Foundational Health Steward

Certification Program

Program Outline

Sankofa's Foundational Health Steward Certification is a year long mentorship program. The program begins with a six month Holistic Wellness Class Series which will give the student a basic understanding of the fundamental concepts of the disease creation and the healing process.  The second six months will focus on practical application and coaching techniques.

During the 12 month period, student who have received a scholarship will be required to engage in hands on practicum by becoming an ITAV Community Steward in their local area. 

It Takes a Village (ITAV) is a 501(c)3 Non Profit Organization that provides empowering educational resources and support communities to people around the world to take charge of their lives and heal themselves. Their dynamic low or no cost natural health workshops and programs provide services that are accessible to all people regardless of financial status, race, gender, or religious affiliation.

ITAV Community stewards participate in monthly mentorship zoom sessions and lead a support group for individuals in their residential area.


Do you have a passion for ministering to the mental, emotional, spiritual and physical needs of others in your family, and community? ​Are you looking for a way to use natural therapies and remedies to help those suffering from chronic ailments and diseases?​​

Sankofa's Foundational Health Steward Certification Program can help you to empower yourself to become a holistic healer for yourself and others.  This intensive program focuses on assisting students in taking the journey toward their own holistic healing and thus be enabled to assist others.  Based on the philosophy that you can not teach what you do not know, all grades and final certification are dependent upon the student ability to incorporate major principles of health and wellness into his/her own life. 

Stewards vs. Coaches: A New Paradigm in Health and Wellness

Introduction

The terms "health coach" and "health steward" might seem interchangeable at first glance, but they represent distinct philosophies and approaches to wellness. While coaches often focus on guiding individuals towards specific health goals, stewards take a broader, more holistic view of health, emphasizing responsibility, community, and environmental well-being.

Understanding the Health Coach

A health coach typically:

Provides guidance: Offers advice and support on diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes.

Sets goals: Helps clients establish specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals

Focuses on individual: Prioritizes the needs and desires of the client.

The Health Steward: A Broader Perspective

In addition to the common activities of a coach, a health steward also:

Empowers individuals: Inspires and motivates people to take ownership of their health.

Cultivates community: Fosters a sense of shared responsibility for collective well-being.

Protects the environment: Recognizes the interconnectedness of human health and planetary health.

Advocates for change: Works to improve health policies and systems.


Why the Steward Approach Matters

The health steward model offers several advantages:

Sustainability: Promotes long-term health and well-being by addressing root causes.

Equality: Emphasizes the importance of creating healthy environments for everyone.

Leadership: Cultivates a new generation of health advocates.

Conclusion

While both health coaches and stewards play valuable roles in promoting wellness, the steward approach offers a more comprehensive and sustainable vision for health. By shifting the focus from being exclusively concerned with individual behavior to also addressing the need to create systemic change, health stewards can create a healthier future for all.


Additionally, students will participate in 4 quarterly 3-Day intensives either virtually or on site at Sankofa's Healing Sanctuary. The first intensive will focus on cleansing and detoxification.  At that time, he/she will also choose an area of concentration for the final project that must be submitted for review at the end of the program.   The second intensive will focus on "Eating To Love" practical applications and demonstrations. The third intensive focuses on assisting the student on a meditational journey that will be a rites of passage into the world of a holistic healer.  The fourth intensive will reintegrate all aspects of the program in a summary fashion.  The student will present his/her final project at this time in written form and in a multimedia presentation for the community. 

During the second half of the training program, the student will also assist others in their healing journey under the close supervision of the managing directors of Sankofa by facilitating online and in person group sessions.

Program Resources

During the certification process, students will have access to Sankofa's Online Learning Center Resources and receive the following:·

· Copy of Creating a Happier Healthier You

· Access to labs (professional pricing)

· Student Discount at Sankofa's Fullscript Dispensary

· Access to Online Guidance Portal - BodySite

· Live weekly coaching sessions to develop mastery of Foundational Health Concepts and Coaching Skills

· Live monthly mastermind sessions to obtain support in creating and maintaining a community support group

· Live monthly mastermind sessions to obtain support in creating and maintaining a business

· Access to Sankofa's Health Professional's Study Library when on site.

Certification Requirements

To successfully complete the program the student will implement a personal holistic wellness program for a minimum of a year which must include complete a series of holistic cleanses for the colon, liver and kidney (Students may choose to participate in a Sankofa Cleansing Retreat for a discounted fee.) a rejuvenation phase and a maintenance phase.  Students will complete accountability journals and bio tracking on the digital guidance portal. Seven case studies applying the principles of Sankofa's 3-Step Program must be submitted - one per month during the second half of the program.  Student must also successfully complete all distance learning courses (Heal Thyself System) and pass all module exams with a minimum grade of 80% or higher.

Students are required to attend at least 80% of the live weekly training sessions.

Other program requirements include: a specialization in a course of study such as the following: Children's Health, Digestive Health, Immune Health, Metabolic Health, Natural Family Planning, Healthy You, Healthy Baby, etc.  Student will create an online webinar to teach the essential concepts in this area of specialization to a "general population". These webinars will be showcased in Sankofa's Online Learning Center to highlight the professional skills of the graduate.

Students will submit a log and other documentation as proof for 100 contact hours of direct work in the community. Service types must be approved prior to submission.

Once all case studies and personal journals have been submitted and reviewed, the student will be conferred with the "Certification of Foundational Health Steward" and may participate in Sankofa's Graduation Ceremony.  

Graduates are eligible to be hired as coaches for Sankofa Healing and Enrichment Inc., SP5, Health Revival Partners, and Verge Health

The total financial investment for this one year program is $4997.00 - This fee does not include the cost of text books, equipment, testing fees, supplements and other health products, and additional therapy sessions.  (Scholarships and Payment Plans are Available)

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Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Michelle Gamble and her associates. Dr. Gamble encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

Dr. Gamble does not practice conventional medicine. More specifically, she does not examine, diagnose or treat, or offer to treat or cure or attempt to cure, any mental or physical disease, disorder or illness, or any physical deformity or injury; and Dr. Gamble does not recommend or prescribe, or recommend changing dosage or discontinuing, any prescription medications or pharmaceutical drugs.