The Savvy Entrepreneur

Overcome the Battle: Health/Wellness Coach, Gillian Hood-Gabrielson

February 8th, 2007 by Cristina Favreau

Today, I’m thrilled to introduce you to one of my cross marketing partners, Gillian Hood-Gabrielson, Intuitive Eating and Fitness Coach. She’s been coaching for 9 years. Gillian and her husband moved up to Paradise, CA (Northern CA) from the Bay Area 4 years ago and have a dog, 2 cats and three birds. (She’s an animal lover like me).

Gillian, why did you choose to branch into Health/Wellness Coaching?
I started out as a personal trainer and became disillusioned by many of my clients’ lack of initiative and sense of self-responsibility. In 1998 I found and went through a fitness coach training program and learned how to work with clients by telephone. I was thrilled to see my clients getting results and exercising on their own. After my own experiences with emotional overeating and overcoming it, I decided to add this type of coaching to my services as well. I want to help others with the same issues and this has become a bigger part of the coaching I do in the last couple of years.

Health/Wellness Coaching is quite a broad field, so what type of people do specialize in helping?
I specialize in Intuitive Eating (overcoming emotional overeating) and fitness motivation. I typically work with women who have been chronic dieters for years and are ready to give up the diet mentality and get their lives back. I especially love working with female entrepreneurs. Overcoming food and body obsession and finding the motivation to exercise will not only improve personal health, it is important for the health of a business.

What’s your 30-second intro?
“How much business could you be getting done if you spent less time worrying about diet and exercise, and more time and energy focusing on your clients, marketing and selling? I work with business women to overcome the 8 major blocks to overcoming emotional overeating. My clients eat what they love, guilt-free, lose weight and all without dieting and endless exercise! If you want to grow your business, not your waistline, give me a call!”

Well, I’m sold!! We need to get together after I give birth!!! Gillian, what does coaching and the coach/client relationship mean to you?
I see coaching as a partnership between the coach and the client. Unlike therapy or consulting, the coach does not tell the client what to do, rather, we work together to help the client find the answers within herself. I see my position as both coach and expert, because of my coaching niche. I have education and training in areas that clients often do not, but ultimately we find what is right for each specific person. I may give advice at the proper time, but I never tell someone what they should do.

What is the biggest objection you hear about coaching? How do you overcome this?
One of the biggest objections I come across is that the potential client believes she should really “be able to do it on my own”. This person thinks something is wrong with her and thinks it is a sign of weakness to need a coach. If I am feeling rather “coachy” at the moment, I may ask her how well it’s worked so far without a coach. That usually gets a laugh and the admission that it hasn’t gone so well. Other times I will share stories of other clients who felt the same way and discovered that working with a coach gave them the accountability, perspective and support they needed to finally overcome their obstacles.

So you take the Dr. Phil approach! I do that too!! In your opinion, what’s the greatest value of working with a Health/Wellness Coach?
I have often heard that “how you do food is how you do life”. This really is true. Many people who are using food as comfort often use other things as well such as shopping or spending endless hours online. With Intuitive Eating, you learn how to feel your feelings and deal with them instead of eating or spending them away (temporarily of course). Think of the weight you could lose and the time, energy and money you could gain!

What’s your fee structure? Why is your fee worth it?
I charge generally $250 - $400 every four weeks depending on the program. My clients find this to be worth it because they want to put an end to the constant dieting, weight gain, guilt and shame that they have been dealing with for years. When they finally get past this, they can move on and start living their lives for now, instead of when they lose weight or reach some unattainable goal (like perfection!). Overcoming emotional overeating gives you a freedom from dieting and obsession that gives you more time and energy to devote to the more important things in your life.

How are you celebrating Coaching Week?
Pretty much how I spend most weeks. I decided one of my big themes this year was to get as much information out there about overcoming overeating and Intuitive Eating. I want to have a louder voice than the diet and weight loss industries! So I am seeking out opportunities to educate the public and let them know there is an alternative to dieting, low self-esteem and the endless cycle of guilt and shame.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I just want to let your readers who are struggling with weight, food, or body image issues know that there is a better alternative to chronic dieting, bingeing and weight gain cycle.