Mental Health Is More Important in Fitness Coaching Than We Think—Here’s How to Address It in Your Practice

Most trainers are all too familiar with the feeling when the line between CPT and PsyD becomes blurred. You may not technically be qualified to give psychological advice during a personal training session, but mental health has always been a core part of fitness coaching. 

However, research shows that coaches lack opportunities for mental health education around their clients’ needs. “Coaches should be trained to recognize mental health symptomatology, how to facilitate athletes’ help-seeking behaviors, and how to refer athletes to evidence-based interventions,” researchers state in a 2020 BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine study. 

But you don’t need to hold a psych degree to give an extra helping hand: There are quite a few ways you can support your clients’ mental health and incorporate positive practices into your coaching. Here’s how to get started.

1. Focus on your clients’ progress and journey, not an end-goal

It’s about the journey, not the destination — and research backs this cliche up. The 2020 BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine study suggests that coaches set the expectations and environment to either positively or negatively impact athletes’ stress and anxiety. The researchers conclude that coaches can help reduce their clients’ stress and anxiety by focusing on “process outcomes” rather than “performance outcomes.”

Encouraging your clients to take progress photos, journal about their experience after each session, and keep a log of their lifts can help veer them away from negative thought patterns. If you notice your clients shaming themselves around food or exercise, as a trusted voice, you have the power to help them grow awareness of their language and try to shift their mindset to more positive-oriented goals. The goal is to reframe the definition of “progress” to focus on getting stronger, rather than hitting a specific number on the scale or another arbitrary end goal.

2. Hone in on how physical health helps mental health
   

We all know that motivation falters, and the only way to stick to a consistent fitness regimen is to build discipline. While fitting into an old pair of pants may ignite that initial motivation in your clients, that burst of inspiration is bound to crash and burn if their only motive is to look different (soon enough, they’ll revert to their old eating habits and sedentary lifestyle). 

One solid way to inspire lasting behavior change? Help them understand the science behind how working out helps improve mental health. 

And the research here definitely isn’t lacking. A 2023 review in the journal Cureus found that exercising helps reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety while boosting mood and self-esteem. It doesn’t just end there: The research also suggests that regularly working out can help improve sleep quality and may even help people with alcohol dependence reduce their cravings for a drink.

3. Leverage trust to connect your clients with mental health services
   

Trust is at the center of the coach-client relationship, and often, clients look to their CPTs as an objective party they can turn to in times of stress. Because of this, it’s so important to offer encouragement when it comes to seeking help outside of the gym.  

The BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine study stresses how important it is to be aware of the signs and symptoms that come with mental health issues, and how vital it is to be well-versed in your responsibilities during mental health situations (whether they’re an emergency or not). Because you see your clients regularly, you have the unique ability to monitor and respond to changes in their behavior that may point to potential mental health concerns.

“Athletes identify coaches as suitable gatekeepers for helping connect athletes to mental health services,” the study says. In other words: You may have a better chance of getting them to seek the help they need, whether that may be from a psychologist, dietitian, or another health professional. 

April Benshosan
April is a writer, editor, and content strategist with a Master’s degree in Publishing. Her work highlights her passion for responsible health journalism, and she’s been published in print and digital outlets, including Women’s Health, EatingWell, SHAPE, Well+Good, LIVESTRONG.com, Health.com, Abbott, and more.