Heart Healthy Coaching
Ann Knocke
MS, PT, CCS, NBC-HWC
Change begins with awareness and intention. Improving your heart health and wellbeing is a journey. As a client, you can benefit from a coaching partnership that helps you translate knowledge and guidelines into personal, achievable action steps.
Curiosity unlocks potential. Together we can discover your unique “why”. We can explore options and build upon your successes to develop confidence and resilience in achieving lasting lifestyle changes.
Positive change is possible and coaching can pave the way.
My Approach
I have had a passion for helping people since my candy-striping days. For over 30 years I worked as a physical therapist in the hospital setting, specializing in cardiovascular care, from the ICU to out-patient cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation. A great joy in working with a wide variety of patients over these years has been appreciating that each person’s story is unique. In coaching I am excited to have 1:1 conversations and the luxury of more time to discover what each person finds motivating and inspiring.
From my delightfully diverse patients I have learned that variety really is the spice of life - exercise can look like a former hockey player returning the the ice rink to a solo walk in the woods on trails behind your house; healthy eating can include tofu, or not, and the flavors of cuisines from around the world, or simple seasonings and familiar dishes; relaxation practices might look like yoga and meditation, or like quietly petting your cat or listening to opera music.
My philosophy of lifestyle interventions for heart health includes movement, nourishment and relaxation practices - however those look! Wellbeing is more broad, including family, work, relationships and other health concerns. I believe change begins where you are, with your personal goals. You set the priorities and the pace and I aim to make the process enjoyable and fun.
Together we will envision an image of your most vibrant and healthy future, explore personal strengths and past successes, anticipate challenges and focus on progress not perfection.
Coaching Programs
Heart Healthy Habits
$400
12 week program
Designed for individuals motivated to build foundational behaviors in exercise, nutrition and relaxation techniques. Intended to develop autonomy and self efficacy to move forward with sustainable habits.
90 min initial session - zoom or telephone
30 min follow up sessions
Extended sessions
$100
Designed for individuals who desire a longer duration of accountability and personalized support.
30 minute sessions, 1 time per month for 3 months
Consultation
$100
Designed for self-motivated individuals looking for expert guidance in identifying key areas for improvement and developing an action plan.
Single 90 minute session
About me
Credentials
MS, PT, Columbia University, 1990
APTA CCS,1998
American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation - Certified Cardiac Rehabilitation Professional, CCRP,2016
National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching - Board Certified Health Coach, NBC-HWC,2025
Wellcoaches Certified Health and Wellness Coach,2024
Lifestyle Medicine Coach, LMC, 2025
Kripalu 200 hour certified yoga teacher training, 2011
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program, UMass Medical School, 2015
Beyond coaching
I have lived in Wisconsin, Ohio, New York, London, Boston and now New Hampshire. I share an enthusiasm for international travel with my husband and two adult children. I am an avid home chef and other interests include yoga, reading, hiking, kayaking, art museums and artistic performances of all kinds.
Testimonials
“Working with Ann Knocke has been an incredibly positive and transformative experience.”
Her coaching has helped me make meaningful lifestyle changes that clearly paid off — my recent lab results show a total cholesterol reduction of 108 points and a drop in LDL from 183 to 74. These improvements go far beyond what medication alone would typically deliver, and they validate the healthy habits Ann has helped me build over the past couple of months. I genuinely feel good about the changes I’ve made — not because I’m on a “program,” but because I’m truly taking care of myself.
I especially appreciate the coaching process Ann created. It wasn’t what I initially expected or even what I thought I wanted, but sticking with it helped me see how much more effective this approach really is. I never dreaded a single call, and I never felt judged on the days I didn’t meet a goal. Ann’s support made everything feel achievable.
Her guidance on setting SMART goals made progress feel realistic and manageable. I’ve learned so much from her — I feel more educated, more aware, and better equipped to maintain these habits long-term. And on busy days, I appreciated that she adjusted and kept our calls shorter without sacrificing value.
Ann is knowledgeable, encouraging, adaptable, and truly committed to her clients’ well-being. I’m grateful for her support and highly recommend her to anyone looking to make heart-healthy changes that genuinely last.
Randy E
“I recommend Ann as a gentle, helpful companion in making heart healthy changes.”
At being dagnosed with a genetically very high lipoprotein level, I learned that there are no programs for people at risk of a cardiac event, only for people AFTER they have a cardiac event (!)
I began working with Ann to develop a program for myself.
Through careful listening, and summarizing our conversation after each meeting, Ann helped me to choose steps with my nutrition, regular exercise. and mindful practices, that felt do-able, with an eye to improving at my own pace.
She encouraged me to focus on the good things I had done each week, rather than where I had fallen short. As she modeled this for me, now I am doing it for myself. It is much better than brow beating!
Thank you, Ann.
Lucy
Heart Healthy Coaching - Evidence
American College of Cardiology 2025
Research has shown that HWC significantly improves engagement in lifestyle interventions, leading to better cardiovascular outcomes. For example, individuals who engage in coaching programs have shown clinically significant improvements in blood pressure,6 cholesterol levels, blood glucose/A1C levels, BMI,7 cardiorespiratory fitness and overall heart health. By fostering high-quality motivation and self-efficacy, health and well-being coaches help patients become more internally motivated and confident in their ability to make meaningful health changes and maintain them over time.4,8-10
https://www.acc.org/Latest-in-Cardiology/Articles/2025/02/01/42/Prioritizing-Health-Journey-of-the-Health-and-Well-Being-Coaching-Profession
Compendium of Health and Wellness Coaching 2025
The summarized knowledge from 212 articles, including 108 RCTs, indicates that HWC interventions are impactful in managing chronic health conditions and improving lifestyle behaviors. For all previously reported conditions (diabetes, obesity, heart disease, hypertension, obesity, cancer, and wellness) as well as two emerging conditions (respiratory diseases and chronic pain management), studies integrating HWC generally demonstrated positive effects on patient-centered and patient-reported outcomes, including self-efficacy, quality of life, disease management, and medication adherence. HWC also supported improvements in health biomarkers, including blood glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, physical activity, and dietary habits.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40152886/
Contact Me
I offer a complimentary introductory phone call to explore the role of coaching and determine if it we would work well together.