The Way We Talk About Health Can Either Help or Harm
We talked about this before, but it's worth repeating.
After an almost four-year break from health coaching to pursue health education and writing, starting my Master Health Coaching Certification fills me with two emotions - joy and embarrassment.
Joy for the fact that I'm returning to a career where I am truly able to serve those that the health and wellness industry has forgotten (or pretended don’t exist).
And embarrassment for walking away from health coaching in the first place.
Luckily for me, I have wonderful humans who send me caring reminders:
In all honesty, had I continued on the path of health coaching, I’m sure I would have done far more harm than good. Unfortunately, the coach I was four years ago knew little about health equity, social determinants of health, or weight-inclusive health. Had I not taken that break from health coaching to pursue health education and eventually health writing:
I would have continued coaching clients with a very biased lens.
I would have continued telling my clients that they needed to eat better and exercise more, while ignoring all the barriers that prevented them from doing so.
I would have overlooked the fact that they lacked easy access to fresh food and that their nutrient-dense, culturally significant foods were often stigmatized.
I would also have overlooked the fact that they worked long hours, which limited the time they had to exercise and the safe environments in which they could do so.
In other words, I appreciate many health coaches who possess extensive knowledge about health and wellness. However, the way we at times discuss health with our clients can be anything but inclusive. The reason is that one thing many health educators, writers, and providers lack is training on inclusive health communication.
What is inclusive health communication?
Inclusive health communication refers to how we (educators, writers, and providers) share health information so that it accurately reflects the cultural, social, and lived experiences of the intended audience.
For instance,
A health educator might suggest recipes in their weekly nutrition class that include nutrient-dense ingredients commonly found in their students' cultural cuisines.
A health writer might partner with a personal trainer to develop a blog post that shares some bodyweight exercises readers can do at home with little to no equipment.
A clinician might engage in active listening to better understand the unique barriers a patient is facing, rather than assuming their lack of progress is due to noncompliance.
The point is that inclusive health communication is about thinking more deeply about whether the way we communicate health information is genuinely effective. If we make a recipe suggestion that isn’t culturally relevant or assume someone is being noncompliant, we may inadvertently harm those we are meant to help.
That’s why in a few weeks I’m hosting a free masterclass on How to Write Inclusive Health Content That Builds Trust (Without Overwhelm). Whether you’re writing for a social media audience, your email subscribers, or your patient aftercare summary, the way we talk about health can either help or harm those we’re trying to serve.
We can approach health from a more inclusive lens, allowing us to avoid causing harm. In that masterclass, I’m going to tell you exactly what I’ve learned through trial and error - what NOT to do! (And yes, I’m using that dash on purpose, because it’s fun!)
In all seriousness, make sure you’re subscribed to the EBWH Community Newsletter as we continue our series on writing inclusive health content.
Talk soon,
Tomesha
P.S. I’m so proud of our growing community, which I intended to keep open for all those who would benefit from our resources. That said, you can always support my writing by Buying Me a “Coffee” (or Tea in my instance)!