a licensed health professional starts. Give one example habit for each part of wellness: a walk, a quiet break, a call with a friend, a set meal time. Compare two requests, 'help me keep a bedtime' and 'why do I get chest pain', and state which one you take and which you refer. Explain in one plain sentence to a new client what you do and what you do not do.

Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. A client says she is tired. A coach asks about sleep, meals and routine, then says: 'If the tiredness lasts, please see your doctor.' If six of your ten words are coaching words and four are medical words, 6 + 4 = 10, so every word is sorted. Then set the activity: List ten wellness words with a plain meaning each and mark which ones are coaching and which are medical. Mark against the standard: Task: define ten wellness terms and mark the coaching line. Condition: from memory, then check. Standard: all meanings plain and correct, and the line between coaching and medical care stated. Check at this level: What is the difference between coaching and medical care? Model answer: A coach helps with habits and goals; a doctor diagnoses and treats. Level note: Start here if new. Evidence: a one-page glossary and a visit or interview note.

L2: Support worker or assistant. You can describe: explain how personal Wellness works from first contact to result. Focus module: Explain how a wellness session and plan work (Apply, 6 h). A session has a shape. A plan has small steps the person can repeat. Key points: A session runs: welcome, check-in, one goal, one or two small steps, how to track, next time. Start where the person is, not where you think they should be. Small steps beat big promises: a ten-minute walk after lunch, a set bedtime, a glass of water with each meal. Write the plan in the person's own words. Open with a check-in question such as 'What went well since last time?' and listen before you advise. Limit each plan to two steps so the person can succeed within a week. End each session by writing the next date and one thing the person will do before it.

Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. Goal: 'feel less rushed in the morning.' Step one: prepare clothes three nights this week; step two: set out breakfast two nights. A 30-minute mock session can run 5 minutes welcome, 5 check-in, 10 goal, 5 steps and 5 tracking and next date: 5 + 5 + 10 + 5 + 5 = 30. Then set the activity: Run a mock 30-minute session with a friend and write a one-page plan. Mark against the standard: Task: run a mock session. Condition: 30 minutes with a friend. Standard: one goal, two small steps, a tracking method and a next date are written down. Check at this level (this question is covered in module 4: Follow Canadian rules and know your limits): Why use only titles you hold? Model answer: Many health titles are protected by provincial law. Level note: Evidence: a flow chart and a two-minute spoken explanation.

L3: Practitioner or coach. You can apply: carry out a routine task in personal Wellness to a written standard. Focus module: Coach habits to a clear standard (Apply, 10 h). Now you apply what you know. Help a person pick a goal, track it and adjust. Key points: Make goals specific: what, how often, by when. Ask open questions: What would make this easier? What got in the way? Track simply: a tick on a calendar is enough. Praise effort and progress, not weight or looks. Never promise a result. Apply the smallest-next-step test: if the person says 'maybe', shrink the step until the answer is 'yes'. Describe what you do when a week goes badly: ask what got in the way, then change the step, not the person. Evaluate progress every two weeks by counting the ticks on the calendar.

Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. Before: 'Get fit.' After: 'Walk 20 minutes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for four weeks.' That is 3 walks of 20 minutes, 60 minutes a week, and 4 x 60 = 240 minutes in four weeks. If the calendar shows 9 ticks out of 12 planned walks, that is 9 / 12 = 75%, so you ask what got in the way of the other three. Then set the activity: Coach one volunteer for two weeks with a weekly check-in and a simple tracker. Mark against the standard: Task: coach one volunteer for two weeks. Condition: with consent and a written plan. Standard: goal is specific, tracker is used, no medical advice is given, and the volunteer says what helped. Check at this level: What is a good goal? Model answer: Specific: what, how often and by when. Level note: Evidence: a supervised task record that meets the standard once.

L4: Senior practitioner or tutor. You can analyse: diagnose why a personal Wellness result missed its target and fix it. Focus module: Follow Canadian rules and know your limits (Evaluate, 8 h). Health care is regulated in each province. Wellness coaching must stay on the right side of the line. Key points: Titles such as doctor, nurse, dietitian, physiotherapist, psychotherapist and some others are protected in many provinces. Use only titles you hold; check the current rule with the local authority. Do not diagnose, treat or promise to cure. Do not tell anyone to stop a medicine or treatment. Advertising must be true. Do not claim miracle results. Natural health products and supplements are regulated by the federal health agency; do not sell or advise on them unless you know the current rules and check them. List five situations to refer on: chest pain, thoughts of self-harm, signs of an eating disorder, pregnancy questions and changes to medicine. Describe your role with a plain title such as 'wellness coach' and check that no provincial rule protects any word you use. Check the advertising rules before you post any claim about results; if you are unsure, do not post it.

Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. A client asks if a herb can replace her medicine. You say that is a question for her doctor or pharmacist and offer to help her write her questions. In a table of ten client questions, if four need a referral, you can coach on the other 10 - 4 = 6. Then set the activity: Build a table of what you may do, what you must refer, and who to refer to, for ten common client questions. Mark against the standard: Task: build a scope-of-practice table. Condition: using official public pages. Standard: each row shows a referral or a safe coaching reply and a source; no guesswork. Check at this level: What should you never promise? Model answer: A cure or a guaranteed result. Level note: Evidence: a fault or gap analysis with a fix and a repeat test. This course targets this level.

L5: Team lead or programme lead. You can evaluate: judge options for personal Wellness against cost, risk and quality. Focus module: Find clients and show proof (Create, 6 h). People choose a coach they trust. Show your method and your care. Key points: Write a one-page description of who you help and how, in plain words and without health claims. Offer a free 20-minute chat so people can meet you. Ask permission before using any client story, and remove names. Keep a simple list: contact, date, reply, next step. Only contact people who agree to hear from you. Practise saying in three plain sentences who you help and what a session looks like. Prepare five questions for a free chat that begin with 'What would you like to change?' Compare two places to meet clients, such as a community board and a local group, by cost and by how many people they reach.

Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. A post says: 'I help busy parents build a simple evening routine.' It makes no claim about health outcomes. If you hold 5 chats and 2 people book, your booking rate is 2 / 5 = 40%; to win 3 clients you would plan about 3 / 0.4 = 7.5, so 8 chats. Then set the activity: Hold five intro chats and log the results. Mark against the standard: Task: run five intro chats. Condition: with consent and no pressure. Standard: notes kept, no claims made, and one lesson written. Check at this level: Why get consent before using a story? Model answer: Client information is private. Level note: Evidence: an options paper with numbers and a recommendation defended to a panel.

L6: Service manager. You can create: design and pilot a new offer or process in personal Wellness. Focus module: Protect privacy, safety and quality (Evaluate, 6 h). Clients share personal things. Keep them safe. Key points: Health and personal details are sensitive. Keep notes locked and share nothing without written consent. Know when to refer: signs of serious illness, self-harm, abuse or an eating disorder. Have a list of local services ready. Keep a short written agreement: services, fees, cancellation, privacy and your limits. Consider insurance for your work; ask an adviser. Store notes in a locked drawer or a password-protected file and list who may see them (only you). Draft a referral list of five local services, such as a family doctor line, a crisis line, a community health centre, a pharmacist and a dietitian clinic; check the numbers are current. Write a cancellation rule, such as 24 hours' notice, and put it in the agreement.

Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. Your agreement says: 'I am a coach, not a health care provider. I do not diagnose or treat. I will refer you when a matter is outside my role.' It also says: 'Sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice are charged.' Anyone reading it can see your limits before the first session. Then set the activity: Write an agreement template and a referral list for your area. Mark against the standard: Task: produce an agreement and a referral list. Condition: reviewed by a mentor. Standard: scope, fees, privacy and limits are all in plain words. Check at this level: When must you refer a client? Model answer: When the matter is medical or serious and outside your role. Level note: Evidence: a pilot with measured results over at least 30 days.

L7: Director or founder. You can lead: run a team or business in personal Wellness and develop others. Focus module: Run a coaching practice for 60 days (Create, 8 h). Now you run it for real, measure and decide. Key points: Set a goal such as three clients and ten sessions. Each week record hours, income, client progress and what you learned. Ask each client for feedback and one improvement. Choose at the end: stop, change or grow, and write a 12-month plan. Calculate weekly hours and income and compare them with your goal. List three changes drawn from client feedback and rank them by effort. Evaluate whether your income per real hour reached your target.

Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. After 60 days: 3 clients, 10 sessions, $600, two clients returned. That is $600 / 10 = $60 per session; if the 10 sessions took 15 real hours, you earned $600 / 15 = $40 per hour. You decide to offer a four-week package. Then set the activity: Run the pilot and present a 12-month plan to a panel of three. Mark against the standard: Task: run a 60-day pilot. Condition: real clients and a signed agreement. Standard: log complete, no medical claims made, and the plan uses numbers. Check at this level (this question is covered in module 3: Coach habits to a clear standard): How do you track a habit simply? Model answer: A tick on a calendar. Level note: Evidence: a record of results over a year and of people you have coached to a higher level.