The Emory Center for Student Wellbeing in Campus Life has launched a new well-being coaching program available to all undergraduate, graduate and professional students at the university. The coaching program is just one part of Emory's ongoing expansion of offerings to support student wellbeing and flourishing.
The new program is a free service that provides non-clinical individual coaching for students who would like to make changes in their lives through support, discussion, reflection, plan development and action. Students can complete a registration form online to be connected with a coach.
In launching the program, the Center for Student Wellbeing has hired two full-time coaches, Michael C. Eberhard and Jennifer Hart Knapp.
The coaches will work with students over a series of sessions to help them focus on achieving personally meaningful goals. Whether it’s being more active, improving sleep habits, making social connections, coping with feelings of loneliness or focusing on other areas of well-being, a coach can help students reach their defined goals.
“Every session is tailored to the individual and their identified goals,” says Megan G. Brown, executive director of the Center for Student Wellbeing. “Coaches also provide an added layer of accountability and support that a student may not have or feel comfortable expressing to their friends.”
Meet the coaches
Eberhard served most recently at Louisiana State University with the Student Health Center as director for the Office of Wellness and Health Promotion. He provided administrative direction for the unit and supervised a team of certified wellness coaches and health education specialists, a registered dietitian and a licensed clinical social worker. He also served as a health educator and managed a wellness coaching caseload, providing one-on-one and group coaching on holistic well-being and lifestyle changes for undergraduate, graduate and professional students with diverse identities and backgrounds.
Eberhard holds a master’s degree in education and organizational leadership from the University of the Pacific and a bachelor’s in social work from California State University, Fresno. He is a board certified coach with the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBC-HWC) and holds certificates in alcohol and drug studies and cross-cultural competency.
Knapp is a board-certified health coach with more than 20 years of experience in personal and professional development in both corporate and consulting settings. She served most recently as a health coach with Vivante Health, where she provided individual video and phone coaching to members seeking to improve chronic health conditions. Knapp employed a holistic approach to address underlying causes and contributing factors of an individual's primary health concern. Her approach encompassed aspects such as stress management, mindfulness, healthy sleep practices, navigating health care systems, physical activity, self-advocacy and self-monitoring.
Knapp holds a master’s degree in professional counseling from Georgia State University and a bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Georgia. She is certified by the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBC-HWC) and holds a certificate in health coaching from Emory.
“We are delighted to have these exceptional professionals join our outstanding team and share our commitment to ensure that every Emory student is empowered to embrace the well-being essential to student flourishing,” Brown says.