NBHWC accepts continuing education offerings that are:
- Related to the healthy lifestyle knowledge for practicing professional National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coaches (NBC-HWC), OR
- Related to the core competencies required for the practice of health and wellness coaching (HWC), OR
- Related to business, ethics, legal considerations, marketing and professional development of the health and wellness coaching practice. Professional development includes self-care and resiliency cultivation.
Continuing education courses are expected to either:
- Review or deepen the core knowledge and skills competencies of a NBC-HWC coach, or
- Enhance the knowledge and/or skills at a level above that required for national certification.
The Wellbeing Series
Since 2012, the University of Minnesota's Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing has hosted wellbeing thought-leaders to inspire and educate the community, organizations, and life-long learners through the Wellbeing Lecture Series.
Healing Together: The Power of Community Care in Fostering Mental Health with Minaa B.
April 1, 2025 from Noon to 1:30 p.m. Central
Online, via Zoom
In this webinar, Minaa B. will explore the profound impact that belonging and community support can have on mental health and wellbeing. Drawing on her expertise as a social worker, mental health educator, and advocate, she will highlight how fostering meaningful social connections and cultivating a supportive environment are key components of maintaining mental health.
Through evidence-based insights and practical strategies, Minaa will guide participants in building a personalized mental health blueprint that spans individual, interpersonal, and social levels. This blueprint will provide tools to enhance emotional wellbeing, combat loneliness, and create a sense of belonging that can transform both individuals and communities. By the end of this talk, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how community care can be a powerful force for healing, resilience, and personal growth.
Learning objectives:
1. How belonging and community support can significantly impact mental health and wellbeing.
2. The role of social connections and a supportive environment in fostering mental health.
3. How to build an individual, interpersonal, and social blueprint as a way to improve one's mental health and combat loneliness.
This webinar is approved by the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) for 1.5 continuing education credits (CEA-000582-2).
Self-Compassion: How to Effectively Motivate Yourself with Encouragement Rather Than Criticism with Dr. Kristin Neff
September 25, 2025 from Noon to 1:30 p.m. Central
Online, via Zoom
Our first instinct when we fail, suffer, or feel inadequate may be to criticize or to judge ourselves—but there is a better way to get through life’s hardships, says Dr. Kristin Neff. A way that enables us to achieve our highest potential and lead more contented, fulfilling lives. And that’s through self-compassion.
Some people fear self-compassion is a form of self-pity, and obsessively chase high self-esteem instead—their self-worth fluctuating with every success and failure. But research shows us that people who are self-compassionate lead healthier, happier, more productive lives than those who are self-critical. These people also have the resilience needed to cope with traumatic or stressful life events such as divorce, parenting, or the pressures at work.
In this talk, she walks audiences through practices designed to increase motivation, foster grit and growth mindset, and rebound from failure, all through the cultivation of self-compassion.
Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the three components of self-compassion.
2. Distinguish between self-criticism and self-compassion as motivators.
3. Apply self-compassion in motivational contexts.
This webinar is approved by the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) for 1.5 continuing education credits (CEA-000582-1).
Events and Programs
Enhancing Personal Wellbeing & Resilience Series
Held live via Zoom
In this four-part virtual series, you will learn practical evidence-based approaches to help build your personal resilience and enhance your skills and confidence in bringing more wellbeing into your daily life, at work and at home.
Each workshop is approved by the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching for 1.25 continuing education units or 5 continuing education units for the entire series (CEA-000293).
Mental Health and Nutrition Workshops
Held live via Zoom
Our understanding of mental health has evolved to a more comprehensive model that acknowledges nutrition as an influential factor. Research highlights the role food, micronutrients and gut health play in determining our risk of developing mental health issues, as well as our ability to thrive with conditions such as Depression, Anxiety and ADHD.
This three-part series of 75-minute online workshops includes information about three pillars of nutritional approaches to mental health: diet, micronutrients, and the microbiome. You will learn how micronutrients and the microbiome impact common conditions like Depression, Anxiety and ADHD, and dietary strategies commonly used to support mental and cognitive health.
Each workshop is approved by the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching for 1.25 continuing education units or 3.75 continuing education units for the entire series (CEA-000292).
Food Matters for Health Professionals
Food Matters CE Course is an evidence-based, experiential-learning, applied nutrition, and culinary skills course for health professionals of all disciplines. The course addresses the role of food in specific health conditions and its function in health promotion and disease prevention. The relationship between the source of food and the larger food system to both environmental and human health will be explored, in addition to the importance of understanding the food system’s impact on patients and communities.
This course is approved by the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching for 8.5 continuing education units (CEA-000171-1).
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
Held live via Zoom or in-person
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is an eight-week course that will help you learn about the physiology and science of stress. You'll learn about a variety of mindfulness techniques including guided instruction, gentle stretching, mindful yoga, mindful communication, and daily practices.
This course is approved by the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching for 28.5 continuing education units (CE-000068-1).
Mindfulness at Work
Self paced, online program
Mindfulness at Work is a six-week, self-paced, experiential, completely online course designed to teach core mindfulness skills while also exploring specific applications to the workplace setting. The course explores key mindfulness traits and how they relate to essential workplace skills, such as presence, emotional regulation, resilience, cognitive flexibility, and communication, all of which are critical skills for thriving at work.
This course is approved by the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching for 4.5 continuing education units (CE-000157-2).