Two Chicago Area Women Are Leading the Way in Functional Medicine Health Coach Training

Just over three years ago, two Northshore women, Sandra Scheinbaum, Ph.D. and Elyse Wagner, M.S., made a bold decision to open the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy, Inc. (FMCA), an international company offering a twelve-month curriculum designed to train students in Functional Medicine Coaching. The online coaching program was created in collaboration with the Institute of Functional Medicine (IFM), a non-profit organization chaired by Dr. Mark Hyman, Director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine. Fast forward to 2017 and FMCA has grown from the seed of an idea to a global company with just over 900 students and graduates representing all 50 states and over 30 countries. The business idea grew from two trends that are significantly impacting healthcare:

The rapidly expanding growth of Functional Medicine as the model for 21st century healthcare.

The increasing recognition of the value of health coaches working alongside medical professionals to create a culture of wellness.

Prior to opening FMCA, Scheinbaum, a veteran clinical psychologist and Wagner, a certified nutritionist and licensed counselor, coached together in Highland Park, IL. They realized they were making a huge impact on their clients by educating and empowering them to take charge of their health through positive psychology and nutrition coaching.

They shared their vision of training, inspiring and empowering like-minded professionals to become health coaches with the leaders at The Institute for Functional Medicine, who immediately saw how the company's business plan could help fill a void in the Functional Medicine model.

FMCA and IFM worked in tandem to create a robust 12-month curriculum with modules that integrate the art of coaching with principles of Functional Medicine, nutrition, the psychology of eating, mind-body medicine and positive psychology. They hired a faculty that includes a variety of experts in medicine, nutrition and psychology from such prestigious entities as Yale University, Harvard Medical School, Duke University, the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine and The Institute of Functional Medicine.

As a result, FMCA is the only internationally approved Functional Medicine health coach training program through the International Consortium for Health & Wellness coaches that has completely incorporated Functional Medicine and Functional Nutrition into the curriculum.

The Functional Medicine Coaching Academy, Inc. established a virtual Coaching Center where clients who might not have access to, or be able to afford a health coach, can work with a supervised apprentice health coach at an affordable rate either one-on-one or in small groups from anywhere in the world.

About the FMCA Founders

Dr. Sandra Scheinbaum is the founder and CEO of the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy, Inc. An Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner, she was a licensed clinical psychologist for over 35 years, specializing in blending mind-body medicine with positive psychology. Dr. Scheinbaum is the author of Stop Panic Attacks in 10 Easy Steps: Using Functional Medicine to Calm Your Mind and Body with Drug-Free Techniques and How to Give Clients the Skills to Stop Panic Attacks: Don't Forget to Breathe. Elyse Wagneris the Co-founder of the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy, Inc. and Vice President of Strategic Development. A graduate of Bastyr University, she holds a dual Master's degree in Clinical Psychology and Holistic Nutrition. She has been practicing asa health coach for over five years. Elyse is the author of Smoothie Secrets Revealed - A Guide to Enhance Your Health.

Scheinbaum and Wagnerrecently co-authored, Functional Medicine Coaching: How to Be Part of the

Movement That's Transforming Health Care. Published in April, 2017, it is a #1 best-selling book on Amazon.com.

To learn more about Functional Medicine Coaching Academy, Inc., visit:

Website: htt ps://www.functionalmedicinecoaching.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/functionalmedicinecoaching

Instagram:@functionalmedcoach

Twitter: @fxmedcoach

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/functional-medicine-coaching-academy-inc