Despite the fact that The Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, tells us “the worst is over” and the U.S. economy is on the road to recovery, most of us are still holding our collective breaths. This includes your clients. We all recognize that our core services are part of the answer for helping clients stay resilient and vital during these uncertain times. The next level in providing value is in helping your clients navigate the precarious path to managing stress - beyond simply exercise.
Exercise, nutrition and sleep are critical elements that you should be addressing during your client interactions on a regular basis. This month I’m suggesting that you transcend your services by addressing, head on, and helping them deal with very real stress. Be reminded that the physical portion of your services is one pillar on the path to complete health, but stress can neutralize many of the gains your clients are making if you don’t help them address it.
To ensure you remain within your scope of practice, it is imperative that you use the tools and practices for which you’re trained. Beyond that, recommending a qualified mental health professional might be indicated in some cases to help triangulate between your services and your client’s needs. The best trainers already know this and have forged relationships with other allied healthcare professionals while also learning more about dealing with stress and its many by-products which often contribute to poor health.
Here’s a list of some practical tactics you can start using today to help your clients better manage the variety of daily stressors they encounter while remaining within your professional scope of practice.
- Assess your client’s stress levels as part of your initial consultation and regular services in the same way you monitor physical progress. As important as monitoring your client’s physical progress, monitoring stress levels is equally critical. By doing so, you will be able to be a better facilitator (listener) and also become better at knowing when to refer to a specialist.
- Establish a referral network of allied healthcare professionals to whom you can refer clients who are experiencing issues related to excessive stress. Do your due diligence before making a referral. You have an ethical responsibility to ensure that the professionals to whom you refer your clients are appropriately trained and qualified.
- Listen, listen, listen. This is often the most simple, yet most difficult, guideline for most of us to follow. Simply listening without interrupting or providing specific solutions is often very helpful and appreciated. You cannot remove any outside stressors from your clients or control their responses to the specific stressors. You cannot “fix” them, but you can listen.
- Work in a supporting role with the healthcare professional to whom you refer your stressed-out clients. Receive your client’s written permission to obtain feedback and recommendations from the other healthcare professional regarding how you can complement the strategies being used to help your client better manage his or her stress.
The most important thing to remember is this: regardless of the economy, a higher level of stress is a constant reality in our world. You can serve as a catalyst and a conduit helping your clients more effectively manage their stress levels through regular exercise and simple lifestyle changes.
Associations, publications and advanced education in the areas of stress management and exercise are abundant. Begin now to explore all of the tools available such as courses on breathwork and yogic methods and training, along with reading the most recent research on the subject to improve your level of knowledge and understanding stress management. By enhancing your skills and abilities through proper training and continuing education, you will be more capable of helping your clients manage stress and lead happier and healthier lives.
Mr. Florez is the founder and CEO of First Fitness, Inc., a personal training and fitness consulting company that has been in business since 1988. Read his full bio here.