The Case for Integration of Health Coaching within Integrative Oncology

Health coaches can play a critical role in empowering patients by fostering self-awareness, supporting the development of health-promoting behaviours, and encouraging self-care practices that enhance emotional and physical well-being. Through a collaborative, person-centred approach, health coaches work with individuals to assess their current state across physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual domains, as well as their psychological response to diagnosis. This process helps to determine the patient’s ability to embrace change and informs the development of personalised health goals and onward referrals to therapeutic and self-help resources. Based on these individual needs, reactions and circumstances, health coaches support patients in identifying appropriate support and self-help strategies, guiding them throughout the cancer care continuum into short and long-term wellness programmes.

Daniel, R., Bach, J. & Natrins, I. The Case for Integration of Health Coaching within Integrative Oncology - Needs, Outcomes, Models, and Standards. Curr Oncol Rep 27, 1106–1113 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11912-025-01702-1