Review: Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN)
I graduated as a Health Coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) at the end of 2019 after completing their online accelerated 6-month course. This honest blog post outlines what led me to my decision to enrol into IIN and some of the benefits of this nutrition course I have found since graduating.
If you do decide that completing IIN is something that feels aligned for you, be sure to scroll to the end of this blog where I offer you a massive 20% discount on your tuition fees. I’d love to hear from you if this is something you’d like more information on, feel free to send me an email at kelly@glowandgrowwellness.com or pop your comments below anytime!
Why I Chose IIN
My decision to enrol into IIN certainly wasn’t an impulsive one. I had spent almost a year considering it, weighing up my options, until I finally took the plunge at the start of 2019. I’m the kind of person that likes to read endless reviews and do multitudes of research before committing so it took me a while before I was ready to dive in.
In the year 2019, I had been teaching in schools for 7+ years and was feeling like I needed a change. At the same time as teaching, I had been working with essential oils, offering workshops and classes for individuals and businesses who were interested in learning more. As I immersed myself into the health and wellness space, I knew that was truly where I wanted to be headed. I felt pulled towards health coaching as it combined the two things I was already interested in; education and health!
I already held my Bachelor’s degree in Education, however, the next step was to turn my ‘interest’ in health and wellness into a more formal qualification. When looking at study options I considered a range of courses from nutrition to yoga teaching to studying human behaviour change. The problem was, I didn’t actually want to study any one of them alone, I knew that I wanted to take a more holistic approach to health rather than honing in on one specific area.
We now know there are so many elements to be aware of when supporting an individual’s health journey. I knew it wasn’t realistic to complete a course/degree and become a professional in every single one of those areas so I was looking for a course that would provide me with a nice overview of all areas of a person’s health and wellbeing. I heard about IIN through a couple of friends that had also done the course and had only great things to say about it. IIN equipped me with the knowledge and skills to be able to confidently support someone working through a range of health challenges and I’m so grateful for my time at the school.
What is IIN?
IIN is the largest and oldest health coaching school in the world, founded in NYC in 1992 by Joshua Rosenthal. See the statement from their website below:
“We created the field of health coaching. Founded nearly 30 years ago, IIN has become the world’s largest health coaching and nutrition school, with over 100,000 students and graduates in 155 countries. We take a holistic approach to health and wellbeing, teaching you that it’s not just about the food on your plate, but also how you nourish yourself through other areas of your life, such as your relationships, career, physical activity, and spirituality.”
I can attest to this statement first-hand. The course took a holistic approach to health and wellbeing and looked at the whole person rather than just one facet of their health e.g. movement or nutrition alone.
Fast-forward 2 years and I’ve started my own business, Glow & Grow Wellness, where I’m using the knowledge and skills gained throughout the course to support individual’s making long-lasting healthy behaviour change. I spend a lot of time working in a corporate setting where I work alongside businesses to implement employee wellbeing programs. This is so rewarding and more businesses are realising the value of offering a consistent workplace wellbeing program for their employees. I also offer 1:1 health and wellness coaching for women and teens needing support (learn more here).
Health Coaching in Australia & New Zealand
Another exciting development in the health coaching industry within Australia was the launch of the Health Coaching Australia New Zealand Association (HCANZA). This organisation exists to advocate for the recognition and growth of health coaches as well as collaborate with the government and departments, being the voice of the industry, throughout Australia and New Zealand. IIN’s Health Coach Training Program, together with their Coaching Intensive Practicum, is an approved course through this exciting new association!
I’ve listed some Frequently Asked Questions about IIN’s course below, but please reach out here if you’d like to chat with me, an IIN Alumni, as sometimes it’s just easier speaking to someone who knows first-hand what to expect.
Hope this has been helpful.
Kelly x
PS: As an IIN Ambassador, I’m able to provide you with a generous discount of 45% off all IIN and Chopra courses just by enrolling through my link here or use my IIN coupon code KELLYPIEZXIIN. It was truly a life-changing moment for me when I signed up for IIN - I hope it’s the same for you!
A Day in the Life of an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach
Follow along over on Instagram (@kellypiez) to see what a day in the life of a Health & Wellness Coach can look like!
FAQs
How long does the Health Coaching course take?
When enrolling with IIN you have the option to sign up to a year-long course or an accelerated course. I choose to complete my certification in 6 months on the accelerated program online. This course is also now available completely in Spanish too.
How can I learn more about becoming a Health Coach?
If you’re wanting to learn more about how you can become a health coach complete the free online quiz that will give you all the answers you need specific to your situation!
Can you complete the course and have a full-time job?
IIN offers the coaching course as a 12-month (one module per week) or 6-month program (two modules per week). Both options are doable with a full-time job, however, only you know your time commitments.
I found working full time on the accelerated 6-month program to be quite achievable. There were times I fell behind, however, the course provides the flexibility to use weekends to catch up and get the modules done.
I’m not sure I’m ready to dive in, can I do a sample class to start with?
Yes, you totally can. IIN offers a free sample class that you can take to see if studying health coaching at IIN is something that’s right for you. Click here to access your free sample class.
What is a health coach and what do they actually do?
In short a Health Coach is a supportive mentor who helps clients feel their best through food and lifestyle changes and personalised, one-on-one encouragement. You can read more about what a Health Coach does and doesn’t do in my downloadable brochure here.
What qualifications do you graduate with?
The Health Coaching industry is an emerging one. To me, it’s just so exciting to be one of the first practitioners in such a new industry. Upon graduating from IIN, you receive a certificate that is registered with the Department of Education in New York City.
In 2020, the Health Coaching Australia New Zealand Association (HCANZA) was launched. This organisation exists to advocate for the recognition and credibility of health coaches as well as collaborate with the government and departments, being the voice of the industry, throughout Australia and New Zealand. IIN’s Health Coach Training Program, together with their Coaching Intensive Practicum, is an approved course through this exciting new association!
Depending on where you live, it is recommended to get yourself accredited with any local health coaching bodies or alliances. With more and more institutions, colleges and universities offering Health Coaching diplomas, it’s important to stay up to date with accreditation and certification requirements in your local area. A simple google search ‘health coaching alliance/association’ should yield results.
What’s it like to study coaching online?
Despite the entire course being carried out online, it’s still quite practical, hands-on and you do get to connect directly with IIN educators and other students. There are practice coaching calls and group sessions included in the course work where you get to ask questions and interact with others.
As the course is online, you have the ability to self-pace yourself through the coursework which I found so helpful!
How much does it cost?
The cost of IIN’s Health Coach Training Program is $5,995 USD, which is on par with Australian institutions offering a comparable qualification around the $10,000 AUD price point. IIN offers a range of interest-free payment options for their courses making them really accessible for any budget. I split mine up monthly across the 6 months. It’s worth noting that you save the most money by paying for the course upfront especially when they have big discounts and sales throughout the year.
Don’t forget my 45% off discount if you are looking to sign up. Simply mention my name or IIN discount code KELLYPIEZXIIN at enrolment!
