NBHWC-ApprovedTraining Program
Become a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach
You Already Work in Health. The National Board of Medical Examiners Can Make That Official.
HHE's NBHWC board certification program September 14th — enrollment now open. Seats limited.
The HHE Holistic Health Coach Certification is an Approved Health and Wellness Coach Training & Education Program by the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC). Graduates of this program are eligible to apply for the HWC Certifying Examination to become National Board Certified.
You're already doing the work. The credential is what makes it count professionally.
You didn't stumble into health. You trained for it, built a client base, put in the hours. Personal trainers, yoga instructors, nutritional counselors, nurses, chiropractors... people who've been in the room with clients for years. You know what works. You know how to read someone. The gap isn't knowledge. It's what the people hiring and referring don't yet know about you, yet.
The credential doesn't change who you are. It changes what doors open.
The field is moving. Clinics are requiring it. Corporate wellness programs are filtering for it. The coaches who will be in those roles two years from now are getting certified today.
The only health coaching credential recognized by the National Board of Medical Examiners.
Health coaching is a $24.1 billion industry and growing rapidly, with no professional standard.
Employers and healthcare systems want to work with health coaches, but they have no reliable way to evaluate who actually knows what they're doing. Someone who completed a weekend online course and someone who has spent years training clients, studying behavior change, and building clinical relationships can carry the same title. There's nothing on the surface to tell them apart, which means the people who've done the real work often don't get credit for it.
That's not a knock on coaches. It's just the difference between experience and credentials on a job listing.
The National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching was assembled to fix that.
To create academic and professional standards that coaches could meet and practice by, so clients, employers, and healthcare systems would have a way to identify who has done the work.
It's the only health coaching credential recognized by the same board that licenses physicians.
- Hospitals are hiring NBC-HWCs by name.
- Corporate wellness programs are listing it in job postings.
- Integrative clinics want it on your resume.
- FSA and HSA account managers are recognizing it.
HHE evaluated 13 years of credentialing bodies before endorsing one.Amy explains why NBHWC is the one that actually matters to your career.
Amy Sprouse, MPH (Johns Hopkins) — HHE Co-Founder & Curriculum Director
What people said after finding this program
More credentials. More clients. More doors into the rooms that matter.
The credential opens the door. What you do with it, in clinical settings, private practice, or corporate health programs, is the lasting change.
This program is built for health professionals who are ready for what comes next.
- 01You work in health, as a trainer, yoga instructor, nutritionist, nurse, chiro or wellness practitioner, and want a credential that reflects what you actually know
- 02You're hitting a ceiling and know the next level requires something more than experience, it requires documented, board-recognized training
- 03You want to qualify for clinical, corporate, or integrative health roles that are starting to list NBHWC as a requirement
- 04You want formal training in behavior change, not just what clients should do, but how to get them to actually do it
- 05You want to qualify for an NPI number, get recognized by FSA/HSA accounts, and expand your scope of practice
- 06You want to be ahead of the market before the credential becomes a baseline expectation rather than a differentiator
What the Credential Actually Changes
Practically. Professionally. In your life.
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01
Train in behavior change, the skill most health professionals are missing
Knowing what a client should do is different from knowing how to get them to actually do it. This program trains you in Motivational Interviewing, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and client-centered coaching, the evidence-based methods that turn good advice into real results. Most health professionals never get this training. You will.
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02
Qualify for roles that are listing NBC-HWC as a requirement
Integrative clinics, functional medicine practices, corporate wellness programs, and health systems are actively looking for Nationally Board Certified Health and Wellness Coaches. The credential is becoming a hiring specification, not a "nice-to-have".
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03
Qualify for an NPI Number
After passing the board exam, you can apply for a National Provider Identifier, a unique 10-digit identification number for US healthcare professionals. This can streamline FSA/HSA reimbursement for your clients, open doors in healthcare systems with EMR integration, and expand your access to professional accounts like Fullscript.
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04
Get formal training in the conditions your clients actually have
Hypertension, type 2 diabetes, depression, metabolic syndrome, the conditions driving most people to seek alternatives to conventional care. This program gives you the clinical context and coaching framework to work with these clients confidently and within proper scope.
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05
Separate yourself before the market catches up
Right now, most health professionals don't have this. The coaches who earn it in the next 12 months will have it on their resume, their website, and their practice for the rest of their career. The ones who wait will be catching up.
With the NBC-HWC credential, you're positioned to:
- Run a private coaching practice with a credential clients recognize
- Receive referrals from physicians, NDs, and licensed practitioners
- Join clinical, corporate, or integrative wellness teams
- Speak, teach, or consult from a position of board-recognized authority
- Build a health business with a credential that holds its value
The Professionals Teaching This Program
Tammi Cross
National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach, Therapeutic Nutritional Counselor, Entrepreneur
Tammy McArthur
Licensed Professional Counselor, Mental Health Therapist, HHC/TNC
Amy Sprouse
MPH, Certified Holistic Health Coach, Therapeutic Nutritional Counselor
Dana Medlin
Integrative Functional Nutrition Practitioner, HHP, NBHWC, Author
WHERE THIS TAKES YOU
Doors open that weren't open before.
NBC-HWC holders work across a range of settings: clinical, private, corporate, and community. The credential doesn't dictate where you go. It removes the barriers that were keeping you out.
- 01Private practice: One-on-one or group coaching on your terms. The credential gives prospective clients a reason to choose you over someone who just calls themselves a health coach.
- 02Integrative and functional medicine clinics: Physicians and NDs are actively looking for NBC-HWCs. The credential is what gets you the referral relationship and the seat at the table.
- 03Corporate wellness programs: Companies are posting NBC-HWC in job listings as a requirement. It's a hiring specification now, not a bonus qualification.
- 04Healthcare systems and hospitals: Health systems that previously had no clear pathway for coaches are beginning to hire NBC-HWCs directly onto care teams.
- 05Speaking, workshops, and consulting: The credential changes how a room receives you. You're a board-certified professional with a point of view, not just someone who reads a lot about health.
- 06Wellness retreats and destination health programs: Spas, resorts, and retreat centers are actively adding credentialed coaching to their offerings as client expectations rise.
Program Details: What the September Program Looks Like
- Start DateSeptember 14th
- Duration20 Weeks
- Live Class TimesMondays/Thursdays 7:00–8:30 PM ET
Format: Weekly live trainings (required 2x per week), online videos, assigned readings, and peer coaching sessions (80 hours total)
Study Group & Exam Prep Support: Every student has access to organized study sessions led by an NBC-HWC-certified coach. These sessions provide accountability, guided review, and structured preparation for the board exam.
Classes are live on Zoom: Cameras on, required by NBHWC. The same board that oversees physician licensing takes engagement seriously. So do we. It's part of what makes this credential mean something.
What the program costs and what it returns.
20 WeeksDuration
80 Hours TotalLive Training, Videos, Readings & Peer Coaching
2x Per WeekRequired Live Trainings
Note: Tuition does not include the board exam fee or books. Confirm the current exam fee directly with NBHWC when you're ready to apply.
Return on Investment:
- $45–$100 per coaching session — recoup your investment in 1 to 6 months depending on your client load and experience.
- $1,500 per private client — recoup your investment with 2 clients.
- Over two thirds of full-time NBC-HWCs report earning $50K–$100K+ annually. Private-practice coaches report an average of $75–$150/session. Employed coaches average $44.69/hour.
Source: National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC), 2025 Annual Survey Report
Choose your path
$2,600
Current HHE Students
- Already enrolled in an HHE certification program
- NBHWC board prep program only, builds directly on your existing training
$2,600
+ HHE Cert
+ HHE Cert
New to HHE
- Not yet enrolled in an HHE program
- Includes an HHE Certification of Choice, the health science foundation paired with your NBHWC board prep
- An Academic Advisor will confirm the right combination for your background
Financing available for both paths (based on credit)
Tuition shouldn't be the reason you don't do this. An HHE Academic Advisor can walk you through every financing option available.
What You'll Actually Cover
A preview of the first six weeks. Your Academic Advisor has the full 20-week breakdown and can fully walk you through how it and answer your questions.
Week One
Introduction To Health Coaching
- What is a Health Coach
- Coaching preparation
- How to conduct a Health Coaching session
Week Two
Client Behavior
- Strengthen coaching sessions – what to do and what not to do
- Client Preparation
- Alternatives to common coaching procedures
Week Three
Chronic Diseases
- Common chronic diseases
- How to effectively coach clients with these diseases
Week Four
Client Centered Relationships
- Educate and inform
- How to offer suggestions
- Empowering clients
Week Five
Trust
- Build trust and rapport with clients
- Active listening skills
Week Six
Motivational Interviewing
- Foundations of Motivational Interviewing
- Client emotion and energy
What Graduates Say
“Being an NBHWC board certified coach definitely sets us apart from any other coaching.”
– Tammi Cross, 2025 Graduate — now a 2026 Instructor
“It’s been incredible, and has given me valuable knowledge and practice. I am a much more professional and valuable coach now. My energy is directed appropriately and efficiently and in a manner that is well-received by my clients. Our sessions are more powerful, they have “more meat on their bones” than before NBHWC.”
– Julie E. | Program Graduate
"I thought it was about [being able to accept] insurances... in the end, I could care less about that. I saw that we were able to utilize more of this Eastern philosophy and introduce it to the West. I'm very happy I made the decision to enroll."
– Jill Studacher | Program Graduate
“My eyes have been opened to a whole new level of being able to have a positive influence on people in such a unique way.
I didn't know this way of thinking and being was possible. I feel that this will change my life and relationships in so many positive ways, not only career wise, but personally.”
– Yolanda Degler | Program Graduate
“I didn’t expect how much this program would improve my communication with my family. It’s almost like it was a communication skills course, not a health coach training. There is something really powerful about encouraging others autonomy and guiding and supporting them through their journey of achieving their goals!”
– Aimee Hammond | Program Graduate
The September 14th program has limited seats.
Talk to an Academic Advisor. They'll answer your specific questions, walk you through both pricing paths, and tell you honestly whether the September 14th start date works for where you are right now.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 01
What is the difference between NBHWC and HHE's HHC/TNC Dual Certification Programs?
Holistic Health Educators Certification Programs are rich in health sciences, natural health protocols for diseases/conditions, practical health knowledge, lifestyle instruction, health behavior change, and extensive training on cellular anatomy & physiology.
The NBHWC program focuses more on coaching techniques, interpersonal skills, active listening, ethics, and how to run board-approved coaching sessions.
While different in content, these two programs complement each other well, so that coaches emerge with both KNOWLEDGE of how to help the body heal, and SKILLS of how to help others adopt the behavior changes necessary to actually heal.
Question 02
How much time should I expect to spend on this a week?
There are two live classes a week that run either Monday and Wednesday night, or Tuesday and Thursday afternoon. This makes for approximately 4 hours of live instruction a week.
Outside of class, there are book readings, and some online videos to watch. We also host optional weekly study group sessions.
We suggest budgeting 6–10 hours per week on average for this program.
Question 03
Is live attendance required? How many classes am I allowed to miss?
You are required to attend classes live and complete the coursework within the 20 week period. You are allowed to miss 2 live classes; if you miss more than that, you'll need to make it up with the instructor. It's a real commitment — and it's also what makes the credential worth having.
Question 04
What are the benefits of being board certified? Can I be reimbursed through clients' FSA/HSA accounts?
Most graduates of the NBHWC program use their NPI (National Provider Identifier) to be approved through their clients' FSA/HSA spending accounts.
If a graduate chooses to collaborate with a healthcare system that has an EMR system, that opens the door to utilizing CPT codes.
We do not guarantee you will be able to bill insurance for your services on the other side of this program. However, advocacy is actively taking place to further advance this initiative.
The National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) announced that starting April 1, 2021, health and wellness coaches will be assigned a unique taxonomy code. This development signifies a significant advancement for the profession, highlighting the critical role of health and wellness coaches in the healthcare system and paving the way for potential future insurance billing. As health coaching continues to integrate into mainstream healthcare services, this milestone achievement stands to benefit all trained health coaches in the industry.
Question 05
What does it mean to be an ‘NBHWC Approved’ training program and why does it matter?
The National Board Certification credential (NBHWC) represents the profession’s highest standard and was developed in collaboration with the National Board of Medical Examiners.
With more health and wellness coach training programs available than ever before, ensuring the baseline qualification of coaches, and the organizations training them, has become critical to advancing the industry’s standard of care.
Our Holistic Health Coach Certification is an Approved Health and Wellness Coach Training & Education Program by the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC).
Graduates of this program are eligible to apply for the board exam to become a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBHWC). Completing the program is one of the requirements before sitting for the exam.
Question 06
If I am currently an HHE student, should I pause my other HHE classes while going through this?
This entirely depends on your availability. Some students will proceed with their current HHE curriculum and the NBHWC program concurrently, while others will put their current HHE coursework on pause. We will automatically extend your graduation deadline by 5 months by enrolling in this program. Of course, you can still keep your current graduation goals if it won't be too stressful for you!
Question 07
What career options does the NBC-HWC credential actually open up?
From www.nbhwc.org website:
"National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coaches (NBHWCs) work in many different settings.
- Some work on healthcare teams alongside physicians and other allied health professionals as part of an integrative approach to client care.
- Other coaches work in digital health, community-based programs, or in companies that support employee wellness.
- Others are entrepreneurs who support people in their journey to build a healthy lifestyle."
Question 08
Is the board exam fee covered in this tuition cost?
The board exam fee is not included in tuition. Confirm the current amount directly with NBHWC at nbhwc.org when you're ready to register. Fees can change and you want the number straight from the source.
This test must be taken in person. You can find your local testing location options by going to www.nbhwc.org and looking up their next board exam testing location options.
Question 09
What are the requirements to graduate?
To qualify for the National Board Certification Exam, you must:
- Complete the training program (80 hours total)
- Complete 50 health and wellness coaching sessions (20 minutes each) follow the training.
- Provide documentation of an associate’s degree (or higher) OR approximately 2 years (4,000 hours) of work experience - does NOT need to be in the health field!
Once these qualifications have been met, you must apply for the National Board Certification Exam on the NBHWC site and score 80% or higher. There are three testing windows per year. See their Exam Checklist.
