Claim OwnershipThe Coaching Lab: Evidence-Based High Performance & Wellbeing
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© 2026 The Coaching Lab: Evidence-Based High Performance & Wellbeing
Description
Stop chasing fads and start mastering the science of change. The Coaching Lab is the premier destination for health coaches, wellness professionals, executive coaches, and high performers who demand more than "fluff." Hosted by Dr. Brad Cooper, this podcast bridges the gap between complex performance psychology and real-world application.
Whether you are a certified coach (ICF, NBHWC) looking to enhance client outcomes or a driven professional seeking a competitive edge, we provide the evidence-based tools you need to optimize human potential. We filter out the noise of headline-chasing trends to bring you deep-dive conversations with world-class researchers, elite athletes, and master clinicians.
What you’ll master in the Lab:
- Behavior Change Science: Beyond willpower—how to facilitate lasting transformation using evidence-based coaching protocols.
- Performance Psychology: Insights into flow state, mental toughness, and the "self beyond the self."
- Integrated Wellness: Practical strategies for metabolic health, stress resilience, and longevity.
- The Executive Edge: Leadership development and peak performance tactics for the modern workplace.
- Professional Growth: Best practices for clinicians and coaches to scale their impact and stay at the forefront of the industry.
If you’re looking for an entertaining yet rigorous format to help you—and those you lead—achieve the "Better Path," you’ve found it. Join a community dedicated to the evidence-based journey toward better.
Hit Follow to stay at the cutting edge of health, wellness, and high performance.
384 Episodes
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360 seconds. 6 minutes. 1/10th of an hour. Just 4 tenths of 1% of our day. Can it make a difference? Can it be THE difference leading toward a life of meaning, purpose & impact? Don’t real life changes involve hours of preparation and ongoing work? Or could a 360 second window of time open us up to a new world of opportunity? Welcome to a special episode of the Catalyst 360 podcast. I’m your host, Dr. Brad Cooper, CEO of Catalyst Coaching 360, and if you’re a regular listener you know mos...
AI is transforming coaching, leadership, and the way we work—but how do you use it without losing what makes coaching powerful in the first place? In this episode of The Coaching Lab, we sit down with Sara Parrode, AI Coach for Executives and Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach, to explore how coaches and leaders can build a thoughtful, responsible relationship with artificial intelligence. Sara shares practical insights on how to integrate AI into your coaching practice and business,...
We’ve all heard that peak performance is ‘all in your head,’ but our guest today invested time mapping where that ‘headspace’ lives. Dr. Izzy Justice is a world-renowned sports neuroscientist who notes he has analyzed over 18,000 EEG brain scans to uncover a startling truth: there is a specific frequency—10 Hz—where elite performance becomes effortless. He is the author of Life Explained: Chasing 10 Hz, and he’s here to show us that confidence isn't a feeling, it's an electrical state. Today,...
This is the final episode of our special 3-part series on the business of health & wellness coaching. Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half he...
Do you believe in free will? Really? Our answer to that questions influences SO much of our journey ahead. Text version available here Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on...
In a world of constant noise, endless distraction, and performative busyness, what does it mean to pursue true excellence? Not hustle-for-hustle’s-sake kind—but the kind rooted in values, meaning, and sustainable high performance. Today’s guest is one of the clearest voices on that question: Brad Stulberg—bestselling author, performance coach, and researcher on sustainable excellence. Brad is a rare returning guest to The Coaching Lab for good reason. His work regularly appears in the New Yor...
One of the most common questions among both new and established coaches is how to establish your pricing. In this episode, Leigh, Suzy and Brad provide a round-table discussion on a range of pricing-related topics ranging from how the market affects your pricing to how to land on "your" number, the role of packages and much more. Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoaching...
What is a clear, personal vision? How does it overlap (or influence) goals? Why does it matter? What are the steps to discovering and clarifying a vision? What does this have to do with my life? Why not just set goals or resolutions? In this special bonus episode, Dr. Cooper shares a range of insights and "how-to's" related to the powerful, life-shifting step of clarifying and creating a clear personal vision! Accompanying notes utilized for this special episode, including examples, are avail...
The use of saunas is exploding in popularity in the US, but they’ve been a standard part of life in other parts of the world. Finland is the best example, with more than one sauna for every 2 people! What is it about the health, wellbeing and high performance benefits that are driving such engagement? Is it a fad? Or is the trend driven by dependable evidence? What frequency, duration and temperature are recommended for better health & wellbeing? How about for athletic performance? What’s...
This special episode, hosted by Leigh Baker, with nationally board certified health & wellness coach (and business owner) Suzy Destarac and Dr. Brad Cooper, takes a deep dive into the business side of coaching. Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360....
Are we destined to lose our muscle mass over time? Is protein intake important? If so, what are the best forms of it? Does that amount change as we age? Is it influenced by physical activity? These – any related questions continue to dominate the world of health, wellness & peak performance, and there’s no better source for providing the answers than Professor Stuart Phillips from the school of medicine at McMaster University in Canada. He has published over 600 papers and is among the mo...
Brady & Brad hit record and let it fly! If you're a runner, coach a runner, have considered adding running into your fitness routine or are simply curious about the latest insights and developments about getting the most out of your run, you will LOVE THIS EPISODE!! From saunas to strength training, fueling to rowing machines, avoiding injuries, maximizing time, integration of rest & recovery, scheduling the perfect week and more!! Info re earning your health & wellness coaching c...
If you're a current or future health, wellness & high performance coach, this is an absolute must hear episode! Coaches are helping change the world for the better, and yet we often find ourselves isolated from the world in the process. Experienced coaches Lindsay and Leigh (with occasional insights from Brad) discuss life as a coach, how to find - or build - community and some of their favorite options for doing so in their own lives. For details about the Coaching Retreat & Symposiu...
Deanna Fournier, Executive Director of the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching joins Leigh Baker and Brad Cooper for a deep dive into the past, present & future of credible, quality health & wellness coaching. Links mentioned during our discussion include: NBHWC home pageAnnual Coaching Retreat & SymposiumCatalyst Coaching InstituteInfo re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & mor...
Curious about the realities of coaching? Why does it matter? What differentiates a credible coach from someone who's simply charismatic or hosts a popular social media site? What should you look for in a coach (or a coach for your employee team members)? What role does AI play in coaching? Nationally Board-Certified health, wellness & performance coaches Sabryna Liddle and Leigh Baker are here to pull back the curtain! For details about the CatalystElite coaching briefly mentioned, email ...
One of our all-time favorite episodes, with a pair of LEGENDS in our profession and world, Dr. James and Dr. Janice Prochaska. Here is link to their most recent book Here is link to the video version mentioned in the intro: https://youtu.be/Vowpa6T4_PA Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness ...
What if the research indicated there was an inexpensive breathing exercise device that, if utilized about 5 minutes/day, could significantly reduce blood pressure and improve exercise performance? Resisted breathing – or what the science refers to as “inspiratory muscle strength training” – or IMST - isn’t new. I remember reading about it, but at the time it appeared to be all fluff as our intercostal breathing muscles were almost never utilized at capacity, so who cares if we strengthen them...
There are a lot of voices out there in the world of health, wellness & performance. Some – probably most of what we see on Instagram and Youtube – involve more show than go, more staged than engaged. Too often, it involves charismatic individuals who talk a very good talk but provide little insight into their actual walk. Or worse yet, we discover the healthy lifestyle claims made to sell supplements, exercise equipment or coaching resources turn out to be the result of performance enhanc...
This special episode provides you the opportunity to be a fly on the wall during a real live coaching session with a NBHWC nationally board certified health & wellness coach. Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the home of the (freel...
In 2003, I was in New Zealand to compete in the Triathlon world championships. It was an amazing time. I met some amazing athletes from around the world, most notably Champion Barb Lindquist and Sheila Taormina, who went on to become the first person to qualify for the Olympics in THREE different sports. But the most interesting person I met? Today’s guest, Tricia Downing. Among a sea of mental toughness, resilience and grit, none exceeded Trish. She’d become a triathlete after a serious bike...
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Truly authentic and inspiring. A bit of a relief.