Coaching

Welcome to Health Coaching at JSA.

Helping you live your healthiest life.

Health Coaching is new to the mental health or mental “fitness” arena. Specifically adding a focus on your physical health by targeting behaviors that prevent and improve your physical health, Health Coaching (HC) is a key to living your best life.

HC relies heavily on a plan, measures, tracking, progress and goal setting. Some of the traditional therapy concepts of support, validation and relationship-building are also an important part of HC. Here, though, your health goals remain the foremost focus, as opposed to in-depth psychotherapy work. 

Heath Coaches can be certified through training institutes such as The National Society of Health Coaches, The American Council on Exercise, and Duke Integrative Medicine .  We are proud that our HC, Penny Toman (see below) is certified by the American Council on Exercise.

What Kind of Clients Hire a Health Coach?

People like you do! Health Coaching clients are extremely varied: all ages find themselves benefitting. Some examples of what might motivate the hiring of a coach:

• a chronic health condition such as diabetes that requires lifestyle or diet management
• new medical diagnosis
• a serious need for stress reduction
• a need or desire to stop smoking
• a life change event such as a new baby, job change, requiring a new normal
• help with diet and exercise
• an age-related challenge such as balance issues, lack of energy, and healthy eating for one or two.
• gastric bi-pass surgery (or other weight loss surgery) : before or after
• chronic sleep problems

How do I begin?

Call 803-814-5559 to schedule your assessment session with our Certified Health Coach Penny Toman. At your first session, you and Penny will discuss your goals and plan and set a meeting frequency. Typically, 50 minute sessions are held every other week for about a 3 month period. 

Download and complete our Coaching Forms

Penny Toman, LISW-CP, Certified Health Coach

Hi! I look forward to working with you! A bit about me:

Health Coaching has become a very natural extension of my practice as a clinical social worker. I began my career in hospitals with patients facing new diagnoses, living with chronic illness and those determined to recover after a surgery. I learned to love the combination of mental health and physical health, and how the mind and body work together.

In 2018, I became a certified Health Coach through the American Council on Exercise. and I am thrilled to now offer this service through Jill Smith and Associates, where I have been working since January of 2020.

I consider myself a part of your “wellness team” and will collaborate with your physician, therapist, dietitian, etc.

When I’m not working, you can find me enjoying a great cup of coffee, taking a ride on my Peloton, or taking a long walk with my family.

I work with my HC clients in these areas and others:

• Family health and wellness, including children
• Healthy aging
• Chronic health conditions such as diabetes and autoimmune diseases
• Bariatric surgery
• Stress management
• Sleep hygiene
• Healthy lifestyle changes

Licensed Independent Social Worker of Clinical Practice (LISW-CP)

Certified Health Coach, American Council on Exercise, 2018.

Certified Case Manager, 2013

Post Graduate Clinical Supervision, George Washington University , 2008

Undergraduate Certificate in Addictions, University of Central Florida, 2005