Health Coaching Put Diabetes Patient on the Right Path

Newly diagnosed with diabetes while navigating menopause, 55-year-old Maria Zeuli needed healthcare guidance but found herself overwhelmed by the amount of information available online.

“I didn’t know where to start,” Maria says. “You go on the internet, and it’s just a black hole of confusing information.”

Health Coaching at University Hospitals Connor Whole Health

Maria met with Kristin Kaelber, MD, PhD, a double board-certified internist and pediatrician and certified practitioner of lifestyle medicine at University Hospitals Connor Whole Health, who referred her to Angelique Foss, a health and wellness coach and music therapist.

As Dr. Kaelber explains, even the most motivated patients can struggle to translate health and wellness guidance into action. Health coaches help patients break large goals into smaller, more manageable steps and build sustainable habits over time through tools, accountability and encouragement.

Like Talking to a Friend

From her first session with Angelique, health coaching felt different than any other care Maria had experienced.

“We talked about my goals, my purpose, what I wanted for my life,” Maria recalls. “Everything was built around that. It wasn’t generic. It was like talking to a friend. It was about me.”

Through weekly sessions, Angelique helped Maria break down her goals into actionable steps: what to eat, how to move more, when to exercise, and how to stay accountable.

Beyond one-on-one support, Maria also joined a menopause-focused group led by her coach, where she encountered a sense of community and shared experience.

“You realize you’re not alone,” she says. “Other women are going through the same things. That support is huge.”

Real Results and a Shift in Mindset

Over time, the changes began to add up. Maria’s lab results improved, including her A1C and glucose levels. She began moving more, eating better and feeling physically stronger. But perhaps more significant was the shift in how she views her health.

“I feel better overall,” she says. “And even if the weight loss is slower than I want, I’m okay with that now. I have support. I know I’m on the right path.”

Maria’s motivations to improve her health are deeply personal: her family, her future grandchildren and a desire to avoid the health challenges she has seen in loved ones.

“I want to be healthy. I don’t want to be the person sitting on the couch. I want to be active and present.”

Why Physician Referrals Matter

Dr. Kaelber believes physician endorsement plays a critical role in connecting patients to this kind of support.

“When a doctor tells a patient, ‘This will help you,’ they take it seriously,” she says. “That recommendation carries weight.”

Dr. Kaelber now regularly refers patients for a range of conditions, including diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, chronic fatigue and mental health concerns. In one case, a patient she referred experienced improvements in anxiety, depression, physical fitness and overall well-being – effects that extended to his entire family.

“It’s not just about one metric,” she says. “These changes impact every part of a person’s life.”

Supporting Sustainable Change

Ultimately, health coaching fills a critical gap between clinical guidance and real-world behavior change.

“Patients want to make a lifestyle change,” Dr. Kaelber says. “What they need is support to help them take that first step, stay accountable and build momentum.” Maria agrees.

“Your doctor can only do so much in 15 minutes,” she says. “If you want to make real change, you need that extra support.”

Her advice to others considering the program is simple: “Your health is worth your time. You have to put yourself first.”