Free Health Coach Session Template with 50 Questions to Ask Clients

As an experienced coach, you may prefer to wing your client appointments. Spending time planning your coaching session may seem like an unnecessary chore on top of your mountain of a to-do list. However, organizing your sessions will give you consistency in your work, which is crucial for delivering quality service.

Here are a few more reasons why you should have a defined structure for your health coaching sessions:

1. Makes you a more reliable health coach: Structure lets your clients know what to expect and builds a professional environment to strategically tackle goals. 
2. Increases your efficiency:  It allows you to use your time effectively so you spend more time engaging with your client rather than figuring out the next step.
3. Helps you easily measure client progress: Each session builds upon the last, creating a measurable transformation journey that clients can see and feel.

Recognizing the value of a well-planned session can make those moments with your clients even more impactful. Planning may require time and effort, but the return on this investment blossoms into a more professional service, improved client outcomes, and a more rewarding coaching experience for you and your clients.

What’s The Best Way to Structure Your Health Coaching Sessions?

Ideally, you’ll want to create a flow that fits your coaching style and personality. The goal of each session is to gather information, process it, and turn it into an actionable plan while keeping clients engaged. 

The session should never feel forced or uncomfortable to you or your client, but it must have a balance that keeps your client challenged while encouraging productivity. Below, you’ll find a four-step outline for structuring a health coaching program. Download the free Health Coaching Session Template from the Coach Factory Member Resources Library for the same material in a convenient PDF. 

1. Create a memorable opening.

The environment you create in the initial moments of a coaching session sets the tone for that session. Welcome your client with a warm greeting or, if you want to be creative, start things with a quick back-and-forth icebreaker. The goal here is to do something memorable to wow your clients while still gathering information about them. 

After the welcome and introduction, move into setting the intention for the session. Describe to your clients the purpose of your allot time and reinforce the idea that you are a partner in their journey. This is extremely important for remaining transparent and sets concrete expectations for your client.  

2. Gather and review assessment reports.

Gathering and reviewing information through assessments or questionnaires is a vital step in any health coaching session. The process allows you to gauge your client’s current state, understand their progress, and recalibrate the approach if necessary.

If this is the very first session, start by reviewing the results of their pre-session assessment. Take note of where they are currently and share any findings you have with your client. 

For repeat sessions, this is the time to check in with your client and get progress updates. Check on their well-being and invite them to share their reflections on their progress. Then, discuss any changes in measurements or health metrics you’ve agreed to track.

If there were any specific tasks or habits that you and the client decided to implement, now is the time to review them. This can often lead to a deeper conversation about motivations and obstacles, where the real work of coaching lies.

3. Exploration and discovery during the main conversation. 

The main coaching conversation is the heart of a health coaching session. This is where the most significant part of the client’s journey unfolds, as you work together to peel back the layers of their experiences, motivations, barriers, and aspirations. 

This portion of the session is not only about you asking questions but also promoting two-way dialogue. Encourage your clients to articulate their thoughts and feelings openly. This exchange often leads to self-discovery and actionable insights. You can prompt further reflection by asking insightful questions like

• What did you learn about yourself from this experience?
• How does this align with your vision for your health and life?

As your client speaks, practice empathetic listening by tuning into their words and the emotions behind them. By doing so, you validate their feelings and experiences, which builds trust and facilitates a deeper conversation. 

You’ll also notice patterns that can guide you both toward solutions and strategies. Collaborate with your client to identify these patterns and discuss leveraging them for positive change. 

4. Close the session with an actionable plan.

An effective closing ensures that the client feels heard and equipped with a clear, actionable plan for the time until your next meeting. But remember that the client is the expert in their own life. As a coach, your job is to guide and support, not to dictate. Work together to co-create the path forward. 

In the session’s final minutes, focus on the client’s newfound insights into coaching goals. This involves identifying specific, achievable steps that the client commits to taking. Document these steps to create a tangible reference for the client.

For returning clients, recap the key discoveries and decisions of the session from your notes. Remind the client of where they are in their current coaching plan and provide resources or advice to help your client reach the next step.

“I’m always taking notes based on what my clients are saying. When I hear something that my client says that I’m like, “Oh my goodness, this is gold,” I instantaneously capture it. I do not wait and hope that I’m going to remember it.”

Annie Petsche on the Coach Factory Podcast

Before ending, schedule the next session to provide a clear timeline for following up. Discuss the primary objectives for the upcoming meeting to give the client a sense of direction and purpose.

Three Techniques and Methods to Use During a Health Coaching Session

1. Motivational Interviewing

Motivational interviewing is a technique where the health coach engages with the client in a thought-provoking conversation that supports their ability to voice their reasons for change, envision a healthier lifestyle, and recognize their potential to enact that change. 

Imagine a scenario where a client wants to reduce their sugar intake. Instead of simply suggesting a diet plan, the coach might say, “Tell me what your day looks like and how sugar shows up for you.” As the client describes their routine, the coach listens for any speech that indicates the client’s desire or need for change. 

The client might respond with, “I always feel sluggish after my afternoon candy bar,” the coach can seize this opportunity to explore the client’s readiness to try healthier snacks that could increase their energy levels. This non-confrontational, guiding style allows clients to create their own persuasion for change, which is more likely to lead to behavior modification that sticks. 

2. Aspirational Blueprinting

As a creative and flexible approach to goal setting, Aspirational Blueprinting involves guiding clients to construct a vivid and evolving picture of their future selves to embody their highest aspirations. 

For example, if a client aspires to lead a healthier lifestyle, the coach might ask, “Imagine a day in your life three years from now when you embody your healthiest self. What does that day look like from the moment you wake up until you go to bed?” This prompts the client to construct a detailed mental image of their goal, which then motivates them.

The coach and client work together to distill this vision into a living document — the blueprint — which outlines broader themes and specific actions needed to work towards the vision.

3. Mindfulness 

Mindfulness practices help bring more attention to the present moment. These practices teach clients to observe their thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations without judgment.

Incorporating these practices into health coaching can be done through various exercises. For instance, you might start a session with a simple breathing exercise: Ask the client to close their eyes, take deep, slow breaths, and notice the sensations of air moving in and out of their body. This helps to center their attention and ground them in the present moment.

Another example could be a mindful eating exercise. Here, the client is encouraged to eat a small piece of food, such as a raisin or a piece of chocolate, very slowly, savoring each bite and paying close attention to the flavors, textures, and sensations experienced. This exercise leads to a more appreciative and conscious approach to eating, which is especially beneficial in addressing habits related to diet and nutrition.

Free Health Coaching Session Template

Get the contents of this post in a convenient, printable PDF from the Coach Factory Resource Library. It’s just one of the dozens of guides, worksheets, and client tools you’ll find.

50 High Mileage Questions for Impactful Health Coaching Sessions

10 Questions for connecting with clients

Use these questions to build trust by setting the stage for open communication that makes the client feel comfortable, heard, and understood.

1. What inspired you to reach out for health coaching?
2. Can you tell me about a time when you felt at your healthiest?
3. How do you prefer to communicate and receive support?
4. What are some of your interests outside of health and wellness?
5. What does an ideal coach-client relationship look like to you?
6. How do you typically handle stress or setbacks?
7. What’s something you wish more people understood about you?
8. How do you celebrate your successes?
9. What are your expectations from this coaching relationship?
10.  How can I best support you to ensure you feel valued and understood?

10 Questions to uncover client goals

This line of questioning focuses on identifying what the client wants to achieve through coaching. These questions help clarify their vision and set the foundation for the work ahead.

1. What are your top three health goals right now?
2. How do these goals align with your long-term vision for your life?
3. What’s the most significant change you want to make in the next six months?
4. Can you describe how achieving these goals would transform your day-to-day life?
5. What does success look like to you regarding health and wellness?
6. What are some milestones you’d like to achieve along the way?
7. Are there any specific habits you want to develop or break?
8. How will you know you’re on the right track toward your goals?
9. What’s the biggest dream you have for your health?
10.  How do these goals reflect your values and beliefs about health?

10 Questions to explore present challenges

These questions explore barriers that the client faces in reaching their goals. It’s about uncovering the obstacles and challenges that might hinder progress.

1. What’s been the biggest challenge in maintaining a healthy lifestyle for you?
2. How have your past attempts at change been both successful and challenging?
3. What personal or external factors have held you back from achieving your goals?
4. Are there any fears or concerns you have about the journey ahead?
5. How does your current environment support or hinder your health goals?
6. What’s the toughest part of the day for sticking to your health habits?
7. In what ways do you feel your current challenges are different from past ones?
8. How do these challenges impact your motivation and daily life?
9. What resources do you think you need to overcome these challenges?
10.  How do you usually cope when faced with obstacles to your goals?

10 Questions to promote client self-discovery

​​Questions in this category encourage clients to reflect deeply on their motivations, strengths, and personal journey.

1. What has your health journey taught you about yourself so far?
2. What strengths can you leverage to achieve your health goals?
3. When do you feel most in tune with your health needs?
4. What activities or practices make you feel most alive and healthy?
5. How do your health goals align with your core values?
6. What part of your health journey are you most proud of?
7. Can you share a turning point or “aha” moment in your health journey?
8. In moments of self-doubt, what reminds you of your ability to change?
9. How has your understanding of health evolved over the years?
10.  What new aspects of yourself do you hope to discover through coaching?

10 Questions to encourage accountability

These questions focus on helping clients take responsibility for their health journey. Use them to brainstorm systems to stay on track and ensure they feel accountable for their progress.

1. How will you measure your progress and stay accountable?
2. What systems or tools are in place to track your health goals?
3. Who in your life will you share your goals with for additional accountability?
4. What will you do if you find yourself slipping from your health plan?
5. How can we create a regular check-in routine that works for you?
6. What does being accountable to your health goals mean to you?
7. How will you celebrate your wins along the way?
8. In what ways can I help you stay accountable?
9. What kind of reminders or prompts can keep you focused?
10.  How will you adjust your plan if life throws unexpected challenges at you?