The Health And Wellness Coach Journal

In this episode of The Health and Wellness Coach Journal Podcast, Dr. Jessica Singh speaks with Karen Lawson, MD, DABIHM, NBC-HWC, founder and CEO of IHWC Productions, a consulting company that works with programs and individuals to advance and expand training in Integrative Health Coaching and Holistic Healthcare, and she provides virtual Health Empowerment Services to individuals directly. She served as the founder and Director of Integrative Health Coaching at the University of Minnesota from 2005–2022. She is a physician, board-certified in Integrative and Holistic Medicine and a founding board member of the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) and Past-president of the American Holistic Medical Association. A published author and researcher, Dr. Lawson speaks internationally to diverse audiences on the potential of holistic health care practices, the role of spirituality in health and healing, and the power of health coaching. Dr. Lawson reflects on the experiences that led her into integrative health and health coaching, including the early work that helped demonstrate how coaching could support meaningful behavior change. She shares the grassroots efforts that brought leaders in health coaching together to develop standards for the field, eventually leading to the creation of NBHWC, a partnership with the National Board of Medical Examiners, a program approval process, and an individual certification exam. Together, Dr. Lawson and Dr. Singh explore the role of coaching within the healthcare system, the importance of staying within the coaching scope of practice, and the differences between holistic, integrative, and functional medicine. Dr. Lawson also discusses her work in Health Empowerment and the need to help individuals take control of their own health beliefs and behaviors and be in charge of their healthcare experience. Drawing on more than two decades of training coaches, Dr. Lawson shares guidance for coach educators and coaches alike, including the importance of going beyond minimum competencies, developing skills through supported practice, caring for one’s own wellbeing, and staying aligned with one’s values and integrity. This episode offers coaches, healthcare professionals, and coach educators a look at the evolution of health and wellness coaching, the importance of staying within coaching scope of practice, and the role of whole-person and integrative approaches in healthcare. Listeners will also hear Dr. Lawson’s reflections on practicing in alignment with one’s values, caring for oneself in order to hold space for others, and helping people become more empowered in their health and healthcare experience. For detailed show notes, resources, and information to connect with Dr. Karen Lawson, visit: https://www.centerforhealthandwellnesscoaches.com/blog/dr-karen-lawson-on-the-evolution-of-health-wellness-coaching-becoming-a-health-empowerment-specialist  To be notified of new episodes, subscribe here: https://www.centerforhealthandwellnesscoaches.com/stay-connected Timestamps 0 - Introduction 2:27 - Dr. Karen Lawson’s Journey into Integrative Health Coaching 11:30 - The Evolution of Health Coaching and Development of National Standards 23:35 - Integrative Healthcare, Coaching Scope of Practice, and Health Empowerment 43:25 - Takeaways

  In this insightful episode of The Health and Wellness Coach Journal Podcast, Dr. Jessica Singh speaks with Dr. Jayarajan Kodikannath, an internationally renowned Ayurvedic scholar, author, researcher, educator, keynote speaker, and CEO and Chief Ayurveda Consultant of Kerala Ayurveda USA. With more than 25 years of Ayurvedic clinical experience in India and the United States, Dr. Jayarajan has dedicated his life and career to advancing the traditional wisdom of Ayurveda through clinical practice, education, research, and global advocacy. He is also a Board Member of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA), the author of the award-winning book The Parent's Complete Guide to Ayurveda, and a passionate educator committed to making Ayurveda accessible and relevant in today's world. In this episode, Dr. Jayarajan shares his journey into Ayurveda, reflecting on how this ancient science of life continues to offer profound guidance for modern health and well-being. He introduces listeners to Ayurveda's foundational principles, explaining why its holistic understanding of the interconnectedness of body, mind, emotions, relationships, environment, and purpose remains remarkably relevant in today's increasingly complex healthcare landscape. Dr. Jayarajan explains that Ayurveda is a natural, holistic life science rooted in the principles of nature. He discusses its focus on preserving health, preventing illness, supporting longevity, and helping people live healthy, peaceful, and purposeful lives.  Together, Dr. Singh and Dr. Jayarajan explore the growing gaps in modern healthcare and discuss how Ayurveda complements contemporary medicine by emphasizing prevention, lifestyle, nutrition, daily rhythms, self-awareness, and individualized care. Dr. Jayarajan highlights the importance of honoring the strengths of both Eastern and Western approaches to healthcare, offering an integrative perspective that values evidence-based medicine while recognizing the timeless wisdom of traditional healing systems. The conversation also examines how many modern scientific discoveries, including chrononutrition, the gut-brain connection, and the relationship between stress, immunity, and chronic disease, closely align with principles Ayurveda has taught for thousands of years. Dr. Jayarajan explains how the mind, gut, breath, and daily habits become powerful portals for healing and why restoring balance, rather than simply treating symptoms, is central to long-term health. Dr. Jayarajan also discusses the importance of credible Ayurveda education, offering guidance for healthcare professionals, coaches, and curious learners seeking trustworthy resources, while emphasizing the need to preserve the authenticity and integrity of this ancient tradition. The discussion extends beyond individual health to explore how Ayurvedic principles can strengthen families, relationships, parenting, and communities by encouraging greater awareness, balance, compassion, and connection in everyday life. Finally, Dr. Singh and Dr. Jayarajan reflect on the potential impact of Ayurveda within coaching. Dr. Jayarajan shares why he believes every health coach can benefit from an understanding of Ayurvedic principles, empowering them to support clients with a more comprehensive, individualized, and whole-person approach to health and healing. For detailed show notes, resources, and information to connect with Dr. Jayarajan Kodikannath, visit: https://www.centerforhealthandwellnesscoaches.com/blog/dr-jayarajan-kodikannath-on-the-essential-role-of-ayurveda-in-modern-health-and-coaching To be notified of new episodes, subscribe here: https://www.centerforhealthandwellnesscoaches.com/stay-connected References Mentioned in This Episode Kodikannath, Jayarajan, and Alyson Young Gregory. The Parent's Complete Guide to Ayurveda: Principles, Practices, and Recipes for Happy, Healthy Kids. Shambhala Publications, 2022. Timestamps: 0 - Introduction and Dr. Jayarajan’s Journey Into Ayurveda 3:25 - An Introduction to Ayurveda and Its Relevance Today 7:55 - Addressing Gaps in Modern Healthcare Through Ayurveda 15:27 - How to Find Credible Ayurveda Education and Resources 23:05 - How Ayurveda Can Support Families and Relationships  34:25 - Why Ayurveda Continues to Resonate in the Modern World and Its Growing Role in Coaching 40:40 - Takeaways: Honoring the Profound Role of the Coach and Healer  

In this insightful episode of The Health and Wellness Coach Journal, Dr. Jessica Singh speaks with Gina Martin, PCC, an Executive Coach, Consultant, and Director of Executive Coaching & Leadership Development at Leap Academy. Her work has been recognized with the Gold Stevie Award for Mentor and Coach of the Year, and she is a member of the Forbes Coaches Council with advanced certifications in Hogan and DiSC. Gina is also the founder of Own Your Next, a nonprofit that supports high-achieving women as they rebuild confidence, identity, and their careers after cancer.  Gina shares her journey from corporate leadership to coaching, spanning more than 25 years of leading in high-pressure organizations such as Victoria’s Secret, GUESS, and Gap. She reflects on the transitions that shaped her life, from arriving in the United States at age 18 with $300, a toddler, and no English, to becoming a single mother, building a successful career, and later navigating a stage-three breast cancer diagnosis. Gina speaks candidly about advocating for herself when her intuition told her something was wrong, even after two mammograms came back clear. She shares what treatment required of her physically, emotionally, financially, and spiritually, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, physical therapy, and the difficult but necessary decision to slow down. Together, Dr. Singh and Gina explore what healing can ask of high achievers, why self-compassion becomes essential during profound change, and how coaching helped Gina stay present through uncertainty. Gina also shares how cancer reshaped her identity, values, confidence, and professional path as she rebuilt her coaching career with more alignment, presence, and purpose. The conversation also offers meaningful guidance for coaches who are finding their way, building a business, or learning to value their lived experience. Gina reminds coaches that they are more than a certification and that their story, resilience, and voice are part of what they bring to the coaching relationship. For detailed show notes, resources, and information to connect with Gina Martin, PCC,  visit: https://www.centerforhealthandwellnesscoaches.com/blog/redefining-life-after-cancer-gina-martin-on-healing-high-achievement-and-rebuilding-her-coaching-career To be notified of new episodes, subscribe here:  https://www.centerforhealthandwellnesscoaches.com/stay-connected Timestamps: Resources Mentioned In This Episode: Own Your Next Timestamps 0 - Introduction 2:50 - Gina Martin’s Journey: From Corporate Leadership to Coaching and Life After Cancer 8:10 - The Courage to Pause as a High Achiever: Healing, Recovery, and Self-Compassion 19:38 - Rebuilding from the Inside Out: Reshaping Identity, Confidence, and Career 25:03 - Words of Wisdom for Coaches: Owning Your Worth and Sharing Your Voice 35:39 - Takeaways

In this episode of the Health and Wellness Coach Journal Podcast, Dr. Jessica Singh is joined by Dr. Anna Tavis, Clinical Professor and Chair of the Human Capital Management Department at NYU. She is the Director of NYU Coaching Innovation Lab and the host of NYU Coaching & Tech Summit. Dr. Tavis is the co-author of Humans at Work and The Digital Coaching Revolution. A leading voice in the future of work, she brings a unique perspective shaped by her global career across business, consulting, and academia, bridging organizational science, human behavior, coaching, and the rapid evolution of technology. Together, Dr. Singh and Dr. Tavis explore what it means to be human at work in an era of rapid technological change. Dr. Tavis shares insights from her professional journey, the science behind human-centered organizations, and why efficiency-driven systems often overlook the human side of work.  The conversation explores how traditional models of work, built on efficiency and standardization, are beginning to shift. There is a growing need to design organizations that are more responsive, more adaptive, and more aligned with the complexity of human experience. This includes rethinking how we define productivity, how we support employees, and how we create environments where people can thrive. The discussion also examines the growing role of coaching within organizations. Coaching is no longer limited to one-on-one engagements with senior leaders. With the rise of digital platforms and AI-supported tools, coaching is becoming more accessible and more scalable, creating opportunities to support individuals across entire organizations. This shift allows for a more personalized and human-centered approach to development, even within large systems. At the same time, this evolution brings important considerations. As coaching expands through technology, there is a responsibility to ensure that it remains grounded in ethics, presence, and genuine human connection. Dr. Tavis emphasizes that the future is not about choosing between human coaching and technology, but about learning how to integrate both in a way that enhances, rather than diminishes, the coaching experience. The episode also highlights the broader transformation taking place in the workplace. As organizations navigate this period of change, there is both uncertainty and possibility. While many may feel the impact of disruption, there is also an opportunity to reimagine how we work, how we connect, and how we support one another. For coaches and healthcare professionals, this conversation offers a meaningful perspective on the role they play in this evolving landscape. Coaching has the potential to act as a bridge between individuals and the systems they operate within, helping people navigate change while maintaining a sense of balance, purpose, and well-being. For detailed show notes, resources, and information to connect with Dr Anna Tavis, visit: https://www.centerforhealthandwellnesscoaches.com/blog/dr-anna-tavis-on-rethinking-humans-at-work-in-an-era-of-ai-and-digital-coaching To be notified of new episodes, subscribe here:  https://www.centerforhealthandwellnesscoaches.com/stay-connected Timestamps: 0 - Introduction 2:26 - Dr. Anna Tavis’ Professional Journey: Advancing the Science of Humans at Work 7:51 - Humans at Work: Reimagining Organizations in the Age of AI 10:38 - Reimagining Organizations Beyond Efficiency: The Human Side of Work 15:42 - Empathy in the Workplace and Coaching’s Role in Strengthening Organizational Culture 21:32 - The Digital Coaching Revolution: Technology and the Rapid Evolution of Coaching 25:21 - Coaching Innovation, Technology, and the Future of Health & Wellbeing Coaching 33:29 - Takeaways

In this episode of The Health and Wellness Coach Journal Podcast, Dr. Jessica Singh is joined by Dr. James Gordon, a Harvard-educated psychiatrist and pioneer of mind-body and integrative medicine. He is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine (CMBM). He is a clinical professor at Georgetown Medical School and was chair of the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy (under Presidents Clinton and G.W. Bush). He is the author of several books, including most recently, of Transforming Trauma: The Path to Hope and Healing. In this episode, Dr. Gordon reflects on the early experiences that led him toward mind-body medicine long before it was widely accepted, and shares how his personal healing journey shaped a lifelong commitment to helping others navigate trauma, illness, and change. His curiosity about human beings, both individually and collectively, became the foundation for the mind-body skills group model that bridges science, psychology, and ancient and indigenous healing traditions. Dr. Gordon speaks about the founding vision behind CMBM, the evolution of its work in communities across the world, and the power of creating healing spaces grounded in self-awareness, self-care, and human connection. He shares how CMBM was created not only to support individuals, but to shift systems. From its early beginnings with no funding and minimal staff, the organization has grown into a global movement, training thousands of clinicians, educators, and community leaders who have gone on to help heal millions of people worldwide. A central focus of the episode is CMBM’s work in some of the most difficult settings across the world, including war zones, conflict-affected regions, disaster areas, and communities living with profound trauma. Dr. Gordon reflects on how CMBM grew from an effort to influence healthcare and education into a global model for healing population-wide trauma, and how its work across cultures helped confirm that healing is not limited by geography or background, but grounded in universal human capacities for connection, safety, expression, and self-awareness. At the heart of CMBM’s approach are practical, evidence-based mind-body techniques taught in small groups, including breathwork, guided imagery, movement, meditation, expressive practices, and group support. In the conversation, Dr. Gordon explains that these tools are introduced in a way that allows people to experience change for themselves, helping restore a sense of agency in the face of stress, trauma, and illness. He also describes why the Mind-Body Skills Group model is so powerful: healing is often strengthened in community, where people can share, be witnessed, reduce isolation, and rediscover trust and connection. The episode also explores the impact of this work on healthcare professionals, coaches, educators, and other helpers who undergo the training themselves. Dr. Gordon describes how many participants leave with greater hope, clarity, and self-awareness, along with new ways to integrate these practices into their work and communities. That ripple effect is part of what makes CMBM’s model so distinctive. What makes this approach especially powerful is that it does not stop with the individual. CMBM’s model is designed to build healing capacity within communities by training clinicians, educators, and community leaders in self-care, self-awareness, and group support, and by supporting them in bringing those skills into workplaces, schools, homes, and local communities.  This episode offers an insightful lens into mind-body medicine for coaches, clinicians, and all who feel called to healing work. Dr. Gordon’s reflections invite listeners to consider healing not simply as symptom relief, but as a process of restoring balance, rediscovering inner capacity, and creating the conditions for individuals and communities to heal across the globe. For detailed show notes, resources, and information to connect with Dr Gordon, visit: https://www.centerforhealthandwellnesscoaches.com/blog/mind-body-medicine-with-dr-james-gordon-from-individual-transformation-to-healing-trauma-across-the-world To be notified of new episodes, subscribe here:  https://www.centerforhealthandwellnesscoaches.com/stay-connected Resources Mentioned The Center for Mind-Body Medicine: www.cmbm.org Professional Training Program in Mind-Body Medicine: https://cmbm.org/training-certification/training/  Gordon, James S. Manifesto for a New Medicine: Your Guide to Healing Partnerships and the Wise Use of Alternative Therapies. New York: Hachette Books, 1997.  Gordon, James S. Transforming Trauma: The Path to Hope and Healing. New York: HarperOne, 2021. Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 3:36 -  How Curiosity Led Dr. Gordon to Mind-Body Medicine Before It Was Mainstream  9:28 - How the Center for Mind-Body Medicine Evolved to Heal Trauma Around the World: Healers Healing Healers 18:58 - Dr. Gordon Explains the Center for Mind Body Medicine’s Universally Human, Evidence-Based Approach 27:57 - Dr. Gordon on How Mind-Body Skills Group Training Transforms Us and the People We Serve 34:51 - Dr. Gordon on the Future of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine: Balance, Community, and Healing Across Difference 43:33 - Takeaways