Now Enrolling for January 2013
Program Highlights
Tai Sophia Institute’s Graduate Certificate in Health and Wellness Coaching is at the cutting edge of the wellness revolution, setting the standard for one of the top careers of the decade.
Research shows that health education alone is not enough to inspire people to change behaviors and make positive health choices. Health and wellness coaching is now recognized as a key competency and catalyst that can effect change.
This pioneering program will prepare you with the skills and expertise to empower people to take charge of their own health and create sustainable change.
Tai Sophia’s Graduate Certificate in Health and Wellness Coaching is:
- Taught by leaders and innovators in the fields of health and wellness, transformative leadership, and coaching
- Presented in a weekend format to accommodate working professionals
- Delivered over 11 weekends, with 15 graduate-level academic credits
- Eligible for federal financial aid
- Easily paired with other Tai Sophia graduate programs
- Approved by the International Coach Federation (ICF) as a 200-hour Approved Coach Specific Training (ACSTH) program
- Approved for continuing education units for select professions
Health and Wellness Coaching at Tai Sophia
Health coaching is an evidence-based process that empowers people to tap into their own inner source of motivation to restore and preserve health. A unique and essential component of Tai Sophia’s health coaching philosophy and curriculum is teaching people to become conscious of and listen to the body’s innate wisdom and regard their symptoms as teachers.
The curriculum encourages a wider view of the field of health and wellness in contrast to the current disease-focused model. Among the core competencies of health coaching are building rapport; helping people clarify their health goals; implementing and sustaining health-generating behaviors and attitudes; guiding people in health-maintenance activities; and managing progress and accountability.
Course Descriptions
ISci 632: Foundations of Health and Wellness
This course addresses modern, historical, and cross-cultural perspectives on health, wellness, and sickness. Health and wellness of the individual is discussed in a context ranging from the societal to the molecular level. Emphasis is placed on understanding the biological basis of health and wellness practices, as well as the use of language in creating health-supportive narratives. As part of this course, students will engage in their own health-supportive practices and develop a deeper personal commitment to wellness.
COA 601: Becoming a Healing Presence
This course focuses on exploring the implications that the rhythms of nature, life skills, and language have on health and wellness. By observing their own ways of being, doing, and speaking, students begin to embody the practices that guide them in becoming a powerful healing presence and a catalyst for change in others.
COA 610: Fundamentals of Health and Wellness Coaching
Students are introduced to theories and trends in health coaching. Contemporary coaching models are introduced and students begin to build a repertoire of coaching skills. This experiential course develops observation skills, active listening, the art of evocative questioning, and the ability to motivate change.
COA 611: Principles and Practices of Health and Wellness Coaching
This class delves deeper into the spirit and practice of health and wellness coaching using the theory and skills of Motivational Interviewing, a widely recognized, evidence-based approach to behavioral change. Students receive practical skills for structuring a coaching session, planning, goal-setting with clients, and ensuring client accountability.
COA 620: Applied Healing Strategies
This course begins with a panel discussion that introduces students to practitioners of integrative modalities, such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, chiropractic, homeopathy, and energy medicine, to understand the role other healthcare practitioners can play in creating an overall wellness plan. Students design an experiential practicum that allows them to apply coaching principles and skills in a one-on-one setting with clients. Throughout the practicum portion of the course, students receive mentoring, coaching, and feedback from instructors and peers as they develop the skills of mind and heart necessary to become effective coaches.
Faculty
Academic Director
Cheryl Walker M.L., MCC, is Program Manager for Tai Sophia Institute’s Health and Wellness Coaching graduate certificate programs, Program Director of the Master of Arts in Transformative Leadership and Social Change program, and an independent leadership development consultant. Ms. Walker has a Master of Leadership from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business and holds a Master Certified Coach (MCC) certification from the International Coach Federation.
Core Faculty
Peggy Alexander, M.Ed., M.S., PCC, is a life/wellness coach, teacher, and educational consultant. She has had a 30-year career in the field of school psychology, psychotherapy, and leadership development, and currently provides wellness coaching to a local health program. Ms. Alexander is a student development and engagement advisor and adjunct faculty member at Maryland University of Integrative Health. She is also an adjunct faculty member at Howard Community College. Ms. Alexander is a certified coach through The Coaches Training Institute, an accredited coach training program, and she is accredited by the International Coach Federation (ICF) as a Professional Certified Coach (PCC). She holds a Master of Education in School Psychology and a Master of Science in Counseling from Loyola University.
Bob Shapero is a faculty member in the Health and Wellness Coaching programs at Maryland University of Integrative Health. He began teaching at the institution in 1991, holding the position of senior faculty from 1999-2003. Mr. Shapero holds advanced degrees from the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in England and a degree in Philosophy from Dickinson College. He also holds national board certification in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, and attended the first acupuncture class offered at the Traditional Acupuncture Institute (now Maryland University of Integrative Health). Mr. Shapero has been in private practice since 1983, and has taught stress management, health and wellness, T’ai Chi, and Qigong during the past three decades.
Darlene M. Trandel, PhD, RN, MSN, is a professional health coach who is certified by the International Coaching Federation and MentorCoach, and has completed the health and wellness coaching program at WellCoaches. Dr. Trandel has also worked as a family nurse practitioner at the University of Virginia, Kaiser Permanente, and the University of Washington, and has served on the faculty of the University of Virginia, the University of Washington, and the University of North Carolina. She holds a master’s degree in psychiatry and mental health nursing from the University of Virginia, and a doctorate in nursing science and healthcare research from the University of Washington.
Distinguished Guest Lecturers
Robert Duggan, M.A., M.Ac.(UK), Dipl.Ac.(NCCAOM), Co-Founder and President Emeritus of Tai Sophia Institute, has practiced traditional acupuncture since 1973. He holds a master’s degree in human relations and community studies from New York University as well as a master’s in moral theology from St. Joseph’s Seminary, and received his master’s certification in acupuncture from the College of Traditional Chinese Acupuncture (UK). A national leader in the development of the acupuncture profession and the emerging healing arts community, he has served as a commissioner of the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, on the board of trustees of the Horizon Foundation (a community wellness foundation in Howard County, Maryland, which in 2008 honored him with its annual Leadership Award), and a panelist at meetings sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine. In February 2009, Duggan testified before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and in November 2009, he was among 20 leading thinkers, innovators, artists, philosophers, and entertainers selected to present at the first TEDx MidAtlantic Conference. Mr. Duggan lectures throughout the United States and abroad, and is author of Common Sense for the Healing Arts (2003).
James Snow, RH(AHG), is the director of the Master of Science in Herbal Medicine program at Tai Sophia Institute and a professional member of the American Herbalist Guild (AHG). He has been working in the field of herbal medicine since 1986, completing the herbal residency program at the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine in 1991. Mr. Snow has been in private clinical practice since 1994, blending traditional herbal wisdom with modern research perspectives. He has recently served as a reviewer for the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia.
Rebecca Snow M.S., LDN, RH(AHG), CNS, has been working in the field of herbal medicine since 1998. She is a professional member of the American Herbalists Guild. She completed coursework at the Dreamtime Center of Herbal Studies with herbalists Kathleen Maier, Matthew Wood, and Stephen Buhner. After receiving a Master of Science in Herbal Medicine from Tai Sophia Institute in 2004, Ms. Snow practiced as an herbalist and nutritionist at an integrative medical practice for 5 years. Ms. Snow is certified as a nutrition specialist (CNS) through the American College of Nutrition and is a licensed nutritionist in the State of Maryland.
Program Dates
2013 Schedule
January 18-20, 2013*
January 25-27, 2013*
February 23-24, 2013
March 23-24, 2013
April 27-28, 2013
May 25-26, 2013
June 22-23, 2013
July 20-21, 2013
August 17-18, 2013
September 7-8, 2013
October 5, 2013
December 7, 2013
Courses meet from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sundays date and 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on the Friday dates. Course dates are subject to change. There will be an October tele-class scheduled. Date to be determined.
Financial Aid
Federal financial aid is available for this program. To apply for federal financial aid, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Tai Sophia Institute’s school code for completing the FAFSA is G25784. A limited number of scholarships are also available. For additional funding options, such as private or alternative education loans, please contact the Office of Financial Aid at 410-888-9048 ext. 6628 or .
Tuition and Fees
Application Fee: $50
Tuition Deposit (due upon acceptance): $500
Tuition: $580 per credit for a total program cost of $8,700
Additional Fees: Required materials include books, and other additional reading material. The cost of required books and reading material is between $250-300. Students may choose to purchase suggested books, or may find several of them in our library.