When Leah Martinson, a health coach in Minneapolis, first meets with a new client, she typically asks her to visualize a clear picture of what she wants—her ideal wellness scenario. Then they work together to create what Martinson calls a client-driven action plan. “I don’t tell people what to do,” she says. “I prompt them to figure it out for themselves.” She asks questions like “What is it about the gym that you dread?” “What kind of exercise is exciting to you?” and “What do you enjoy cooking at home?” The idea is to identify your personal barriers and how to overcome them. After that first session, Martinson sees the person regularly (for anywhere from 20 to 90 minutes at a time) to help her stay on track. “It’s sort of like therapy, but with a mind-body health twist,” she says.

Wellness coaches aren’t supposed to recommend specific exercise routines (as a fitness trainer would) or advise you about your nutritional needs (as registered dietitians do), explains Ruth Quillian Wolever, PhD, director of Vanderbilt Health Coaching at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Vanderbilt University. They also don’t diagnose conditions or suggest medications. Instead, a health coach is supposed to, well, coach you.

Consider this familiar example: Most of us know that it’s healthier to order a side salad than a side of fries. “But there’s a big difference between knowing what you should do and actually doing it,” points out Wolever. Coaches help people make those types of healthier choices by brainstorming with them about what will really motivate them.

Similarly, a health coach can’t tell you how to reduce the amount of stress in your life. (She won’t propose that you, say, consider a career switch or end a toxic relationship.)

But she can help you figure out how to manage your stress better, says Kate Motz, a health coach in Mountainside, N.J. With her clients, Motz discusses various strategies— everything from getting massages to starting a new hobby—so the clients can choose what sounds most appealing (and feasible).

The concept of wellness coaching isn’t exactly new. Health-oriented destination spas like Canyon Ranch and Miraval have long offered this kind of service to their guests. What is new? The idea that most people could benefit from it, and the fact that it’s more widely available right where you live.

Some doctors around the country are even starting to add coaches to their practice. Mott Blair, MD, a family physician in Wallace, N.C., says his in-office coach has been a vital addition, especially for patients dealing with new diagnoses. “When I tell patients they have diabetes or high cholesterol, there is so much information for them to absorb,” says Dr. Blair, who is also on the board of directors of the American Academy of Family Physicians. “Our health coach spends a lot of time with each person—often regularly scheduled 30-minute appointments—to help them stay motivated and accountable.”

Dr. Ejnes—whose practice in Cranston, R.I., has nurse care managers on staff to play the role of coach, keeping in touch with patients between office visits—sees this trend as a very good thing. It’s part of a movement toward a more collaborative, team-based approach, he says, that will eventually lead to better, more comprehensive care.