Skip to content
Sign in
Artwork for The Coaching Lab: Evidence-Based High Performance & Wellbeing
Health & FitnessEducationSelf-ImprovementFitness

The Coaching Lab: Evidence-Based High Performance & Wellbeing

Brad Cooper, PhD (Catalyst Coaching)

Stop chasing fads and start mastering the science of change. The Coaching Lab is the premier destination for health coaches, wellness professionals, executive coaches, and high performers who demand more than "fluff." Hosted by Dr. Brad Cooper, this podcast bridges the gap between complex performance psychology and real-world application.

Whether you are a certified coach (ICF, NBHWC) looking to enhance client outcomes or a driven professional seeking a competitive edge, we provide the evidence-based tools you need to optimize human potential. We filter out the noise of headline-chasing trends to bring you deep-dive conversations with world-class researchers, elite athletes, and master clinicians.

What you’ll master in the Lab:

  • Behavior Change Science: Beyond willpower—how to facilitate lasting transformation using evidence-based coaching protocols.
  • Performance Psychology: Insights into flow state, mental toughness, and the "self beyond the self."
  • Integrated Wellness: Practical strategies for metabolic health, stress resilience, and longevity.
  • The Executive Edge: Leadership development and peak performance tactics for the modern workplace.
  • Professional Growth: Best practices for clinicians and coaches to scale their impact and stay at the forefront of the industry.

If you’re looking for an entertaining yet rigorous format to help you—and those you lead—achieve the "Better Path," you’ve found it. Join a community dedicated to the evidence-based journey toward better.

Hit Follow to stay at the cutting edge of health, wellness, and high performance.

Play
Open in
  • 22 episodes
  • fortnightly
  • Avg 1 hr 2 min
  • English

Episodes 22

NewestOldestLongest
All20Unplayed20In progress0Played0
Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.
  • S8 · E25
    Today · 1 hr 2 min

    The GLP-1 "Wild West": Why Weight-Loss Drugs are Optimized Through Coaching — with Erin Chain & Dr. Sheri Poznanovic

    GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, and Mounjaro have reshaped the weight-loss landscape almost overnight — but the way they're often prescribed leaves people under-fueled, losing muscle, and going it alone. In this episode of The Coaching Lab, host Leigh Baker sits down with National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach Erin Chain and triple-board-certified physician Dr. Sheri Poznanovic of Optin Health & Nutrition to unpack what's really happening in the GLP-1 era — and where health and wellness coaching fits into the care plan. Together they explore why so many people on GLP-1s aren't eating or hydrating enough, how rapid weight loss can mask dangerous muscle mass loss, and why a "prescribe-and-disappear" model falls short. Dr. Poznanovic explains the multidisciplinary approach the Obesity Medicine Association recommends — combining medication, nutrition, body composition testing, VO2 max assessment, and coaching — while Erin shares real-world stories of clients navigating low energy, food noise, protein gaps, medication interactions, and the stigma of being on a GLP-1. Whether you're a coach, a clinician, an employer weighing GLP-1 coverage, or someone considering these medications yourself, this conversation offers a grounded, human look at doing weight loss in a way that protects strength, health span, and quality of life — not just the number on the scale. In this episode: • Why coaching alongside a GLP-1 changes outcomes • The under-eating and muscle-loss risks no one warns you about • Protein targets, carbs, and why "anti-carb" advice backfires • Body composition and VO2 max testing in weight management • Medication interactions as you lose weight • Navigating stigma and the joy of food • What employers and coaches should know before adding GLP-1s Coaches: Explore CE credits at catalystcoachinginstitute.com Employers: Learn about Catalyst Coaching's GLP-Whole offering — results@catalystcoaching360.com Join us this fall at the Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium: catalystcoachinginstitute.com/retreat Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here. YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannel Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive Website: CatalystCoaching360.com If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218. This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.

  • S8 · E24
    August 17 · 54 min

    Leaving Everything to Find More — Navigating Life's Next Chapter (Kathy Robinson)

    What happens when the toolkit that built your success stops working for the life you actually want to live? In this episode, Brad Cooper sits down with Kathy Robinson — former Wall Street veteran and chief audit executive turned author and coach — for a wide-ranging, rabbit-trail conversation about reinventing the next phase of life. After 33 years in corporate (18 on Wall Street, 15 at a Fortune 250 company), Kathy walked away at 55 — a full decade before she'd planned. Here she unpacks the messy, unmapped "liminal space" between chapters and why high achievers can't think their way through it: they have to feel their way forward. Along the way, Brad and Kathy dig into doing "the wrong work the right way" versus "the right work the wrong way," why success can be the very thing that traps us, how longevity has quietly rewritten the entire retirement playbook, and why the smartest move isn't burning the ships — it's running parallel until you're certain. Whether you're 37 or 72, dreaming of "someday" or standing at the edge of a leap, this conversation offers a grounded, honest map for finding purpose in the years you didn't used to count on. Kathy's advice for anyone feeling the pull but held back by responsibility: stay until you're certain, don't do anything reckless, and remember — it's not binary. Website: https://athenawellness.com Free PDF: The Sage Discovery Kit: A Field Guide to Your Future Self Book: Walking with the Sage, A Story of Leaving Everything to Find More Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here. YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannel Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive Website: CatalystCoaching360.com If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218. This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.

  • S8 · E23
    August 3 · 1 hr 5 min

    The Human Side of Coaching: Emotions, Scope, and What Actually Drives Change (Dr. Michael Arloski)

    Many coaches will back away the moment a client's voice cracks. Dr. Michael Arloski thinks that instinct — however well-intentioned — is quietly undermining the behavior change we're hired to create. Michael has been in the wellness field since 1979. He's a licensed psychologist, a National Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach, an ICF Professional Certified Coach, CEO of Real Balance Global Wellness Services, author of one of the foundational texts in our field (Wellness Coaching for Lasting Lifestyle Change), and the creator of the Wellness Mapping 360 model. Few people alive have watched this profession grow up the way he has. In this conversation we get specific about the line between coaching and therapy — where it actually sits, versus where anxious coaches imagine it sits. Michael unpacks what happens to lasting change when a coach sidesteps emotional content entirely, what it looks like to tap into a client's emotion without drifting into therapy, and the go-to move he uses when a client is clearly sitting on something they haven't named. We also get into the part nobody talks about: how much of this depends on the coach's own emotional regulation and self-awareness rather than technique. If you've ever felt under-qualified to sit with a client's emotion, this one's for you. Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here. YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannel Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive Website: CatalystCoaching360.com If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218. This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.

  • S8 · E22
    July 20 · 1 hr 8 min

    Boost Your Brain Health at Every Age: The Science of Cognitive Wellness with Trish Turo, NBC-HWC

    Whether you're 25 or 75, protecting and enhancing your brain health matters right now. In this episode of The Coaching Lab, Dr. Brad Cooper and co-host Sabryna Liddle sit down with Trish Turo—brain health educator, researcher, yoga teacher, and National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach—for a conversation that spans every age and stage of life. As Director of Brain Health with the Virtual Brain Health Center and Director of Wellness with Kenosis Counseling Center, Trish brings deep expertise from her work with leading digital health organizations including Noom, Hinge Health, Together Senior Health, and Linus Health. With a Master of Science in Health Psychology, she's designed behavior change programs for people across the lifespan—from authoring "A Kids Book About Healthy Habits" to building dementia-prevention programs for older adults. Tune in to discover practical, evidence-based strategies for keeping your mind sharp, the habits that support long-term cognitive wellness, and why brain health is a lifelong pursuit worth starting today. Whether you're a coach looking to expand your impact or simply someone who wants to think clearer and live better, this is an episode you won't want to miss. As a bonus, here is link to a brand new research study Trish was involved in designing/researching. Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here. YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannel Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive Website: CatalystCoaching360.com If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218. This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.

  • S8 · E21
    July 6 · 59 min

    What We Wish We Knew as New Coaches: 20 Years of Lessons from Two Seasoned Pros

    What do you wish someone had told you on day one of your coaching career? In this episode of The Coaching Lab, host Leigh Baker sits down with Sabryna Liddle, VP of Coaching Excellence at Catalyst Coaching 360, for a candid conversation about everything they wish they'd known as new health and wellness coaches—drawing on decades in the field since Catalyst launched in 2007. Whether you're fresh out of your training program, prepping for your board exam, or a seasoned coach looking to grow, Leigh and Sabryna unpack the real lessons that only experience can teach: Why taking fewer notes can make you a more present, more effective coach The trap of over-structuring sessions—and how to find the right balance between framework and flexibility Talking less, listening more, and getting comfortable with silence Why you're the expert in behavior change—and how that frees you from intimidation, even with physicians and executives Handling "guns-blazing" clients and sensitive topics with curiosity instead of judgment How coaching skills transform your relationships beyond work—as a parent, spouse, and friend Sabryna's mantra to always be curious and experiment, and Dr. Cooper's advice to "look for the 7s"—those glimpse moments that point you toward your sweet spot If you're a coach or aspiring coach craving an honest, encouraging conversation between two pros who've watched the industry evolve over two decades, this one's for you. 🎙️ Join us September 25–27 for the 8th Annual Coaching Retreat & Symposium in Estes Park, Colorado: catalystcoachinginstitute.com/retreat Have a topic you'd like us to cover? Reach out at results@catalystcoachinginstitute.com If this episode helped you, share it with a fellow coach and leave a review—it helps us keep these conversations coming. Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here. YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannel Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive Website: CatalystCoaching360.com If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218. This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.

  • S8 · E20
    June 22 · 57 min

    Coaching In Uncertain Times

    Life is uncertain. How can credible, board-certified health & wellness coaches make a positive difference in the midst of the uncertainty and how might an individual personally benefit from working with a coach? From fears around AI to ongoing life transitions, wellbeing pursuits and more, we take a deep dive in this special episode, featuring Leigh Saner Baker and Sabryna Liddle. Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here. YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannel Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive Website: CatalystCoaching360.com If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218. This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.

  • S8 · E19
    June 8 · 54 min

    Wellness Myth-busting: Ice baths, hydration, recovery tools and more!

    Ice baths. Electrolyte drinks. Infrared saunas. Recovery boots. The wellness industry has never been louder — or more expensive. But which of these tools actually move the needle, and which are just well-marketed noise? In this episode of The Coaching Lab, we cut through the hype and get honest about recovery. Dr. Brad Cooper explores the science behind today's most talked-about wellness practices — from hydration and electrolytes to sauna use, cold-water immersion, and the growing world of recovery technology. What you'll walk away with: The truth about electrolytes (and when you probably don't need them) Why frequent sauna use has some of the most compelling cardiovascular data in the wellness space The surprising caveat about cold plunges and muscle-building Low-cost recovery strategies that routinely outperform expensive gadgets A rapid-fire verdict on the biggest trends: overhyped, appropriately hyped, or underappreciated? Recovery isn't a luxury — but it doesn't have to be complicated or costly. This episode helps you separate signal from noise so you can invest your time, energy, and money where it actually counts. Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here. YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannel Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive Website: CatalystCoaching360.com If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218. This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.

  • S8 · E16
    May 25 · 57 min

    Thrive on the Road: Travel, Sleep & Wellbeing for Busy Professionals — Beth Jennings, PT, NBC-HWC

    Work travel can quietly drain your energy, wreck your sleep, and leave even your highest-performing clients coming home depleted. In this episode of The Coaching Lab, host [Host Name] sits down with Beth Jennings, PT, NBC-HWC — a physical therapist and National Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach — to unpack what real wellbeing looks like for professionals who live out of a suitcase. Beth breaks down the hidden toll of frequent business travel on the body, mind, and routines your clients rely on, then shares practical, no-willpower-required strategies coaches can bring straight into their next session. You'll learn how to help clients protect sleep through early flights, late nights and time-zone changes; stay active without adding stress to a packed schedule; and design sustainable travel rituals that support recovery instead of burnout. Whether your clients are road warriors, consultants, executives, or traveling leaders, this conversation gives you a coach-ready toolkit for helping them thrive — not just survive — on the road. In this episode, you'll learn: How Beth's dual lens as a PT and health coach reframes "wellbeing on the road" The most common ways travel disrupts the body, sleep, and performance Top sleep strategies for early flights, late nights, and jet lag Realistic pre-trip and on-trip habits that actually stick How to stay active when schedules are packed and unpredictable What most professionals get wrong about recovery after a work trip Beth's #1 mindset shift for every coaching client heading into travel About the guest: Beth Jennings is a licensed physical therapist (PT) and National Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) who helps high-performing professionals build sustainable health habits in a demanding, travel-heavy life. Learn more about or reach out to Beth at BethJennings.com Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here. YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannel Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive Website: CatalystCoaching360.com If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218. This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.

  • S8 · E17
    May 11 · 1 hr 5 min

    You're a Certified Health & Wellness Coach. Now What? (Career & Business tips)

    You passed the NBHWC exam — congratulations! Now what? In this episode of The Coaching Lab, Dr. Cooper and Leigh deliver the post-certification roadmap every new National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) needs. Whether you're aiming for a salaried role at a hospital, corporate wellness program, or insurance company, or you're ready to launch your own coaching practice, this episode walks you through every step. What you'll learn: How to leverage your NBHWC credential on LinkedIn, your resume, and professional bios to signal credibility to employers Which professional associations are worth joining (National Wellness Alliance, American College of Lifestyle Medicine, and more) The real pros and cons of employment vs. contractor work vs. entrepreneurship — plus hybrid models that let you do both Where health and wellness coaches are actually getting hired right now (hospitals, corporate wellness, health insurance, gyms, EAPs) and what salary to expect How to start your own coaching practice: business structure (LLC vs. sole proprietor), setting your rates, landing your first clients, and the tech stack you need (scheduling, payments, video, notes) Marketing that works for health coaches: niching down, building an online presence without burnout, content creation, in-person networking, referral partnerships, and Google Business Profile Scope of practice, liability insurance, client agreements, intake forms, and HIPAA basics for clinical settings Recertification planning (36 CEs every 3 years), advanced credentials, mentorship, and peer support Mindset essentials: navigating imposter syndrome, setting boundaries early, and building a sustainable practice instead of burning out in year one Whether you're a brand-new health coach, a wellness professional adding NBHWC to your credentials, or an aspiring coach planning your next move, this episode is the practical, no-fluff guide to turning your certification into a thriving career. Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here. YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannel Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive Website: CatalystCoaching360.com If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218. This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.

  • April 27 · 1 hr 22 min

    Margaret "Coach Meg" Moore: Pioneer of Health & Wellness Coaching

    We are thrilled to have one of the pioneers of health & wellness coaching, Wellcoaches founder Margaret Moore (you likely know her as Coach Meg) join us on this special episode of The Coaching Lab podcast! Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here. YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannel Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive Website: CatalystCoaching360.com If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218. This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.

  • S8 · E15
    April 13 · 1 hr 5 min

    The Science of Slowing Down: Mindfulness, MBSR, and the Coaching Edge with Serena Jain, NBC-HWC

    Most people think mindfulness means downloading an app or sitting quietly for ten minutes. Serena Jain is here to respectfully challenge that assumption — and to show coaches and high performers what's actually possible when mindfulness is practiced with intention and depth. In this episode of The Coaching Lab, host Dr. Brad Cooper sits down with mindfulness teacher and MBSR practitioner Serena Jain for a conversation that is equal parts science, application, and experience. Serena unpacks what Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction actually is, how it differs from general meditation practice, and why it's become one of the most evidence-backed tools available for addressing chronic stress, improving self-awareness, and creating lasting behavioral change. For health coaches, this one goes beyond theory. Serena walks through how mindfulness can deepen the coaching process, practical ways to incorporate it into sessions while staying within scope of practice, and what to say to clients who are convinced they're simply "bad at meditation." And in a rare moment for a podcast episode, she guides listeners through a live mindfulness practice — so you don't just hear about it, you experience it. Whether you're a seasoned coach looking to add a powerful tool to your practice, someone considering the coaching profession, or a high performer navigating a relentlessly demanding life, this conversation offers both the why and the how. Topics covered: mindfulness-based stress reduction, MBSR, mindfulness for coaches, health coaching tools, stress management, chronic stress, mindfulness vs meditation, mindfulness in coaching practice, coach self-awareness, mindfulness for high performers, mindfulness for beginners, Serena Jain, how to start mindfulness practice, mindfulness exercise, coaching techniques, wellness coaching, performance coaching, mindfulness research, scope of practice, The Coaching Lab podcast, Catalyst Coaching 360 Serena's Website: https://serenajain.com/ Link to Serena's guided meditations: https://serenajain.com/mindfulness-programs/guided-audio-meditations/. This guided audio can also be accessed on SoundCloud, which can be downloaded as an app onto a smartphone: https://soundcloud.com/user-869280929. Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here. YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannel Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive Website: CatalystCoaching360.com If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218. This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.

  • S8 · E14
    March 30 · 1 hr 14 min

    AI and Coaching: How to Use Artificial Intelligence Without Losing the Human Connection (Sara Parrode)

    AI is transforming coaching, leadership, and the way we work—but how do you use it without losing what makes coaching powerful in the first place? In this episode of The Coaching Lab, we sit down with Sara Parrode, AI Coach for Executives and Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach, to explore how coaches and leaders can build a thoughtful, responsible relationship with artificial intelligence. Sara shares practical insights on how to integrate AI into your coaching practice and business, while staying grounded in human connection, ethics, and intentionality. We also explore how this moment mirrors endurance sport—requiring resilience, adaptability, and the ability to navigate uncertainty with clarity and confidence. If you're a coach, executive, or leader wondering how to use AI effectively (without feeling overwhelmed or replaced), this conversation will give you a clear and grounded starting point. In this episode, we cover: How AI is changing coaching and leadership right now Practical ways to use AI in your coaching business The risks of over-reliance—and how to avoid them Building a responsible and ethical relationship with AI Whether you're AI-curious or already experimenting, this episode will help you move forward with intention—not just speed. You can connect with Sara via her website here or connect with her on LinkedIn here. Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here. YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannel Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive Website: CatalystCoaching360.com If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218. This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.

  • S8 · E13
    March 16 · 1 hr 10 min

    Measuring & Enhancing Peak Performance - Dr. Izzy Justice

    We’ve all heard that peak performance is ‘all in your head,’ but our guest today invested time mapping where that ‘headspace’ lives. Dr. Izzy Justice is a world-renowned sports neuroscientist who notes he has analyzed over 18,000 EEG brain scans to uncover a startling truth: there is a specific frequency—10 Hz—where elite performance becomes effortless. He is the author of Life Explained: Chasing 10 Hz, and he’s here to show us that confidence isn't a feeling, it's an electrical state. Today, we’re diving into the ‘Neurohacks’ that allow you to downshift your brain from stress to success in seconds. Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here. YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannel Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive Website: CatalystCoaching360.com If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218. This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.

  • S8 · E12
    March 2 · 1 hr 21 min

    The Business of Coaching: Systems, Stabilizers and Success

    This is the final episode of our special 3-part series on the business of health & wellness coaching. Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here. YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannel Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive Website: CatalystCoaching360.com If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218. This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.

  • S8 · E11
    February 16 · 6 min

    Food, Fitness & Free Will? (Bonus Episode)

    Do you believe in free will? Really? Our answer to that questions influences SO much of our journey ahead. Text version available here Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here. YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannel Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive Website: CatalystCoaching360.com If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218. This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.

  • S8 · E10
    January 29 · 1 hr

    Brad Stulberg: The Way of Excellence

    In a world of constant noise, endless distraction, and performative busyness, what does it mean to pursue true excellence? Not hustle-for-hustle’s-sake kind—but the kind rooted in values, meaning, and sustainable high performance. Today’s guest is one of the clearest voices on that question: Brad Stulberg—bestselling author, performance coach, and researcher on sustainable excellence. Brad is a rare returning guest to The Coaching Lab for good reason. His work regularly appears in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Atlantic, and he serves on faculty at the University of Michigan. His new book, The Way of Excellence, reframes excellence not as a finish line—but as a process of mastery, meaning, and becoming. Drawing on modern science, timeless philosophy, and real-world stories of elite performers, Brad shows us how to integrate mastery and mattering—so we can perform at our best without burning out or losing what truly matters. In this conversation, we explore: · Why excellence is not about outcomes—but about process · How to build real confidence through consistency · The difference between “pseudo-excellence” and the real thing · How focus, discipline, and values alignment create sustained performance · And how to pursue greatness without sacrificing well-being, relationships, or meaning Whether you’re an athlete, coach, leader, entrepreneur, or simply someone who wants to live with greater intention, this episode delivers a clear, grounded roadmap for what it really means to be at your best—day after day. Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here. YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannel Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive Website: CatalystCoaching360.com If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218. This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.

  • S8 · E9
    January 19 · 51 min

    How to price your coaching services

    One of the most common questions among both new and established coaches is how to establish your pricing. In this episode, Leigh, Suzy and Brad provide a round-table discussion on a range of pricing-related topics ranging from how the market affects your pricing to how to land on "your" number, the role of packages and much more. Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here. YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannel Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive Website: CatalystCoaching360.com If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218. This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.

  • S8 · E8
    January 5 · 26 min

    Beyond Goals: Dialing in YOUR Clear, Personal Vision

    What is a clear, personal vision? How does it overlap (or influence) goals? Why does it matter? What are the steps to discovering and clarifying a vision? What does this have to do with my life? Why not just set goals or resolutions? In this special bonus episode, Dr. Cooper shares a range of insights and "how-to's" related to the powerful, life-shifting step of clarifying and creating a clear personal vision! Accompanying notes utilized for this special episode, including examples, are available here. Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here. YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannel Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive Website: CatalystCoaching360.com If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218. This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.

  • S8 · E7
    Dec 22, 2025 · 1 hr 11 min

    Science of Saunas: Wellbeing to Elite Performance (Daniel Gagnon, PhD)

    The use of saunas is exploding in popularity in the US, but they’ve been a standard part of life in other parts of the world. Finland is the best example, with more than one sauna for every 2 people! What is it about the health, wellbeing and high performance benefits that are driving such engagement? Is it a fad? Or is the trend driven by dependable evidence? What frequency, duration and temperature are recommended for better health & wellbeing? How about for athletic performance? What’s the difference between infrared and traditional saunas? Today’s guest, Dr. Daniel Gagnon is a thermal physiologist who has been studying the effects of heat exposure on human health & performance for over 2 decades! He is an associate professor at the University of Montreal and researcher at the Montreal Health Institute. If you’ve been curious about what the evidence is saying about saunas, you’ve come to the right place. Here are the two studies Dr. Gagnon mentioned during the discussion: Meta-analysis 1 Meta-analysis 2 Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here. YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannel Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive Website: CatalystCoaching360.com If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218. This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.

  • S8 · E6
    Dec 8, 2025 · 1 hr 5 min

    Deep Dive into the Business of Coaching

    This special episode, hosted by Leigh Baker, with nationally board certified health & wellness coach (and business owner) Suzy Destarac and Dr. Brad Cooper, takes a deep dive into the business side of coaching. Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification, annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/ Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here. YouTube Coaching Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CoachingChannel Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive Website: CatalystCoaching360.com If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/278207545599218. This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.

Showing 1–20 of 22 episodes