Caly DePalma, CHHC
IHCA: How are you using (or planning to use) your health coach certification?
CD: I have just opened my own health coaching practice called After Moon Wellness and I plan to coach women both in person and on the phone. My goal is grow the business to the point where I can support myself full time as a health coach.
IHCA: What is your area of expertise and what kind of client do you coach?
CD: While I am still learning, I plan to focus on menopause and diet, and will work with women who are both pre and post-menopausal, to help them enjoy these years rather than dread them.
IHCA: Can you tell us about your proudest or most exciting moment as a health coach?
CD: My first session with my first client will always be a highlight for me. I was working on introducing her to greens and have given her a handout with information on them. As she was reading it, she asked what Nappa Cabbage was. Well it turned out that my gift to her for that session was a sample of Nappa and a recipe to go with it. She was so thrilled, I felt like I had given her gold.
IHCA: Do you have any fun/interesting hobbies that have grown from your interest in holistic health?
CD: I have actually developed a second source of income from my hobby of Nature Photography. I have turned my photos into Note Cards that include healthy messages on them and I sell them thru my Esty Store, Wu Wei Art. They are great for health coaches and other health professionals to give as client gifts, or use themselves for personal notes to clients and contacts.
IHCA: Do you have any special knowledge, stories or experiences within the health coaching field that you could share to help fellow health coaches reach their goals? Ex: social media marketing tips, workshop experiences, etc.
CD: I took the suggestion from one of the IIN instructors to focus on one Social Media outlet exclusively at first, rather than dabbling a little bit in each one. I chose LinkedIN because I thought it would help me reach more local people. By spending the time each day reading and posting there, I found 2 networking groups that have really helped me to become a presence in my community.
IHCA: Do you have any coaching/counseling tips or tricks you’ve learned along the way that you can share with other health coaches?
CD: Since I am so new to this and still learning, I can only say be yourself. I have gotten so much enjoyment out of this, made great contacts and landed my first client just because I wasn’t afraid to have fun with it. While you always want to be professional, you don’t always have to be serious. Getting clients and potential clients to laugh is a great way to make connections too.
IHCA: What marketing technique do you utilize with the most success? Can you tell us more about how you use this marketing technique?
CD: Networking is key for me. Since I am working out of my home, I have to let the world know I exist. I took the plunge to join not one, but two networking groups and while the business is still in its infancy, I have already found ways to reach more people through my networking than I ever would have on my own.
IHCA: What is your favorite meal to cook for yourself?
CD: Well I love to cook lots of things, but my all-time favorite meal is perhaps the simplest. I love black beans and brown rice topped with salsa and just a small amount of sour cream.
IHCA: What is the greatest life lesson you have learned since beginning your health coach training?
CD: That you are never too old to pursue your dreams. I was really nervous at 52 to start a new career and go back to school, but it has brought me so much pleasure and growth.
IHCA: Why did you join the International Health Coach Association?
CD: I want to be able to continue learning and growing as a coach and to have a network of support after I graduate from IIN.
IHCA: What activities or thoughts keep you motivated and moving forward with your goals and dreams?
CD: My goal of being able to leave the rat race of retail which is my current job and support myself full time as a health coach really motivates me to make this work.
Caly DePalma – Health Coach for menopause and more. After Moon Wellness focuses on helping woman in their 40s and 50s find more energy, have less stress, and just learn to enjoy this changing time in their lives. Trained at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, my passion is helping women explore all the wonderful possibilities that come with growing older and achieving and maintaining the good health needed to enjoy those years.
On the personal front I am 52 and live in Knoxville, TN with my Partner of 8 years, Kirche and our dachshund Pippin. I love Nature Photography and all things Chinese. I am a member of the Taoist Tai Chi Society and love reading, cooking and travel.
http://www.aftermoonwellness.com/
http://www.etsy.com/shop/WuWeiArt?ref=si_shop
