FMCA Curriculum Overview

Explore the transformative power of Functional Medicine Health Coaching. Get an introduction to the core concepts in Functional Medicine and Positive Psychology. Build a strong foundation as you learn and practice using effective coaching methods.

Deepen your understanding of the coach approach, including practicing how to build rapport, engage in motivational interviewing, and other essential coaching techniques. By strengthening and honing your coaching skills, you will be the most effective coach possible for your future clients.

Functional Medicine Certified Health Coaches are behavior change specialists! Discover how to facilitate meaningful change for your clients. Gain an in-depth understanding of the principles of functional nutrition, The Institute for Functional Medicine Food Plans, and how to apply positive psychology to guide your clients toward change.

Learn about digestion and immune health, the stress and relaxation responses, and how to personalize mind-body practices. Gain a thorough understanding of The IFM Elimination Diet, and how to successfully coach clients through it.

Learn Functional Medicine's root cause approach to hormonal and cardiometabolic dysfunction, and the role of diet and lifestyle habits in maintaining or restoring optimal functioning of these systems. As you explore the multi-faceted aspects of human communication, you will deepen your understanding of behavior change and be able to effectively guide clients toward achieving their goals.

Uncover the basics of energy and how to preserve mitochondrial health from a Functional Medicine perspective. Learn how to effectively coach your clients on functional nutrition, sleep, exercise, and movement in order to optimize energy production.

Discover how to integrate environmental health into Functional Medicine Health Coaching. Learn detoxification fundamentals, and how to support detoxification through functional nutrition and lifestyle choices. Take a deep dive into the psychology of eating to understand the psychosocial influences on food choices and eating patterns. Continue to hone your skills in behavior change.

Build your knowledge of the chronic disease pathways from a Functional Medicine lens, including the role of systemic inflammation. Learn how functional nutrition and lifestyle changes promote healing and lower inflammation. Continue to discover and practice using positive psychology and mind-body medicine techniques for resiliency.

Gain an understanding of the Functional Medicine way of viewing the etiology of mood disorders and discover a systems-based approach to mental health. Learn how the coach approach differs from psychotherapy and how positive psychology and mind-body medicine principles can be employed in coaching to maintain emotional wellness.

Tap into the power of the group process, both for you as the facilitator and for participants. Learn how to structure and lead group coaching visits, and how to partner with practitioners to run group medical appointments. Explore the growing use of remote health monitoring, and how coaches can make remote health monitoring more effective.

Prepare for the challenges you may face as a coach and gain confidence that you can effectively address obstacles. Explore the impact of biases and stereotypes, and how to coach for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Learn how to navigate moral and ethical predicaments, and appreciate the importance of cultivating your personal self-care plan.

It’s time to bring together all the knowledge and skills that prepared you to become a Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach. You will synthesize the principles of Functional Medicine, Functional Nutrition, Positive Psychology, Mind-Body Medicine, the FMCA Career Navigator™, and the Art and Science of Coaching. Reflect on how you’ve grown personally and professionally in your transformative year of learning, and prepare to step into your future as a Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach.