01The basics
What is wellness coaching, and what is it for?
A coach helps you reach goals that you set. The US National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching calls a coach an "accountability partner, not director". Sessions are conversations. Most of the work happens between them.
- What a coach does not do
- On their own, a coach does not diagnose, read test results, start or stop a medicine, write a meal plan, recommend supplements, prescribe exercise or give therapy. Those belong to a doctor, a dietitian, a trainer or a therapist.
- What it is used for
- Habits around eating, activity, sleep and stress. For weight, the US Preventive Services Task Force found a moderate benefit in adults with obesity from intensive programmes that combine eating, activity and support. Dr. Rockhead talks you through what to expect for you before anything is booked.
- How long it takes
- We plan a first block of 8 to 12 sessions over three months. Expect to keep going, less often, after the first block.
Keep in mind
Rule out a medical cause first.
A health problem or a medicine can be behind your weight. That is why you see the doctor before any coaching is planned.
The work is building routines, over weeks and months, that make the hard moments easier.
02Your consultation
Who do you meet?
First, Dr. Charles Rockhead, in person, at 9 Devon Road in Kingston. He goes through your health and your medicines, because either can affect your weight.
Dr. Charles Rockhead, Medical Director — Oshun Cosmetic Services, Kingston.
Dr. Charles Rockhead
Medical Director · Board-Certified OB/GYN · 30+ years of practice
Dr. Charles Rockhead is a board-certified Obstetrician and Gynaecologist with more than thirty years of practice in Kingston. He is the Medical Director of Oshun Cosmetic Services and the founding physician of Amadeo Medical Group, the parent clinical practice.
Read the clinic story · View Dr. Rockhead's LinkedIn
03A session
What happens in coaching?
i.
Before your consultation
Bring a list of your medicines, any recent test results, and records of any care you are having elsewhere. It helps to know the one thing you would most like to change.
ii.
Your first coaching session
You talk through what you want to change, what has got in the way, and what your days are really like. You agree on one to three things to work on.
iii.
Between sessions
You try the steps you agreed, and you keep short notes on how it went. Small steps count.
iv.
Later sessions
You look at what worked and what did not, you change the plan to fit, and you agree when the next session will be.
04What to expect
How long are sessions, and can they be by phone?
- Session length
- We plan 60 minutes for the first session and 30 to 45 minutes for the rest.
- Phone or video
- Your first visit is in person. Once you are an established patient here, follow-up sessions can often be by phone or video.
- What is private
- What you say to your coach is confidential, within the limits the law sets, for example when someone is in danger. The coaching board's code says those limits should be explained at or before the first session, and agreed in writing. Your coach works with your doctor, so your coaching notes and your medical care inform each other.
05Is it for you
Who is coaching for, and who should see someone else first?
- Who it may suit
- Someone who knows what she wants to change and wants steady help doing it: eating differently, moving more, sleeping better, handling stress.
- An eating disorder
- If you think you may have an eating disorder, see a doctor as soon as you can; the doctor may refer you to a specialist. Signs include a lot of worry about your weight and shape, and very strict habits or routines around food. It needs specialist care, and coaching is not that.
- When you need more than a coach
- A mental-health concern such as low mood or anxiety needs a doctor or a therapist, not a coach. In a mental-health crisis, get help straight away: go to a hospital.
06Cost & booking
How much does wellness coaching cost in Jamaica?
- What it costs
- The consultation with Dr. Rockhead starts at J$11,000. Coaching is priced per session, and you get the price in writing at your consultation. Ask for the total for the first block before you agree to it.
- When we are open
- Monday and Wednesday, 10 AM to 6 PM. Tuesday and Thursday, 10 AM to 4 PM. Closed Friday to Sunday.
- Paying
- Cash, debit card, credit card or approved financing. Health insurance does not usually cover coaching.
If this sounds right
The next step is a conversation, not a commitment.
Start with a consultation. No coaching is booked unless you choose it.
No obligation · Every consultation is in-person with Dr. Rockhead.
