Mixed Deck — All IAHC Topics Flashcards

In IAHC coaching, 'reflective listening' involves the coach:

Answer: Paraphrasing and mirroring the client's words to show understanding and deepen insight

Reflective listening is a core motivational interviewing skill where the coach mirrors and paraphrases to demonstrate understanding and help clients hear themselves more clearly.

An IAHC coach experiencing personal burnout should first:

Answer: Seek support, supervision, or reduce caseload before it affects client care

IAHC ethical standards include coach self-care as a professional responsibility; impaired coaches cannot serve clients effectively and must address their own wellbeing proactively.

What does 'scope of practice' mean for an IAHC-certified health coach in the US?

Answer: The defined boundaries of what health coaches are trained and authorized to do

Scope of practice defines the specific activities, services, and roles that a health coach is trained and ethically permitted to perform, distinguishing coaching from clinical practice.

How can a health coach help clients set effective wellness goals?

Answer: By helping the client set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound)

Health coaches help clients set effective wellness goals by guiding them to create SMART goals. This acronym stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. By using the SMART framework, clients can develop clear, actionable, and realistic goals that increase their motivation and likelihood of success, providing a structured path toward their desired health outcomes.

How does specialized coaching for weight management typically differ from general health coaching?

Answer: It includes specific dietary and exercise recommendations based on individual assessments

While general health coaching might touch upon diet and exercise, specialized weight management coaching delves much deeper. It involves thorough individual assessments to understand a client's unique metabolism, lifestyle, preferences, and health conditions. Based on this, coaches provide tailored, evidence-based dietary plans and exercise routines, often working alongside other professionals like registered dietitians, to achieve sustainable weight loss and health improvements.

Which IAHC coaching technique involves asking a client to imagine their life five years in the future if they successfully make a health change?

Answer: Future visioning or forward projection

Future visioning invites clients to create a compelling emotional picture of success, strengthening intrinsic motivation and commitment.

Which of the following is an example of a non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) behavior that a health coach might encourage?

Answer: Taking the stairs instead of the elevator throughout the day

NEAT encompasses all physical activity outside of structured exercise, such as taking stairs, walking during phone calls, or standing at a desk.

When collaborating with a client's healthcare team, an IAHC coach demonstrates which professional behavior?

Answer: Communicating respectfully within the multidisciplinary team and staying within coaching scope

IAHC coaches function as part of an integrated care team, respecting clinical authority while contributing the behavioral change expertise that complements medical treatment.

The IAHC coaching communication style known as 'Socratic questioning' is used to:

Answer: Guide clients to discover insights through their own reasoning process

Socratic questioning uses a sequence of thoughtful questions to help clients surface their own knowledge, values, and solutions rather than receiving direct answers.

When a client discloses feeling hopeless about weight loss, an IAHC coach's first response should be:

Answer: Acknowledge the emotion with empathy before exploring what's underneath

Empathetic acknowledgment validates the client's experience and creates safety for deeper exploration before any problem-solving occurs.

According to IAHC principles, which statement best describes the relationship between physical activity and mental health?

Answer: Regular physical activity reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety by influencing neurotransmitter systems

Regular exercise increases endorphins, serotonin, and BDNF, producing clinically meaningful reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms.

An IAHC coach supporting a client through cancer survivorship should prioritize which coaching domain?

Answer: Physical activity, fatigue management, emotional wellbeing, and quality of life improvements

Cancer survivorship coaching focuses on lifestyle supports for recovery, including physical activity to reduce fatigue, emotional resilience, and sustainable quality-of-life improvements.

A health coach trained by IAHC uses silence strategically during sessions. This technique is most effective for:

Answer: Giving clients space to process thoughts and generate their own insights

Strategic silence creates space for deeper client reflection and often leads to the most meaningful insights, especially after a powerful question.

When helping a client with heart disease re-engage with physical activity, an IAHC coach should always:

Answer: Confirm medical clearance from the cardiologist before progressing activity levels

Medical clearance from a cardiologist is essential before increasing activity for cardiac patients to ensure safety and align with any exercise restrictions.

At the end of each IAHC coaching session, a 'session summary' is most useful for:

Answer: Reinforcing insights, commitments, and next steps agreed upon during the session

Session summaries reinforce what the client will do before the next session, enhancing accountability and continuity of the coaching relationship.

Which lifestyle factor does IAHC recognize as having a bidirectional relationship with obesity?

Answer: Chronic stress

Chronic stress increases cortisol, which promotes fat storage and cravings, while obesity itself can elevate stress hormones, creating a bidirectional cycle.

Which dietary pattern is most consistently associated with longevity in US population research and aligned with IAHC recommendations?

Answer: Mediterranean-style diet

The Mediterranean diet, rich in vegetables, healthy fats, and lean protein, is backed by robust evidence for reducing all-cause mortality and cardiovascular risk.

What is the primary role of a health coach when a client asks for a specific exercise prescription after a cardiac event?

Answer: Refer the client to their physician or a certified cardiac rehab specialist

Health coaches practice within their scope of practice, which means referring clients with medical conditions to qualified healthcare providers for medical exercise prescriptions.

A client with prediabetes asks what lifestyle change has the greatest evidence for preventing progression to type 2 diabetes. An IAHC coach would explain:

Answer: 5–7% body weight reduction combined with 150 minutes of moderate activity weekly

The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) demonstrated that modest weight loss (5–7%) and 150 minutes of weekly activity dramatically reduce diabetes progression risk.

A client wants to quit smoking as part of a lifestyle overhaul. IAHC coaching ethics require the coach to:

Answer: Provide cessation coaching support and refer to licensed medical professionals for pharmacological help

IAHC coaches support behavior change within their scope and must refer clients to medical professionals for clinical interventions like pharmacotherapy.