Insights from YourCoach Contracted Coach, Simbonika Spencer, MPH, NBC-HWC
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an important opportunity for us to celebrate stories and share perspectives from who we call “Breast Cancer Superheroes.” Last year, we also began sharing insights from the “Heroes Behind the Heroes,” health coaches who provide invaluable support for individuals who are at risk for developing breast cancer, facing a diagnosis or looking to rebuild their sense of selves and health after treatment.
Here at YourCoach, we understand the importance of “Heroes Behind the Heroes” firsthand. Our founder & CEO, Marina Borukhovich turned to health coaching after her cancer treatment was complete to tap back into her inner strength and rediscover who she was. She was inspired to become a health coach and take it one step further – creating YourCoach.Health so every human could have access to a health coach just like she did (you can read more about this incredible story here).
Over the past several years, we’ve been on a mission to contract with incredibly talented and dedicated health coaches who bring to the table vast diversity of experiences and expertise. Through YourCoach, these coaches work with our Industry Partners’ employees and members on a multitude of health goals, which will in many cases include some component of cancer coaching. In today’s blog, we’re grateful to have connected with one of these talented coaches, and a “Hero Behind the Heroes,” Simbonika Spencer, MPH, NBC-HWC.
Simbonika has over 15 years of experience in health coaching and education, with ten of those years in cancer control. This has included a dedicated focus on breast cancer, with support for those undergoing treatment and also providing early detection education. Through this work she’s learned and emphasizes that a person is beyond their diagnosis – they’re a complex, amazing human shaped by the sum of their experiences. In today’s blog, we connected with Simbonika on that approach and how she uses it to provide inclusive support for Breast Cancer Superheroes.
The cancer journey is complex. At what stages of the process can Breast Cancer Superheroes benefit from working with a health coach?
The breast cancer journey can look entirely different for everyone – not everyone has the same risk levels; type of treatment; or response to treatment. This is exactly why health coaches can be so effective, because they provide deeply personal support for every person’s unique situation. Says Simbonika, “While my current practice is general coaching, my previous work involved all stages; pre-diagnosis (early detection, hereditary cancer), during treatment, post treatment, and survivors. Each of these stages requires a different type of support, in that the client’s needs can be vastly different.”
Simbonika expands, “For example, pre-diagnosis may involve supporting a client’s goal with monthly breast-self exams or getting a mammogram. Even at that stage, the coaching support may differ (someone getting a screening mammogram vs someone getting a diagnostic mammogram). If a person is a breast cancer survivor, coaching strategies may focus more on support in physical activity (studies show that exercise can reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence).” Health coaching is all about meeting clients wherever they are, and Simbonika shares that “By adapting to the individual’s specific and unique needs, coaching can be an effective asset in navigating breast cancer, at any stage.”
Disparities in cancer diagnosis & treatment for women of different backgrounds, races & ethnicities have been well documented. What has this looked like in practice?
According to Simbonika, “Disparities exist at every stage of breast cancer. They exist in early detection (impacting the stage at which breast cancer is found), in prevalence rates, in the types of breast cancer, and in survival rates. Social factors (social determinants of health) can also impact breast health and breast cancer experience (cancer risk, diagnosis stage, survivorship).”
Different factors have been shown to impact the ways women receive their diagnoses, screenings, treatment and support. Shares Simbonika, “This can include socio-economic status, race, ethnicity, medical distrust, bias and breast health literacy. While this can be challenging, awareness of these types of disparities and their influencing factors provide many opportunities for coaching support to have a positive impact on individual breast health. For example, helping someone set up a system of wellness reminders that include annual breast cancer screenings.”
What role can health coaches play in addressing health disparities head on and supporting women of diverse backgrounds in navigating early detection and treatment?
Health coaches can be keystone to supporting women from diverse backgrounds because they’re dedicated to understanding their unique experiences, perspectives, stressors, and motivators. Simbonika adds, “Health coaches are aware of the factors influencing breast health, providing support in those health behaviors that can impact breast cancer risk (physical activity, diet, screening adherence, etc).”
When coaching someone from a different background, Simbonika encourages, “The most important thing to remember is that a coach does not need to have all of the answers or even be experts in every type of breast cancer. By approaching each person from a point of cultural humility, along with utilizing proven coaching strategies, a health coach can be an effective breast health partner.”
Here at YourCoach, we understand cultural humility and competency requires a lifelong commitment to diversity & inclusion education. That’s why we partnered with Violet to benchmark and upskill intercultural competencies for our contracted coaches. DE&I training and education is core to our process in preparing contracted coaches to work with our Industry Partners.
After a decade of coaching, what is one piece of advice you’d share with someone who was just diagnosed with breast cancer?
Simbonika explains, “I would encourage them to take a moment to process their diagnosis and to lean on their support network to help them understand the diagnosis, weigh any treatment decisions and (most importantly) to recognize that they do not have to navigate their diagnosis experience alone. As health coaches, we become a part of that support network.
Dedicated health coaches like Simbonika Spencer remind us that no one has to navigate the breast cancer journey alone. Health coaches provide personalized support, helping individuals find strength, purpose, and resilience at every stage. As we continue to highlight Breast Cancer Awareness Month, let’s honor the “Breast Cancer Superheroes” and the “Heroes Behind the Heroes” who empower, uplift, and walk beside them in their fight for health and healing. Thank you, Simbonika, for your incredible insights!
Employers, if you’re not already providing REAL health coaching to your employees, it’s time to make a change (especially with Open Enrollment around the corner). Send us a note to team@yourcoach.health to learn more and to try one of our transformative sessions for yourselves!