HEALTH CARE THOUGHT LEADER

With the belief that health coaches are key to combating chronic disease, DR. SANDRA SCHEINBAUM’s Functional Medicine Coaching Academy (FMCA) trains people to become health coaches, and then helps practitioners and businesses hire them. As founder and CEO of FMCA, she is a leader in the field of health coaching education. An educator, clinical psychologist, author, and public speaker for more than 40 years, she’s on a mission to grow the health coaching profession so that millions of people can get the support they need to lead healthier lives.

Most rewarding part of what you do? The most rewarding aspect of my work involves spreading the word about the benefits of health coaching for reducing the incidence of chronic diseases driven by lifestyle. Whether speaking on stages, being interviewed on podcasts, or as host of the Health Coach Talk podcast, I’m creating awareness about functional medicine health coaching—a movement that’s transforming health care.

How do you inspire others? I’ve been told that I inspire others by serving as a role model for what’s possible as we age. Thanks to the latest research in functional medicine, frailty and cognitive decline are not inevitable. At 74, my routine includes daily handstands and 100 pushups, ballet classes, Pilates, yoga, and weight training. I encourage older women to stay curious and consider what’s possible, including getting physically and mentally stronger, and even launching new careers.

Greatest risk you’ve taken as a professional? In 2015, I took a huge risk by leaving a thriving career as a clinical psychologist to establish a global online school to train health coaches. At age 65, a time when most people think about retiring, I chose to work harder because I had a bold mission— training thousands of health coaches.

For more information, visit functionalmedicinecoaching.org, follow @drsandi on Instagram, and sandra-scheinbaum-ph-d-17ba678 on LinkedIn.