Compassionate Health Coaching Part A

Brief Description

Therapists are increasingly required to manage complex patient populations that fall outside standard pelvic health and orthopedic treatments.  There is a progressive need to manage multiple comorbidities, chronic conditions, and the rapidly declining health in the population. But the challenge lies in finding interventions that produce lasting change in these populations.  This course seeks to provide actionable steps to incorporate immediately in practice to help patients identify meaningful goals, find their own intrinsic motivation for driving health and behavior change, thus optimizing their opportunity to recover, while reducing the risk of therapist burnout.  The course will support the clinician in managing complex patients with psychosocial, socioeconomic and health barriers by providing education on interventions utilizing Lifestyle Medicine as a launching point for healing. 

Special Populations Covered: Veterans/armed forces, Cases of Disparity, and Pelvic Health* Populations

*This course is appropriate for all specialties. Pelvic Health conditions covered will include common pelvic health comorbidities present across physical therapy specialties and can provide non-pelvic health clinicians the opportunity to support these patients with evidence-based, lifestyle medicine approaches.  

This course is asynchronous, but it’s partner course, “Compassionate Health Coaching Part B: Case Studies and Real-World Applications of Lifestyle Medicine” is synchronous to allow for real-time discussion, feedback, questions, and development of solutions for real-world case studies.  

Course Objectives

1. Students will contextualize the need for change: Understand the current health landscape in the United States and the prevalence of burnout among physical therapists to frame the importance of lifestyle-focused care.

2. Students will define the scope of practice: Clarify the role of physical therapists in delivering patient-centered education and holistic interventions, while fostering intrinsic motivation and reducing provider burnout.

3. Students will explore the pillars of lifestyle medicine: Learn core principles including sleep and stress recovery, nutrition, connection, physical activity, and substance use—alongside supporting evidence and practical strategies for implementation.

4. Students will apply timing and communication tools: Gain tools for assessing readiness, introducing lifestyle topics sensitively, and tailoring education to address disparities and diverse lived experiences.

5. Students will integrate evaluation & outcome measures: Receive step-by-step guidance for incorporating Lifestyle Medicine into assessment, treatment planning, and partnership-based care, including use of validated outcome measures.

6. Students will adapt strategies for special populations: Explore tailored interventions for pelvic health, socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, and military/veteran populations—addressing their unique clinical and emotional needs.

Course Package:

• 11 Contact Hrs. 
• PowerPoints 
• Editable Intake Paperwork and Mental Health Patient Handout 
• Multiple-choice question exam and survey (30 days to complete after the course)
• Certificate of Completion (issued upon 80% or higher score on exam)

Course Requirements

• Eligibility Requirement: You must be a Licensed Physical Therapist, Physical Therapist Assistant or 2nd/3rd Year Physical Therapy Student. No exceptions will be permitted.
• Prerequisite Requirement: None. 
• Required Equipment: Computer, access to Zoom, a stable internet connection, a microphone, and a webcam.
• Required Participation: No lab work, the course is asynchronous and self-paced

Instructor Biography

Faith (she/her/hers) has practiced pelvic health and orthopedics for Atrium Health Floyd in Rome, GA since 2017 where she gained experience working with members of the armed forces, veterans, patients in rural settings with lower socioeconomic status, and unique pelvic health and complex pain diagnoses. She currently coordinates and instructs for Atrium Health Floyd’s in-house orthopedic and pelvic health residencies and is a double board-certified orthopedic (OCS) and women’s health clinical specialist (WCS). She also holds a Pelvic Rehabilitation Practitioner Certification (PRPC).  Additionally, she completed her orthopedic and manual therapy fellowship with Bellin College and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT).  She currently serves as faculty for the Bellin College Orthopeadic Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program.  Faith consults in educational development within both orthopedics and pelvic health and when she isn’t learning or teaching, she enjoys spending time with her husband, son, and their 6 dogs.