Health Initiatives (HI) has added a new coaching service, expanding campus offerings to four distinct coaching services. Coaching is a practice which pairs a coach and individual in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential (International Coach Federation). In addition to HI, the Center for Academic Success, Leadership Education and Development (LEAD), and the Counseling Center also offer coaching services that promote student success.

Wellness coaching, the latest offering by HI, assists students in optimizing their well-being through goal-setting, forward-thinking, reflection, and self-discovery. “We are excited that wellness coaching allows students to discuss any health and well-being topic they want. This service lets students have a space to work towards goals and solve problems,” shared health educator, Elaine Miller. HI has three professional staff members trained or certified as health coaches. These coaches can work with undergraduate and graduate students in the areas of:

• Time and stress management
• Relationships
• Healthy eating
• Social support
• Physical Activity
• Goal-setting

Students register online and then participate in a one-hour meeting to lay out their coaching plan and follow up with bi-weekly meetings with their coach.

The Center for Academic Success provides academic coaching for undergraduate students. Through academic coaching, students are able to work on developing effective and efficient study habits. “Getting academic coaching is the easiest and most effective way for one to create immediate improvement in his or her classroom performance and reduce the stress associated with academics at GA Tech,” said Donald Pearl, director of the Center for Academic Success. After making an appointment online, students meet with a professional coach to make an action plan in areas such as time management, study skills, grade improvement, and metacognitive ability.

LEAD offers Leading Edge coaching, available to both undergraduate and graduate students. The Leading Edge program encourages students to explore, experiment, and improve their individual and team leadership skills. Wes Wynens, director of LEAD, explained that “great business and professional leaders use coaches to help them accelerate their careers. As employers increasingly look for leadership, communication, and collaborations skills in their new employees, you can give yourself a head start by working on these core skills while you’re here at Tech." Students who apply and are selected are paired with either a trained peer or professional leadership coach and have five to six 1-hour coaching sessions over the course of a semester where they explore self, team, and organizational leadership.

Peer coaching, offered by the Counseling Center, is a unique service that provides one-on-one, peer-to-peer consultations to support and facilitate academic and personal success. Peer coaches are trained students who can help their peers in the areas of adjustment to college or adjustment to Tech, academic difficulties, stress, relationships, and more. Students can self-refer for this service online through the Counseling Center’s peer coaching website. ”Peer Coaching offers a unique benefit for students to meet with their coaches in the evenings or even on weekends, and can text or grab coffee with their coach. It also offers students the opportunity to connect one-on-one with someone who really “gets it” because they have been through similar experiences before, because they are also students at Tech,” said Dr. Irene Daboin of the Counseling Center who coordinates and oversees the program.

For more information about any of these programs or to make an appointment or apply, please go to the websites below:

• Academic coaching by the Center for Academic Success
• Leading Edge coaching by LEAD
• Peer coaching by the Counseling Center
• Wellness coaching by Health Initiatives