Health Coach Conversations

In this episode, Cathy sits down with Janet Madrid, a holistic dental hygienist and oral health coach with 46 years in clinical dentistry. Janet shares her expertise on the powerful oral-systemic health connection and how oral health impacts everything from gut health to cognitive function and cardiovascular health. They dive into the importance of the oral microbiome, how improper dental care can lead to systemic inflammation, and why mouth breathing may be at the root of several chronic issues. Janet also introduces simple yet powerful tools like salivary testing and non-toxic dental products to help clients achieve better whole-body health. In this episode, you'll discover: Why oral health is a crucial part of overall wellness and often overlooked The connection between root canals and systemic infections How the oral microbiome influences gut health, inflammation, and disease risk The dangers of overusing mouthwash and how it disrupts microbial balance The role of airway health and nasal breathing in systemic wellness Easy, natural approaches to oral care that support microbiome balance How health practitioners can collaborate with dental hygienists for better outcomes Memorable Quotes: "The mouth is the gateway to the entire body." "You wouldn't leave a dead organ in the body—why leave a dead tooth?" "We shouldn't be working without physicians, and physicians shouldn't be working without us." Bio: Janet Madrid, BS, RDH, is a holistic dental hygienist, bestselling author, and oral health coach with 46 years in clinical dentistry. She is the owner of Hope for Health, a mobile wellness-focused dental hygiene practice in Castle Rock, Colorado. Janet specializes in the oral-systemic connection, helping clients optimize wellness through foundational lifestyle shifts. She is a national speaker, passionate educator, and author of Hope for Health: Illuminating the Foundations of Health & Wellness, a bestseller in three categories. Mentioned in This Episode: Hope for Health: Illuminating the Foundations of Health and Wellness Links to Resources: Health Coach Group Website: thehealthcoachgroup.com Special Offer: Use code HCC50 to save $50 on the Health Coach Group website Leave a Review: If you enjoyed the podcast, please consider leaving a five-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts.

What happens when coaching meets improv? In this episode, Cathy Sykora speaks with Betsy Salkind and Amy Warshawsky, co-authors of Coaching with a Twist: Improv for Coaches. With backgrounds in health coaching, leadership, somatics, and comedy, Betsy and Amy have created a dynamic and experiential approach to coach training that blends improv exercises with foundational coaching skills. They explain how play and presence deepen learning, increase client connection, and make coaching more effective—and more fun. Whether you're a seasoned coach or just starting out, their fresh take on training and development is both practical and transformative. In this episode, you'll discover: How Betsy and Amy transitioned from mentor coaches to co-creators of an improv-based coaching model The similarities between improv and motivational interviewing Why experiential learning is more "sticky" than traditional training methods How play and improvisation enhance presence, creativity, and emotional regulation Why they created a safe, supportive environment for learning through coaching with a twist A powerful improv exercise called "three-word coaching" you can try today The benefits of supervision and their monthly BNA Coaching Salon Memorable Quotes: "Ultimately, if we are coaching well, we're improvising." "No rules, only happy accidents." "When you're playing and having fun, you are not in fear." Bios: Betsy Salkind, PCC, NBC-HWC, is a health and mentor coach with expertise in team, group, and leadership coaching. A professional standup comic and TV writer, she trained at the Mayo Clinic and holds an MS in Organization Studies from MIT Sloan. Amy J. Warshawsky, MCC, NBC-HWC, is a leadership and mentor coach known for integrating somatic practices into coaching. She has held roles in nonprofit and higher education, and holds degrees from Northwestern University and Cornell. Together, they co-founded BNA Mentor Coaching and co-authored Coaching with a Twist: Improv for Coaches. Mentioned in This Episode: BNA Mentor Coaching Coaching with a Twist: Improv for Coaches Links to Resources: Health Coach Group Website: thehealthcoachgroup.com (https://www.thehealthcoachgroup.com) Special Offer: Use code HCC50 to save $50 on the Health Coach Group website Leave a Review: If you enjoyed the podcast, please consider leaving a five-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts.

In this episode, Cathy sits down with Martyn Stephen Williams — explorer, former Hindu monk, and founder of Antarctic expedition companies — to explore what it means to stretch the boundaries of human potential while cultivating inner peace. From leading expeditions to the North Pole, South Pole, and Mount Everest, to time spent meditating as a monk in India, Martyn shares how extreme physical challenges and contemplative practice shaped his approach to resilience, emotional intelligence, and purposeful living. The conversation dives into how mindset, perspective shifts, and simple daily rituals can enable profound personal transformation — not just for adventurers, but for anyone seeking balance, clarity, and strength. If you've ever wondered how adventure, spirituality, and coaching can merge into a powerful formula for well‑being and performance, this episode delivers. In this episode, you'll discover: How surviving and thriving in extreme environments teaches emotional resilience, inner calm, and presence — skills that translate directly into day‑to‑day life and work. Why shifting perception — even around mundane or stressful events (like traffic or a broken car) — can change how we respond, turning frustration into opportunity for growth. The powerful role of consistent practice — meditation, conscious breathing, movement, playful rituals — in developing mental clarity, intuition, and emotional balance. Insight on integrating adventure, spirituality, and modern coaching: meeting people where they are and helping them access their full potential through mindset and perspective shifts. Simple, actionable daily practices to boost resilience and calm: start your day with a smile or laughter; mix movement with playful rituals; cultivate gratitude, especially for challenges; reflect before sleep to allow deeper processing and insight. How better self‑awareness and communication (with oneself and others) can reduce burnout, improve relationships, and support long‑term health — physically, mentally, emotionally. Memorable Quotes: "It's our internal space that decides what we're going through." "Life is an adventure — what's the next step?" "If we go to be grateful for the difficult things … because it's the difficult things we learn." Bio: Martyn Stephen Williams was born in Liverpool, England on May 2, 1947. As a mountain and wilderness guide, he is the first person in the world to lead expeditions to the three extremes: South Pole (1989), North Pole (1992), and Everest (1991). He was the first to cross the continent of Antarctica under human power (1990). He founded Adventure Network International and later Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions — an Antarctic services company that has supported many of the record‑breaking expeditions in Antarctica over the past 40 years. He also founded the first airline on the continent, Antarctic Airlines. In 2000 he organized and led the Pole to Pole 2000 expedition — the first (and so far only) human‑powered journey from one pole to the other. As a public speaker and teacher, he has spoken about human potential on all seven continents and shares tools and techniques for enlightened living. Mentioned in This Episode: Enlightening Adventures Links to Resources: Health Coach Group Website: thehealthcoachgroup.com (https://www.thehealthcoachgroup.com Special Offer: Use code HCC50 to save $50 on the Health Coach Group website Leave a Review: If you enjoyed the podcast, please consider leaving a five-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts.

In this episode of Health Coach Conversations, Cathy Sykora dives into the transformative power of AI for health coaches. She shares how using AI—specifically a customized AI clone—can help you create content faster, build efficient systems, and finally launch your signature program. Cathy discusses practical ways to train AI to sound like you, use it ethically and safely, and integrate it into your marketing, client support, and administrative workflows. With years of experience leveraging AI, Cathy offers a hands-on demonstration and introduces her new course, Signature AI, designed to guide you through creating your AI clone and business systems in just 30 days. In this episode, you'll discover: How AI can dramatically reduce your workload and give you more time to coach The key benefits of creating your own AI clone that mirrors your voice and brand A step-by-step example of turning one idea into an email, blog, handout, and teaching guide in under 5 minutes Crucial safety and ethical tips for using AI in a health coaching business How to build a year's worth of marketing in one morning with AI The five core ways AI supports health coaches: content, client support, admin, marketing, and program building An inside look at Cathy's Signature AI course and how it helps coaches finish programs and automate systems Memorable Quotes: "AI is not a threat to human connection—it's a tool that supports it." "You stop starting from scratch and AI becomes your creative partner." "Your AI clone is like a personalized assistant trained on your voice, your style, your frameworks, and your boundaries." Bio: Cathy Sykora is a public health educator, communicator, and founder of the Health Coach Group. She helps health coaches build scalable, profitable wellness practices by providing programs, systems, and strategic support. With extensive experience in integrating AI into health coaching businesses, Cathy is leading the way in teaching coaches how to work smarter and grow faster. Mentioned in This Episode: Signature AI Course Links to Resources: Health Coach Group Website: thehealthcoachgroup.com (https://www.thehealthcoachgroup.com Special Offer: Use code HCC50 to save $50 on the Health Coach Group website Leave a Review: If you enjoyed the podcast, please consider leaving a five-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts.

In this episode, Cathy Sykora delves into how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way wellness and health coaches run their businesses, create programs, and engage clients. She shares her personal experiences—both what's worked and what needs caution—and outlines actionable strategies to leverage AI for operations, content creation, marketing, and coaching workflows. Cathy emphasizes that while AI can dramatically accelerate productivity, it still requires human oversight to maintain integrity, authenticity, and scope of practice. She also explains how to build your own branded "voice" in AI tools and avoid common pitfalls, like over‑reliance or blind trust in generated content. If you're a coach ready to up‑level your business efficiency and client impact, this episode gives you a roadmap to make AI a practical asset. In this episode, you'll discover: How to use AI for business operations: contracts, SOPs, onboarding forms, project management and meeting recaps. Ways to build coaching programs and client content in days instead of years using AI‑powered templates, guided meditations, quizzes and tracking systems. Effective marketing and visibility uses: sales sequences, email marketing, lead magnets, website copy, SEO keywords — and how Cathy uses a custom GPT with her voice. Client experience and engagement innovations: supervision models, progress‑tracking systems, reflection questions, resource lists and automation. Coaching growth and education: how AI supports lesson summaries, case studies, practice coaching sessions, client avatars, pricing calculators, workflow outlines and staying on top of wellness research. Key caution points: verifying accuracy, staying within scope, reviewing output, using multiple AI sources, and not treating AI as a "person". Memorable Quotes: "There are times when I ask the GPT: 'Are you sure?' and it'll say, 'You have a good point…' because it finds the flaw when you challenge it." "I can create an entire sales sequence in three minutes where it used to take me three days." "AI doesn't replace experts. It amplifies them. The leaders who win the next decade will be those who combine human insight with machine precision." Bio: Cathy Sykora is the founder of the Health Coach Group and has over 40 years of business experience, including extensive work in public health, education, and communication. Her mission is to empower health coaches and practitioners to create thriving practices that transform lives. Through ready‑to‑brand programs, websites, and business tools, Cathy has supported thousands of coaches in building successful businesses. Links to Resources: Health Coach Group Website: thehealthcoachgroup.com (https://www.thehealthcoachgroup.com) Special Offer: Use code HCC50 to save $50 on the Health Coach Group website Leave a Review: If you enjoyed the podcast, please consider leaving a five-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts.