We all want to feel happier. We make promises to ourselves about meditation practices, healthier habits, and prioritizing self-care. But sometimes, life gets in the way. We have deadlines to meet, appointments to make, and expectations both internal and external to manage. And sometimes, it‘s as simple as just being a little overwhelmed by our thoughts and feelings.
It’s difficult to do all this work by yourself, so why do we? When you need help achieving your goals at school, you get a tutor. When you need help seeing results at the gym, you get a trainer. Mental health is no different. That’s why Sanvello offers Coaching to all our members, so when you need a little support hitting your mental health goals, you can find that support right in the app.
What is a Sanvello Coach?
Our coaches are invested, compassionate people who are driven to help others take care of their mental health and well-being.
You can think of a coach as a guide. Their role is to help you get deeper into the content, stay on track, and really internalize what you learn in Sanvello. They’re not therapists, and they’re not there to tell you what to do or try to fix your problems. Instead, our coaches are there to motivate and support you on your journey toward reaching your goals.
In coaching, we believe it’s an equal partnership. The coach has knowledge and expertise on behavior change, but you are the expert on yourself. Here are some of the ways our coaches do things differently:
- They’re not bots. This means that each message and each person is given individual attention by a real person.
- You get custom recommendations. Our coaches can see all the other work you’ve done in the app, so when you need guidance on which activity might be right, they know what you’ve already tried.
- You’ll always get a response with one business day. We prize quality over speed at Sanvello. After all, our coaches can better support your mental health when we give them the time to care for their own, too.
- Coaching is customizable to what you need and when you’re ready to do it, so if a certain activity doesn’t sound like what you want to do right now, your coach will work with you to discover other tools and techniques that may be helpful.
- Coaches also help you determine if you are “stuck” and having trouble moving forward. And a coach can also help identify if therapy could help a member to get “unstuck.”
- If you’re already working with a therapist, our coaches are ready to encourage you and support you on that journey as well.
What are the benefits of working with a Sanvello Coach?
Our coaches can help you bring about the changes you want to see by helping you tap into your own inner strength.
Coaches make your mental health journey that much easier by:
- Working with you to identify and set goals
- Helping you find the most useful tools for you
- Providing accountability and motivation
- Asking insightful questions to help you internalize concepts
- Giving you a place to explore and learn about your emotions
- Teaching you how to turn thoughts, feelings, and behaviors into decisions you make instead of things that happen to you
No matter what, our coaches put the needs of our members first, helping you get the right care, whatever that may be, so you can feel better in a lasting and permanent way. Sometimes that will mean working with just a coach, sometimes that can include a therapist for a period, but no matter who joins you on your mental health journey, our coaches will not abandon you.
And if you’re enjoying the Guided Journeys in the app, our coaches can help you apply the lessons you’re learning to your everyday life. You can discuss the Guided Journey 1:1 with your coach or join a group class to see your coach live. These group classes are anonymous — meaning no one will see you or your interactions, but you will see a video of the coach. Group classes allow our coaches to personalize concepts, share how the lessons you’re learning apply to everyday life, and facilitate conversations between members that are anonymous enough to feel safe, but engaging enough to build community. After all, part of what makes Sanvello great is the supportive and conscientious community.
So how does Coaching work?
Coaches connect with you through secure 1:1 messaging. There is no set schedule or expectation on our end about how much you need to communicate or how fast you need to achieve something. Your coach will start by asking you (and helping you get clarity on) what you want to work on. Then they work with you on how you can get there. If your coach hasn’t heard from you in a while, they’ll reach out, but they always let you lead the way.
Some people message every day, some message occasionally, and some will go months, only reaching out to their coach when they feel they need some assistance. All those scenarios are perfectly OK.
At the end of the day, we know that the most important part of mental health is getting the support you need on your journey. That’s what our coaches do best.
Ready to get started with your own coach? Simply open the app, navigate to your settings to upgrade, and connect with them today.
By Lisa Schneider, Sanvello
Over my career, I have worked in many capacities in the service of supporting the well-being of others. I worked as a coach for over 10 years before developing training programs and helping other coaches to improve their work with clients. I have a background in neuropsychology and have studied many different forms of coaching, as I’m drawn to the idea that everyone has an innate capacity to know themselves and grow. I’ve also taught and other body-mind activities such as yoga, Pilates, Reiki and worked as a personal trainer.
I firmly believe that our physical, mental and emotional well-being are extensions of each other and are intricately connected. As social creatures, we require the help from others including support for our mental, physical, and emotional health from professionals—there is strength in recognizing and seeking that out.
I consider myself a Iifetime-learner and student of the human condition. For my own well-being, I practice mindfulness, love to travel, and look for the humor in anything (including myself).