This topic is a tricky one because we realize they can have a positive impact for some patients. Needing additional support is completely understandable. This is about educating the community in case you aren't aware of what happens more often than not.
As admins and long time patients, we can confidently say we see more than you realize when it comes to the topic of health coaches in the Lyme community. 70 thousand members across all the groups we run reveals a lot of what is happening.
If you take a deep dive they actually advise health coaches to join Facebook groups as their best marketing tool. They are taught to target sick communities. Even worse is when a Lyme patient targets their own community and uses that as their way to be trusted. "I healed myself and now I can heal you" happens all the time. We know of very few health coaches that stay in their lane and understand that they are NOT doctors.
What we see DAILY.
*Health coaches targeting members
*Health coaches trying to join groups
*Health coaches attempting to be the treating practitioner. This is a serious legal issue. This is a serious disease and any coach attempting to be your one stop shop to heal has some major ethical issues.
*Health coaches representing a line of supplements to treat. Often they are pushing a line created by chiropractors and the like.
*they make comments in groups to draw desperate people in to ask questions
Some red flags to look for if you are looking to have a health coach on your team to heal:
*Do they sell and push a brand of supplements?
*Are they recommending what is best for you to take or according to the brands they sell.
*see above
A few Lyme doctors have actually shared insight on what is happening in the health coach field. MANY MANY health coaches target Lyme groups. How do we know? Well the groups totalling 70 thousand members, we catch their comments, members report it, people show us screenshots of unsolicited messages, members show us private messages when they ask the coach about how they healed and receive a message on how that "coach " can also acheive wellness in the patient who inquired.
I get alerts on various health coaches that stalk my personal page and the Rise Above Lyme groups/pages. We look at their sites and see what they push.
We see endless marketing attempts by health coaches using the vulnerability of desperate patients to gain clients. I know we sound bitter, but it has become a huge problem and we do not want you to fall victim to the wrong health coach.
We are working on a vetted list. If you message to be on it, you won't be on it.
Lyme and co-infections is not to be taken lightly and certainly not to be taken on by a health coach. They are NOT qualified to treat. I have a huge button on this since I have lost people in my life to this disease so for a health coach to use the vulnerability of a sick patient to make a buck is infuriating. They can cost a patient valuable time. That waste of time to get appropriate help can cost someone their life in some cases.
We are fully aware some can not afford a Lyme literate doctor and health coaches know this and use it.
Again….we do know they can help some patients and not all fall into this category. But some of the ones that do the most marketing honestly do fall into this. Follow your instincts.
Here is a little info so you understand the red flags and legalities they should be following.
We would personally run away from a health coach that falls into any of this. If you find one on your own then awesome.
*Did they find you in a Lyme group and suck you in somehow? Run
*In your first session do they show you supplements to take and happen to sell them?
*Do they appear to push one brand?
*Do you sorta feel like you are now in treatment even though they aren't a doctor?
*Did you see their videos or podcast being marketed with clear ways to sign up to access their services within it?
*Did you receive a PM?
*Do they support and recommend you be under a doctor's care or are they unconcerned with that topic?
*Are they offering you testing?
(one lab actively markets to health coaches to increase the use of their lab)
We have been personally targeted plenty of times. Please do not comment with how much you love your health coach because we know some have found value in finding one that truly acts with integrity and that is wonderful. They offer a service and you feel supported and are not sold anything beyond their support. They don't give medical advice and only support your treatment guided by a doctor or your own chosen path. That is great and we support that. THIS POST is about the other 80% who run their coaching business in a way we mostly see within the groups and on social media outlets. Do they have a cute catchy coach name with the word Lyme…run. Do they want to run your labs and put you on their protocol… run.!
Would we use a health coach? Sure, but we would pick them out ourselves. One of the best ways to do that is asking your practitioner for one they recommend/trust. Not because you saw their ad.
"What is OUT OF SCOPE of practice for health coaches?
Provide diagnosis or treatment recommendations.
Order or interpret labs.
Recommend or sell supplements.
Provide psychotherapy.
Give nutritional advice.
Design exercise plans"
"Without adequate training, even well-intentioned people can cause real harm to another’s health. It’s also unrealistic and unfair to expect health coaching to fill the gaps within the health care system when there’s no standard of education, training, or care. Finally, without a body performing oversight, the profession is developing ethical gray areas, like a coach recommending supplements that they just happen to sell. Some people may act in bad faith and specifically attempt to exploit these areas."
Disclaimer: Rise Above Lyme makes no claims about any possible benefit of using any product mentioned within this site. Always consult with your doctor before adding anything. The information shared is based on personal experience, years of accumulated researched resources from Lyme Literate doctors and polls conducted within Lyme groups from actual patient experience using these solution ideas.
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