Health Coaching Around The World: FMCA’s International Community

What does it mean to be part of a global community of changemakers? At the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy (FMCA), it means being supported, understood, and empowered—no matter where you are in the world.

Health coaching is growing across the globe, and FMCA is proud to be the only health coaching certification program with a dedicated International Relations Coordinator (IRC), Mahnaz Malik. This unique role exists to support and nurture the needs of international students and graduates, from answering questions before enrollment to facilitating meaningful connections long after graduation. (Learn more about Mahnaz below.)

As one international graduate put it best:

“Thank you for being the loving glue that binds us all together.”
Jo Saxton, FMCA Graduate

Support That Transcends Borders

FMCA’s International Relations Coordinator is part of the Admissions Team, providing guidance to prospective students who may be navigating unfamiliar territory—whether it’s time zones, language (level), (the uncertainty of completing a US-based program as an international student), or the fact that functional medicine is still emerging in their region. International cohort timing is also thoughtfully designed, with class options scheduled during overnight U.S. hours so students from the U.K. to Australia can join live, engage fully, and connect with peers across nearby time zones.

Even after graduation, support continues through international alumni events, virtual networking, and local meet-ups. From the UKIHCA (UK & International Health Coaches Association) online cohort meetings to previous in-person gatherings in Turkey, South Africa, and the U.K., FMCA’s international network is vibrant, active, and ever-growing.

One Certification, Many Journeys: Stories From Around the Globe

From the northern reaches of Europe to the bustling cities of Asia and the heart of Africa, FMCA’s graduates are transforming lives in their communities—each uniquely shaped by their own culture, calling, and care for others.

Let’s take a journey across the globe to meet some of them.

David Staunton – Denmark

🇩🇰 to FMCA.

When David began FMCA, he had just moved from London to Copenhagen—a new city, a new chapter, and a bold career change ahead. As someone who had personally experienced the challenges of chronic illness, including chronic fatigue and long COVID, he knew he wanted to help others reclaim their health. But starting over in a new country came with uncertainty.

“Being part of the international community at FMCA has been so important to me,” he shares. “I didn’t have a network in Copenhagen but I had a network with the international community. I have made wonderful friends, inspiring colleagues and interesting acquaintances and it’s made the journey of becoming a health coach so much easier.”

Now a practicing health coach, David works remotely with clients all over the world. His niche is personal: chronic fatigue syndrome, long COVID, and chronic pain. “I work with clients that have often been sick for very long periods of time and they come to me as a last resort. Using my FMCA training allows me to provide a multi-disciplinary approach to their healing and means that I have many tools in the toolbox and I am able to positively affect their health.”

David credits the international FMCA community with shaping the kind of coach he is today:

“Although health coaching is universal, how it’s implemented in countries is different, and having that global support has helped me navigate the new waters of having an international client base, more than I could ever describe.”
David Staunton, FMCA Graduate

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Laura Canavan-Hayes – Ireland

🇮🇪 to FMCA

As a Building Biologist, Laura helps clients with mold sensitivity, electromagnetic hypersensitivity, and chemical intolerances create healthier living environments. Her FMCA training allowed her to integrate health coaching into this work through her BioWeaver Method, offering clients behavioral support as they make big, meaningful changes—one habit at a time.

“It reduces the overwhelm on the client,” she shares. “It boosts their motivation as they make small steps to create huge changes for themselves and sometimes for their children and families.”

For Laura, the FMCA international community has been just as transformative.

“I’ve built a beautiful, supportive network of colleagues from around the world. We’ve shared ideas, championed one another’s work, and found purpose in serving together. The connection and encouragement I’ve received, especially through Mahnaz and the Coaching Advancement Initiative, has been priceless. It’s heart-centered work—and a privilege to do it in community”
Laura Canavan-Hayes, FMCA Graduate

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Shelley Williams – United Kingdom

🇬🇧 to FMCA

Shelley had long been immersed in the world of wellness—first as a community nutritionist, then working alongside her husband, an IFM-certified practitioner, in their London-based functional medicine clinic.

Training at FMCA allowed Shelley to expand the support and services she and her husband now offer their clients. Now, Shelley offers one-on-one coaching to clients, helping them integrate lifestyle changes and deepen their healing process. “As a trained health coach I can now work one to one with clients to help them implement lifestyle changes and support the work that our practitioners do. We feel that this really enhances our practice.”

What was and still is the best part about FMCA for Shelley? The friendships she’d form through FMCA’s international community:

“Being part of the international community at FMCA was one of the best things about the course as I met so many lovely people from all over the world, many of whom I have kept in touch with and some that I have even been able to meet in person and collaborate with.”
Shelley Williams, FMCA Graduate

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Pat Ehoche – Nigeria

🇳🇬 to FMCA

In Port Harcourt, Nigeria, Pat turned grief into purpose by founding PEE Fitness, a gym created in honor of her late husband, Peter. What began as a space for physical wellness has since evolved into something deeper.

“My FMCA training provided a structure to drive group coaching in the gym,” she says. Pat now leads coaching sessions focused on weight loss, hosts quarterly health talks, and serves a vibrant gym community of 500 members. “In Nigeria, there is growing interest in lifestyle medicine and the doctors now send patients to the gym as part of managing their medical conditions.”

But it’s the emotional support she’s found through FMCA’s international community that continues to move her:

“The FMCA international community has been very supportive. I have made friends I can share my journey with, and a few of us are already discussing setting up a Nigerian group within the community.”
Pat Ehoche, FMCA Graduate

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Louisa Lee – Singapore

🇸🇬 to FMCA

For Louisa, health coaching was the missing piece in a powerful vision. As a pioneer of functional dentistry at DP Dental, she was already helping patients address root causes through airway and sleep support. But she wanted to go further—beyond sick care, toward what she calls “true healthcare.”

“FMCA gave me the skills to make that leap,” she says. Louisa became a Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach and soon after, launched Avantir Wellness and DP Healthverse Holdings, rooted in her “7 Pillars of the Healthverse”—air, water, food, frequency, movement, sleep, and love.

With unwavering passion, she now mentors other health coaches in Asia and is building a movement:

“I am now seeking to continue to lead the community of FMCA health coaches in Asia so we can continue to grow in strength and be part of the global movement towards true HEALTHCARE.”
Louisa Lee, FMCA Graduate

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Charmaine So – Hong Kong

🇭🇰 to FMCA

Charmaine didn’t plan on becoming a health coach. She enrolled at FMCA to improve her own well-being—but the transformation was so profound that she changed careers. “FMCA has given me a sense of purpose and a career that I love… and has profoundly changed the trajectory of my life” she says.

Today, she works with a medi-wellness company in Hong Kong, where she collaborates with doctors, physiotherapists, dietitians, and trainers to deliver whole-person care. “Being one of the pioneers in Hong Kong, I am grateful to be part of this team and contribute to this growing movement.”

Even across thousands of miles, she stays deeply connected to the FMCA community:

“The FMCA international community is incredibly supportive and continuously expanding. I feel a strong connection with them through our ongoing support in chat groups. Any health and wellness questions raised in the group are promptly answered with diverse perspectives, skillsets, and knowledge.”
Charmaine So, FMCA Graduate

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Rachel Puncheon – Australia

🇦🇺 to FMCA

Rachel’s path to health coaching was both personal and transformative. While working in the corporate world, she felt the growing desire to do something more meaningful—something driven by purpose. After losing her beloved grandmother, Myra, to Alzheimer’s disease, Rachel was inspired to take action and change the story for others facing similar risk.

She enrolled in FMCA’s program, where she learned powerful tools like motivational interviewing, strengths-based coaching, and positive psychology—all grounded in the principles of functional medicine.

After graduating, Rachel became a certified ReCODE Health Coach through Dr. Dale Bredesen’s program, specializing in the prevention and reversal of cognitive decline. She went on to found Cognevity, a practice based in Australia and dedicated to “Managing Your Risk of Alzheimer’s”—a name inspired by the acronym MYRA, in honor of her grandmother.

Today, Rachel leads education sessions and coaches individuals through lifestyle changes rooted in the Bredesen Protocol. “My goal is to empower individuals so that they know there is another path ahead towards lifelong cognitive health,” she says.

From a personal calling to a thriving coaching practice, Rachel credits FMCA with shaping her journey:

“I thoroughly enjoyed my training as a Health Coach with the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy, where I learned alongside a vibrant international community.”
Rachel Puncheon, FMCA Graduate

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A Global Family of Coaches

FMCA’s International Community is more than a network—it’s a family. From WhatsApp groups to live cohort calls, international students and grads stay connected, share best practices, collaborate on projects, and celebrate one another’s wins. Whether someone is practicing in a clinic, building a business, or coaching in community spaces, they’re never alone.

FMCA is proud to support a new generation of international coaches shaping the future of functional medicine worldwide—together.

Want to explore another global story?

Want to explore another inspiring story?

Check out our International Alumni Spotlight on Lindsey Byrne, a UK-based graduate using health coaching to support cognitive health and dementia prevention—work inspired by her own family’s experience. You can watch the full interview below:

Meet Mahnaz, FMCHC, NBC-HWC

International Relations Coordinator, Course Facilitator & Admissions Team Member

Originally from the UK, and now residing in the Middle East, Mahnaz provides exceptional support through an international lens. A graduate of FMCA, Mahnaz has been health coaching as a FMCHC since 2017, and serves as FMCA’s International Relations Coordinator.

She supports international students deciding to take the program, during their FMCA learning journey, through to the beginning of their coaching careers. Your conversation with Mahnaz will provide a unique perspective on the international student experience.

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