Accredited Health and Wellness Coaching Program for OT Practitioners 

If you’re here, you’re likely already working hard to support meaningful, lasting change for your clients: educating, adapting, encouraging, and problem-solving in ways that go far beyond task-based care. And yet, many OTs and OTAs find themselves wishing they had more structured, evidence-informed ways to support follow-through and sustainable behavior change without working harder, extending beyond their role, or stepping outside occupational therapy values and scope. 

At Aspire OT, we believe practitioners shouldn’t have to choose between staying grounded in OT and expanding their impact. The Just for OT: Practitioner to Coach Program is an NBHWC approved training program designed exclusively for OTs and OTAs who want to deepen client engagement, strengthen follow-through, and expand how they support health, wellness, and daily life participation across settings. This program provides 77 AOTA-approved continuing education hours and fulfills the training component required to pursue board certification in health and wellness coaching.

Considering Heath Coaching?


A practical reference on:
  • coaching roles
  • compensation
  • certification considerations
  • OT-centered integration across settings.


Talk with the program director about your professional goals. (Click here)
77 Contact Hours for OTs & OTAs
Seal for an "Approved Training Program" for the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC)
Pathway to
NBC-HWC Board Certification

Choose a path that fits your life without losing your OT identity

For OT practitioners who want more autonomy, deeper client-centered impact, and a sustainable way to practice — within or beyond traditional settings.

Practice Differently Within Your OT or OTA Role

Use a coaching-informed approach to support clients and caregivers as they carry strategies into daily routines.

Strengthen follow-through between visits, support parent and caregiver coaching, and move from fixing problems to building capacity — while continuing to practice within OT scope.

Expand Into New Models of Care

Explore hybrid or emerging roles that integrate coaching with OT expertise.

Develop services focused on wellness, prevention, caregiver support, or chronic condition management, and gain flexibility in how and where you practice while maintaining professional standards.

Feel Effective Again. Practice Occupational Therapy With Confidence.

The Just for OT: Practitioner-to-Coach Program is built for OTs and OTAs who want to deepen their practice—not abandon it.

Designed for Working Practitioners

100% online with live sessions offered on evenings and weekends. Self-paced content fits around client care—no commuting, no stepping away from your role, no taking PTO to build new skills.

Built for OT Practice

No wellness jargon. No influencer tactics. Coaching skills are taught using real OT cases, grounded in evidence, ethics, and scope—so everything you learn translates directly into practice.

Learn with People Who Get OT

Practice new skills alongside a cohort of OTs and OTAs navigating similar practice challenges. Receive feedback from faculty who are OT practitioners and certified coaches, and learn in a community that shares your professional values.

A Clear Path Toward Board Certification

Complete your CE hours while fulfilling the training component required to pursue board certification in health and wellness coaching—without compromising your OT identity or scope of practice.

Want the Full Curriculum?

Download a detailed curriculum overview outlining all modules, courses, contact hours, and learning formats designed specifically for occupational therapy practitioners.
MODULE 1

Coaching Fundamentals

Clarify how coaching differs from traditional OT approaches and how the two can work together in ethical, scope-aligned ways. Build a strong foundation in professional identity, dual roles, and evidence-informed frameworks that support real-world follow-through and sustainable change.

4 courses - 12 contact hours - Live evening & weekend sessions
(Click here to learn more about Module 1)
Module 2

Coaching Skills

Develop and practice the coaching skills that strengthen client engagement and follow-through. Apply strengths-based approaches, motivational interviewing, advanced goal setting, and action planning to support chronic condition management, caregiver and parent coaching, and behavior change that carries into daily life.

9 courses - 44 contact hours - Live evening & weekend sessions
(Click here to learn more about Module 2)
Module 3

Health Promoting Behaviors

Apply coaching-informed strategies to key health behaviors that influence function and participation. Explore OT-appropriate approaches to physical activity, nutrition, sleep, stress management, mindfulness, technology use, spirituality, and social connection—within scope and across settings.

8 courses - 8 contact hours - Self-paced
(Click here to learn more about Module 3)
Module 4

Chronic Conditions Impacting Health

Integrate coaching approaches when working with clients managing complex and chronic health conditions. Strengthen your ability to support lifestyle change, self-management, and caregiver resilience across cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cognitive change, mental health conditions, and substance use.

6 courses - 7 contact hours - Self-paced
(Click here to learn more about Module 4)
Module 5

Coaching Skills Integration & Competency

Bring everything together by integrating coaching skills into your professional role. Clarify next steps through a personalized professional development plan and demonstrate competency through a full coaching session assessment aligned with board certification expectations.

2 courses - 6 contact hours - Live sessions
(Click here to learn more about Module 5)

Choose Your Schedule

Select the cohort and session time that fits your life. Each cohort includes 15 live sessions plus self-paced coursework you complete on your own schedule. Complete the full NBHWC approved program in as little as 6 months.
Starting May 2026

Thursday Evening Cohort

Starting May 2026

Saturday Morning Cohort

Starting October 2026

Thursday Evening Cohort

Starting October 2026

Saturday Morning Cohort

Led by an Occupational Therapist & 
Board-Certified Health Coach

You’ll learn from an OT who has worked across settings and understands how coaching fits into the realities of everyday practice.


Jaclyn Schwartz, PhD, OTR/L, NBC-HWC
Program Director

Jaclyn is an occupational therapist with practice experience across adult, pediatric, and mental health settings. Her work sits at the intersection of occupational therapy, behavior change, and health promotion. She created the Practitioner-to-Coach Program to help OTs and OTAs strengthen how they support clients and caregivers in making meaningful, sustainable changes without leaving occupational therapy behind.

Jaclyn’s teaching emphasizes practical application across settings, ethical role clarity, and interventions that carry over into daily routines. Her approach reflects how coaching complements OT practice in real clinical contexts, from parent coaching to chronic condition management.

Participants learn through live instruction, applied practice, case examples from multiple settings, and guided reflection with a strong emphasis on translating coaching skills into OT practice.
Discuss how the program fits with your professional goals.

Experience a Coaching Class Before You Enroll

Join a live CE session drawn directly from the Practitioner-to-Coach curriculum and taught by program faculty. Earn continuing education while exploring how coaching fits within occupational therapy practice and experiencing the teaching approach before committing to the full program.
Transparent Pricing

An investment in practicing OT differently

Flexible payment options designed for working OT practitioners
  • What's Included:
  • 77 contact hours
  • NBHWC approved health and wellness coach training
  • Live cohort sessions with guided practice and feedback
  • Self-paced modules with applied learning activities
  • All course materials and digital resources
  • Board exam preparation and certification guidance

Pay in Full
Total: $3,500

  • Save $400 with one payment
  • No payment deadlines to track

3 payments of $1,300
Total: $3,900

  • Spread cost across program
  • Payment 1: Enrollment (Modules 1-2)
  • Payment 2: Start of Module 3
  • Payment 3: Prior to Module 5 & final assessment
This is an investment in practicing occupational therapy differently, not leaving it behind. Whether you integrate coaching skills into your current role or expand into new practice models, you are building on your OT foundation while strengthening how you support real, lasting change.

Many participants use professional development funds or continuing education benefits to support enrollment.

What happens after you enroll

After enrollment, you’ll receive onboarding details, cohort confirmation, and access to course materials. You’ll also be guided through next steps so you know exactly what to expect before your first session.

Who is this program for?

This program is designed for occupational therapy practitioners who want to strengthen how they support real, lasting change without stepping outside OT scope or leaving the profession behind.

This Program Is a Good Fit If You…

  • You are an OT or OTA working in pediatrics, mental health, chronic condition management, community-based care, or traditional medical settings
  • You want better tools to support follow-through, motivation, and carryover between visits
  • You are interested in parent coaching, caregiver support, or behavior change without becoming prescriptive
  • You want to expand your impact while staying grounded in OT values, ethics, and scope

This Program May Not Be a Fit If You…

  • Are looking to leave OT entirely
  • Want a generic, business-first coaching program
  • Prefer quick certifications without applied practice or role clarity
  • Are not interested in evidence-informed, ethical practice

Optional conversation available for OTs and OTAs who want clarity before enrolling.

Frequently asked questions

What is health coaching, and how does it fit with occupational therapy?

Health coaching is a collaborative, client-centered approach that supports people in making meaningful, sustainable changes in daily habits, routines, and health behaviors.

Occupational therapy and health coaching share a strong philosophical foundation. Both are holistic, strengths-based, and focused on participation in meaningful life activities. Health coaching adds structured behavior change frameworks, motivation-focused communication, and accountability strategies that help clients carry changes into everyday life.

For occupational therapy practitioners, health coaching does not replace OT. It strengthens OT practice, particularly when working with chronic conditions, lifestyle-related health concerns, caregiver support, and long-term change.

Is health coaching within the scope of practice for OTs and OTAs?

Yes. Health coaching principles fall well within the occupational therapy scope of practice when used appropriately and ethically.

Occupational therapy’s scope includes health promotion, prevention, lifestyle redesign, and support for participation in meaningful daily activities. Health coaching complements this scope by offering structured methods for facilitating behavior change, enhancing motivation, and supporting client self-management.

This program explicitly addresses scope of practice, ethical decision-making, and role clarity, helping practitioners confidently integrate coaching skills while maintaining professional standards and licensure requirements.

Who is this program designed for—OTs, OTAs, or both?

The Just for OT: Practitioner to Coach Program is designed specifically for occupational therapists (OTs) and occupational therapy assistants (OTAs). Content is taught with attention to:

- Scope of practice and supervision considerations
- Real-world application across settings
- Ethical integration of coaching skills

Graduates use these skills within traditional OT roles, in parent and caregiver coaching, in chronic disease management, and in emerging or non-traditional practice models.

Will I be eligible to sit for the NBHWC certification exam after completing the program?

Just for OT: Practitioner to Coach Program at Aspire OT is an Approved Health and Wellness Coach Training & Education Program by the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC). Graduates of this program are eligible to apply for the HWC Certifying Examination to become a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC).

NBHWC certification also requires completion of additional prerequisites determined by the Board, including documented coaching sessions completed outside the training program. Aspire OT provides guidance to help participants understand these requirements and plan next steps.

Applicants are encouraged to review current NBHWC eligibility requirements directly.

How long does the program take to complete, and what is the time commitment?

The program can be completed in as little as six months, with flexibility built in for working clinicians.

- Modules 1 and 2 are completed live as a cohort, with weekly sessions
- Modules 3 and 4 are self-paced
- Module 5 is completed live after prior modules are finished This hybrid structure allows participants to balance coursework with full-time clinical work.

Can I use health coaching skills in my current OT role?

Yes. Many participants enroll specifically to strengthen their existing OT practice.

Health coaching skills are especially useful when clients or caregivers:
- struggle with follow-through
- feel overwhelmed by lifestyle changes
- manage chronic or complex conditions
- experience ambivalence, burnout, or low motivation

OT practitioners use coaching approaches to support carryover, strengthen routines, and build client capacity between visits.

How is this program different from general health coaching programs?

Most health coaching programs are designed for a general audience and do not address occupational therapy scope, ethics, or clinical reasoning.

This program is different because it is:
- designed exclusively for OTs and OTAs
- grounded in OT scope, values, and professional identity
- focused on function, daily life participation, and real-world application
- taught using occupational therapy language and case examples

Rather than asking practitioners to translate generic coaching concepts, this program integrates coaching directly into occupational therapy practice.

Still Deciding?

Still considering whether this is the right fit?
Many OT practitioners want to explore how health coaching fits their scope, setting, and professional goals before enrolling.

How the Just for OT: Practitioner-to-Coach Program Compares

If you’re exploring health coaching training options, you may notice that many programs look similar at first glance. This comparison is provided to help occupational therapy practitioners understand how this program is specifically designed to align with OT scope, professional standards, and real-world practice needs.

Rather than positioning one path as “better,” this table highlights key differences in focus, audience, and application so you can make an informed decision based on your goals.
Many health coaching programs offer strong foundational training. The Practitioner-to-Coach Program was intentionally developed for occupational therapy practitioners who want to integrate coaching skills into OT practice, maintain professional identity, and build confidence working across settings.

If you’re deciding between programs, consider which approach best supports your scope of practice, learning needs, and long-term professional goals.
This program was created to support occupational therapy practitioners in expanding their impact while honoring professional scope, ethics, and identity.
Logo AOTA Approved Provider
The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA or indicate AOTA approval of a certification or other professional recognition.
Seal for an "Approved Training Program" for the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC)
Just for OT: Practitioner to Coach Program at Aspire OT is an Approved Health and Wellness Coach Training & Education Program by the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC). Graduates of this program are eligible to apply for the HWC Certifying Examination to become a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC).