Coaching Intensive Practicum

Master Your Coaching Skills & Get Equipped to Sit for the National Certifying Exam

ClP: Master Your Coaching Skills

Set yourself up for greater success with advanced coaching skills while completing your education requirements to sit for the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) certifying exam.

The Coaching Intensive Practicum is one of the only training programs for Integrative Nutrition grads approved by the NBHWC.

The Coaching Intensive Practicum is for you if...

CIP is for you if

  • You want to become board certified through the NBHWC, a recognized industry leader, to set yourself apart as a Health Coach.
  • You want to take your coaching practice to the next level by expanding your reach, enhancing your credibility, and making more money doing what you love.
  • You’re looking for a training program that offers hours of live support so you can ask for feedback, offer advice, and practice your coaching skills in a safe and interactive environment.
  • You feel most comfortable in a small group setting guided by an experienced National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC).

Meet Your Course Instructors

Megan Fedorenchik Kalocinski

Megan Fedorenchik Kalocinski, MS, CNS, NBC-HWC, is a 2011 graduate of IIN and is the proud founder and owner of Empower Functional Nutrition and Integrative Health Coaching, where she serves as a functional clinical nutritionist, national board-certified health and wellness coach, and instructor. Megan has faced her own trials and tribulations dealing with health issues. She learned to balance her own life with simple whole-food nutrition, targeted lab testing, proper vitamin and nutrient supplementation, digestive repair, and healthy lifestyle choices. As a former teacher of ten years, Megan is experienced in how balanced health and wellness affect everyone from every age, starting with our youngest populations.

Elizabeth Mander

Elizabeth Mander is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who has achieved board certification through the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaches (NBHWC) as well as the International Association of Health Coaches (IAHC). She earned a Master of Science degree in Health Coaching from International Health Coach University and is also a trained Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) group facilitator. In addition to instructing students in the Coaching Intensive Practicum, Elizabeth is also a Coaching Circle Coach for IIN’s Health Coach Training Program. As a Health Coach, Elizabeth specializes in motivational coaching and creative expression.

Your goal of becoming board-certified starts here.
Transitionally-approved training program for the NBHWC certifying exam
The Coaching Intensive Practicum will help you master the NBHWC core competencies around coaching skills and relationships so you can confidently and successfully apply for the next NBHWC certifying exam.
18 hours of live support
With mandatory twice-weekly, 90-minute calls, led by your course instructor, this course provides you with ample mentorship and guidance – more than any other advanced course IIN offers!
Interactive coaching demos
On each call, students will participate as both the Health Coach and the client to help you develop a deeper understanding of skills and tactics that can be used to cultivate sustainable shifts and positive change.

At IIN, we believe that learning is best accomplished through practice, observation, and participation. That’s why the Coaching Intensive Practicum – a deep dive into the coaching strategies and techniques you need to stand out in a field that’s growing every day – should be the next step in your health coaching journey.

This six-week course is short and fast-paced and teaches you evidence-based best practices for coaching skills and processes to successfully guide your clients through the process of behavior change. You'll actively participate in small group calls twice a week with your experienced course instructor and classmates, giving you 18 hours of live support and practice time! We'll also provide a comprehensive overview of important coaching tools and processes, including motivational interviewing, helping clients through the stages of change, and masterfully using communication skills, such as mirroring, reflecting, and powerful questioning. You’ll feel more confident in guiding your clients on a path toward positive change and will understand the true value of your profession.

By the end of this course, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge, skills, and growth needed to sit for the NBHWC certifying exam.

Get My Course Syllabus

What You’ll Learn

Understanding the Unique Value of a Health Coach

We’ll explore the definitions of what Health and Wellness Coaching is, and compare it with other professions so you develop a clear understanding of what it isn’t. This will help you identify the true value of your profession, why health coaching is changing the landscape of the healthcare industry, and all that you have to offer your clients.

The Client-Coach Relationship

You’ll learn how to properly prepare for your client sessions, so you. We’ll also provide you with an in-depth overview of the three phases of a coaching relationship, and the tools and processes to use in each phase to create the most impactful results. You'll understand the importance of creating a safe space for your clients, and how being fully present sets the stage for what’s to come.

Effective Communication

The power of coaching unfolds in the dialogue between coach and client. Communication is key in establishing a successful client-coach relationship and we’ll provide you with effective ways to help clients open up, feel understood, be prompted to go deeper, weigh their alternatives, and move forward when they’re stuck. By the end of the course, you’ll have a complete set of tools for communicating directly and purposefully with your clients.

Creating Awareness and Inspiring Change

As the coach, you can guide your clients on a path towards better health and happiness, but you can’t do it for them. Your role as a Health Coach is to help them feel empowered to take action on their own, knowing that you’ll always be there in case they slip up or fall behind. By using a bio-individual approach of meeting each client where they’re at, you’ll help your clients gain greater awareness around their habits, emotions, and motivation for wanting to cultivate change.

Guiding Your Clients Towards Sustainable Change

Some of your clients will resistant change more than others. However, as a Health Coach, you have the knowledge and advanced coaching skills you need to help guide those who feel more stuck than others. We’ll teach you how to use an evidenced-based process for inspiring change called Motivational Interviewing, and dive into the most effective ways to help clients track their progress and monitor accountability.

What You’ll Get in the Coaching Intensive Practicum...

What Students are Saying

What Students Are Saying (CIP)

FAQ Coaching Intensive Practicum New

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any prerequisites for enrolling?

The only prerequisite is that you are a current student or graduate of IIN’s Health Coach Training Program.

How much time would I need to put into this course each week?

We suggest allowing 5–7 hours per week for this course. Each week, you’ll spend approximately 1–2 hours reviewing module content, 3 hours on the live group calls, and 30–60 minutes doing practice sessions. We also encourage you to spend an hour or so each week in the course Facebook group, participating in discussion questions, reviewing any helpful links or materials that have been posted, and seeking support and mentorship from our experienced coach instructors.

Please keep in mind that this estimate does not include time spent studying for the certifying exam nor does it include time spent putting together your exam application or completing the coaching log hours that are required as part of the NBHWC’s application.

What is included in the course?

The Coaching Intensive Practicum is based on a live, interactive learning experience. There are two live 90-minute group calls every week (for a total of 12 webinars). These calls will be recorded and available on the Learning Center for replay, but your live attendance is mandatory to pass the course.

Each week, you will also gain access to a new module on the Learning Center, which will include several prerecorded lectures, a self-assessment quiz, a module recap, optional recommended reading, and an occasional handout or reading assignment.

Does completing this course automatically qualify me to take the credentialing exam?

No. Upon successful completion of this course, IIN graduates are eligible to apply to sit for the certification exam offered by the NBHWC. Students interested in applying should consult NBHWC in advance of their course graduation date to take note of application requirements and registration deadlines.

I’m not sure if I want to take the credentialing exam. Are there any other benefits of taking this course?

Yes! This course can benefit any Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who wants to learn about evidence-based best practices for working with clients and have an opportunity to practice their skills and receive constructive feedback in an intimate learning environment.

What title do I earn after taking this course?

Your title will not change as a result of completing this course. While you will receive a digital certificate of completion, this course was designed to fulfill the education prerequisite for IIN graduates to be able to apply for the NBHWC certification exam. Completing this course does not grant you certification nor does it guarantee your acceptance to take the NBHWC certification exam.

For more information on application requirements for the exam, please visit the NBHWC exam information page.

Does the cost of this course cover the cost of the exam application?

No. The application and exam fees collected by the NBHWC during the application process are unrelated to, and not included in, the tuition for this course.

Who should I contact if I have questions or need assistance?

Email support@coachingintensivepracticum.com. A member of our Student Success team will get back to you shortly! Support hours are Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm Eastern Time.

What if I can't attend one of the mandatory calls? Can I make it up?

If you miss one of your calls, you won't be able to make it up or join another scheduled session. However, a recording of the call will be added to your Learning Center so you can listen to it at your earliest convenience.