​And with this, I hope you finish this year soft, and with bravery and curiosity of what this next year will bring you.

But what really is a coach, and what is their role?
A coach is, no matter the orientation, someone that helps you to move forward, to make the right changes, to move towards a desired goal. Your goal.
A coach is not a therapist or psychologist, or a personal trainer. A therapist or psychologist focus more on the past and the present and helps you process difficult experiences and trauma, they help you understand your emotions and (depending other qualifications) they can treat mental illness, help you through depression etc. A coach is not trained in this. They help you become aware of, and explore, your thoughts and behavior in the present, and guiding you through changing these towards the future you want. With goal settings and action plans.

A coach is also not someone that have all the answers and tell you what to do. A good coach is someone that puts you in the driver’s seat, that supports you, and helps you figure out what should be on top of your list of priorities, and to find your motivation to reach your goal and highest potential.
There are different kind of coaches you can work with, depending on what area you feel needs more attention. It’s the business coach that work with you to develop your business, there is the life coach that will help you when your life is messy and unstructured, the health coach that supports you towards a healthier, stronger and more energised everyday life, and there are coaches that guides you through your spiritual journey etc.

In my role as a coach I focus on your health journey, and the first question is always -what is health for you? I’ll help you figure out what health and wellbeing means to you, and together we discover how your healthy lifestyle will look like, how your life can be adjusted and changed in a way that works for you, in the longterm. Step by step we work through your current health situation and lifestyle, and identify your main objectives and goals with the coaching sessions. Then we create an action plan. As your health coach I will be your guide through this journey, share knowledge, help you remember your motivation, keep your focus and to hold you accountable. And most importantly, integrate the new health habits and lifestyle changes for a lasting result.

This quote sums up very well my approach when it comes to health and wellness coaching. To make a change that will last, it’s important to break it down into small parts, and move forward step by step.
When it come to health coaching, areas you might want help with can be either more specific, or it can be a more general feeling of wanting to have a healthier lifestyle. However, one thing to keep in mind is that many things are connected, so focus areas can therefore be one or several of these: stress, physical activity, food, sleep hygiene, or a general feeling of ”being stuck”.

Some of the questions we might explore during the sessions are

• What does it mean to you, to live a healthy life?
• What is your ideal outcome, your dream goal and your deepest desires? Small and big
• What is your core values and how can your new goals and changes be aligned with these?
• How much time do you have available to devote for this change, actual time, but also headspace and energy wise?
• What obstacles do you see?
• What are the fears that is holding you back?
• What tools and resources do you already have access to?

So how do you know if coaching sessions is the right for you?
When you feel that you’re in need of a change but don’t know where to start, and you feel overwhelmed.
When you’re feeling stuck and need a ”kick in the butt”.
When you’re struggling with making the changes you want, how to create your new habits.
When you have a clear goal and can make the changes needed, but found it hard to stick to your new habits in the long run.
When you want to hold yourself more accountable.

Butterflies are incredible and beautiful insects, and maybe… a little weird?! In the pupa that the larva creates for the transformation, it doesn’t just slap on its wings so it’s ready to fly, instead the larva completely dissolves into goo before it rebuild itself to a full butterfly!

And lichens, they are some of my other favorite organisms, they’re not just some weird plant that grows on old trees or rocks. A lichen is actually two organisms, an algae and a fungi, that live in symbiosis with each other. That they also are an indicator of the air quality, they thrive in areas where the air is clean, just makes them cooler.

And then of course, we have mushrooms. They are neither plants nor animals, they constitute their own kingdom: the Fungi. Fungi is also one of the biggest organisms in the world. It’s the honey fungus that is the largest known specimen, it covers around 8,8km2, and is estimated to be about 2500years old. And then we have fact that they are more closely related to animals than to plants. Weird? Yes. Fascinating? Totally!

In my mind, nature can cure ’almost anything!’. Nature do have a big positiv impact on us, and more and more research shows just exactly how important it is for our health to be near, and to spend time in nature. Both for our physical health and for our psychological wellbeing. It doesn’t always have to be wild nature, urban nature and city parks also have a big effect. Green spaces and nature makes us more likely to be physically active, it makes us walk and bike more, it reduces mental distress, reduce stress, results in more positive emotions, and faster mental recovery. Urban nature also helps with reducing our exposure to air pollution, and it helps regulate the temperature in our cities (keeps the street cooler in the warm summer months e.g.).

Studies have shown that green spaces near schools promote cognitive development in children, and green views near children’s homes promote self-control behaviors. For adults living in neighborhoods with more green spaces shown better attentional functioning than those with less access to natural environments. Furthermore, studies have found that being exposed to natural environments improves working memory, cognitive flexibility and attentional control, while exposure to urban environments is linked to attention deficits. Being exposed to nature lowers cortisol, the hormone that is released during stress. It’s even possible to see the difference in people’s stress levels depending on if they have an office with trees or a park outside the windows, compared to the once with an office facing buildings, streets or parking lots.

Adults living in greener urban areas, or spending more times in nature, are associated with lower probabilities of cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, asthma hospitalization. For children it also shows lower risks for example obesity and myopia. 

More and more countries are acknowledging the benefits of being in nature, and healthcare providers are also prescribing time in nature for better health and wellbeing. Japan was one of the first countries prescribing nature, and has been recommending ’forest bathing’ since 1982.
In some Canadian provinces patients can get provided with a pass to access their national parks and marine conservation areas. And in England a large ’green’ project started in 2020, involving around 8000 people, with the result of an increase of happiness and life worthwhile, at the same time as levels of anxiety fell. 

Building a relationship with nature is one of the key factors for its positive impact. Researchers use the term ‘connectedness’ to describe the ideal relationship. Connectedness refers to the way we relate to nature and how we experience it. How we build this relationship with nature varies of course from each and every one of us, and there are a number of different activities that can help nurture it. It can be anything from high endurance activity like running, climbing, and surfing, to strolling through the park, having a coffee under the tree, laying on the grass reading a book, or gardening. It can be noticing nature by listening intently to birdsong or touching the bark of trees. Noticing how the flowers smell or how the soil feels between our fingers. We also connect and build our relationship with nature while writing about it, or reflecting and sharing our favorite sun spot or nature walk.

To get started in building a relationship with nature, if it’s completely new to you, or if you’re rebuilding it after being away for some time, here are a few ways that can help you get started:

• Senses: Noticing and actively engaging with nature, e.g. listening to birdsong, smelling wild flowers, or watching stream flowing by, or the breeze in the trees.
• Emotion: Experiencing the joy and calm nature can bring, e.g. talking about, and reflecting on your feelings about nature.
• Beauty: Simply taking time to appreciate nature’s beauty.
• Meaning: Exploring and celebrating how nature brings meaning to life, e.g. exploring how nature appears in songs and stories, poems and art, or by celebrating the signs and cycles of nature.
• Compassion: Taking actions that are good for nature, e.g. creating homes for nature, and making ethical product choices.
  ​

Every time we pause to appreciate the good things in nature, and just noticing a tree outside of your window or the flower that is cracking through the concrete, can make a difference in our wellbeing.

- - - 

Further reading:
Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing, Nature
‘Better than medication’: prescribing nature works, project shows, The Guardian
Health: What are green prescriptions and which countries offer them?, World Economic Forum 
Nature: How connecting with nature benefits our mental health, Mental Health Foundation
Nurtured by nature, American Psychological Association: 

​Already, we have entered a new year. Already, the light is returning and the days are slowly getting longer again. It is still the time of hibernation and contemplation, but I’m also starting to feel an excitement for this new year we have ahead of us.

I’m a big fan of rest. Huge fan actually. Resting, recovering, breathing. Always planning my days with a lot of space for slow mornings, and planning my weeks with a lot of time for audiobooks and gazing out over the river. I’m even planning trips I'm taking with extra space before and after, just to give myself time to mentally prepare, and to rest.

We are supposed to have fully booked calendars to feel like we’re doing something right. Very tight schedules to show that we are successful and moving forward in the world. This includes also what we expect from others, the  expectations on communication and how fast one should answer messages, emails and phone calls etc. The constant input from outside, together with always be on the move, causes a lot of stress for our minds and our bodies. Long periods of stress and lack of rest effects us hugely, and can cause long-term  damages that one will have to manage for many years.

Longterm (chronic) stress does not only come from busy work schedules, but also from dysfunctional families, abusive relationships, poverty, lack of resources to change your living situation etc. But when the world is spinning faster, our society is rushing forward, where there’s little to no time just to be, it’s even more important to make time for rest. To take the time to rest. Some symptoms of chronic stress is pain in your body like muscle tensions and headaches, insomnia but also fatigue, withdrawing from friends and social events, low energy, brain fog and problems remembering things, changed appetite (weight gain or weight loss), and difficulties in focusing. It can also show up as mood swings, irritability, anxiety and depression. Living with a high level of stress for a long time also increase the risk of hypertension, heart disease, type II diabetes, high blood pressure, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease etc.

To recover from chronic stress and burnout can take several months and even years. Some people witness that they never fully recover, and have to change their routines and daily habits in order to manage their lives. ​However, humans are pretty amazing, and with regular rest and space in our schedule we can recover. How to find stress relive varies a lot from person to person, and the biggest and most important thing you can do for yourself is to give yourself time to feel what you actually need at that moment. Some things that are usually recommended for stress relive and stress management is: 

There are so many different types of massages, and each and every massage therapist works in their own way, and personalize their skills and techniques. So how do you choose between all these hundreds that shows up in your search? How can you tell if that specific one is the right therapist for you, with the right skillset and the right type of massage? 
 
In the end, one just has to try, but there are a few things one can do to navigate the long list of search results. And here are some of them: 
 
First of all,

• Figure out what it is you want to have help with. Is it tight muscles and knots in specific muscles or areas of your body? Is it a general feeling of tension and tiredness in your body? Are you dealing with a lot of stress and anxiety, or are you struggling with chronic pain? 
• Think about if there’s a specific massage technique or way of treatment that you prefer. For example, if you like more or less strong massages, or specific techniques like Swedish massage, Tui Na, Thai, shiatsu etc. 
• Read up! Check their websites how they describe the type of massage they do and how they work. See if you can find testimonials and reviews from other clients. 
• Check practical things that can matter, for example where they are located, their price range, their availability (if you would only be able to come later in the evenings or on weekends). 
• Ask questions! Contact the therapist you find most interesting and explain to them how you feel and what your needs are. Ask as much as you can. If the therapist is professional they will be clear with what they can help you with, or they will refer you to a different therapist. 

 
Once you have made your appointment:

• Communicate beforehand. Many good therapists can easily feel where your body stores a lot of tensions and knots, but the more information you give, the easier it is for the therapist to help you in the right way. It’s your story and you’re the expert on your body. 
• Never tolerate too much pain when getting a massage. If your therapist seems to think there’s no gain without pain, move along. You want an intensity that is satisfying for you: neither too little, nor too much. 
• If you are focused on a specific therapeutic goal (e.g. relief from back pain) continue with this therapist and therapy only if you see some signs of progress within 2-5 appointments. 
• Always speak up if something feels painful, uncomfortable or strange. You should always be able to feel safe and cared for during the session. 

 
Now, if you finally have found a massage therapist that is a good fit for you, my recommendation is that you stick with them! 

I started to not recognize myself at all, it was like I was a completely different person. After some intensive search the answers that showed up over and over again was lists of perimenopausal symptoms. And my mind kind of exploded a bit. Could I be in perimenopause? Wasn’t that only for old people? I mean, I was only 39 when I started to have the first symptoms. ​

The practice of Swedish massage can be defined in a very simple way; it’s a series of specific strokes, techniques and movements that are performed usually in a set order. The Swedish massage techniques are referred to as 
Effleurage - Long, gliding strokes, used to spread out the oil, but also for the therapist to get a first idea of how the clients body is feels, where there are more tensions and what is needed. 
Petrissage - kneading the muscles with a smaller movement, typically slow and rhythmical. This should be done with the padded part of the palms. 
Friction - Slightly firmer and deeper movements, circular rubbing done with fingertips.  
Tapotement - A brisk tapping or rhythmic percussion movement where the edge of the hand is used, like karate chops. 
Vibration - Shaking or vibrating (or rocking) specific muscle groups to relieve tension and decrease stress. 
Stretching - Is sometimes used for specific muscle groups. 
​
The pressure that is used in Swedish massage is light to firm, but it’s rarely very strong. This typ of techniques can be used for either a therapeutic massage, or for purely relaxing session. 

Swedish massage is also in many ways the base for deep tissue massage, but some of the main differences are that the pressure used is stronger to release tension deeper within the muscles and fascia. Sometimes the therapist uses elbows and knuckles for the stronger pressure. It is also mostly focused on the problem areas that have more tension or pain. Whereas a more relaxing massage is more general and does not relief pain and muscle knots in the same way. Deep tissue massage can be slightly uncomfortable at times, however, it should never be painful, you should always be able to relax during the sessions. 

One of the more important differences between a Swedish and a deep tissue massage though, is the intention of the massage, what your body actually need. It's popular among people who are recovering from muscle injuries due to sports or an accident, but it can be very beneficial for people who have for example structural problems of the spine and muscles, chronic pain etc. This form of massage can often help release chronic muscle tension and improve correct muscle function.

In Sweden, when you go for "a massage", it’s the Swedish massage type you’ll most likely receive. Fun fact though, Swedish massage is actually not really Swedish! 

In some literature a Swede named Per Henrik Ling (1776-1839) is referred to as the father of Swedish massage. He was pioneer within the teaching of physical education in Sweden during the early 19th century. He was appointed master of fencing and it is said that he cured his fencing-injured elbow with massage-like movements. Ling later founded the Royal Central Gymnastics Institute in Stockholm in 1813, and developed ”the Swedish Movement System” (gymnastic movements for health improvements). Even though Ling is often credited as the inventor of Swedish massage, this was never a part of his Gymnastic Movements or the curriculum of the Royal Central Gymnastic Institute. 

Instead it was a Dutch practitioner named Johann Georg Mezger (1838–1909) that first standardized the massage as we know it today, and adopted the French names that the Swedish massage techniques are called (effleurage, petrissage etc). Mezger passed his doctoral exam with a dissertation on how to treat joint distortion with massage, which would later be the base for the Swedish massage. 

In the end, after some years of working most massage therapists develop their own way. Massage becomes something that is very personal, both for the therapists but also for the clients, based on their personal preferences and trust in the therapist. My advise is always to pay less attention to the names of techniques, but more to the description of how they work and their goals and intentions.  ​