Here’s how to use Nutrition Cheat Sheets to help you get the most out of your time in clinical nutrition and gaining confidence in nutrition.
Building confidence in nutrition seems so easy
It seems sort of simple.
As dietitians, we talk to people every day. Most of us probably decided to become RDs because we love sharing healthful information with those who need it most and assume that counseling our clients is going to be the easier part of being a dietitian.
But this part can be harder than it seems. Think about how many times these things have happened when you sit down for a chat with your clients:
- Clients clam up and have nothing to say.
- Patients are exhausted or sleeping when you visit.
- Some people tell half the story about what they’re eating.
- Other times people are simply forgetful and need a lot of cues to help them give you the full story.
Having a set of go-to questions to get a counseling session started off right, can be the difference between a conversation that goes no where fast, and one that gives empowers your client and gives them the confidence to implement change.
Start with these 3 steps
As dietitians, we’re taught to walk into the room with an agenda and a plan.
The problem? Many times, the information we want to give them is not the information our clients are looking to for. If it’s not what they’re interested in, they aren’t going to be changes they’re prepared to make.
When you start with these 3 questions, you’ll give your clients some key openings to start sharing information that will help you give them more of what they need.
- What they want to change (ex: Why am I here?)
- Has anything has worked in the past (ex: Have you made changes before?)
- How you can help (ex: How can I help?)
Let’s take a closer look at each of these questions and how best to use them.
What do they want to change?
A great starting place when walking into your client’s room is what they think is the reason for your visit.
Most people will usually have an idea about why they came to see you or the reason a doctor put the referral in. Learning their ideas on how you can be helpful or why you’re there in the first place, is central to being able to give them what they’re really looking for.
When you lead with this question, you’re doing 2 things.
First, it gives your client control over the narrative. You are no longer the expert in the room, they are. They know themselves better then you do, and because of that, they should have a voice in what they believe is their biggest health issue.
This doesn’t just give your client a sense of empowerment, it also gives them the confidence to know that they do, in fact, know something important.
Second, it gives you a starting point. When you know what your client thinks is important, you know exactly which handout to focus on and which part of your speech to cut out.
Want more counseling questions like this? Start here
What’s worked in the past?
So you’ve sorted out what your client thinks they need some help with. Great. Next thing to find out is what’s worked for them in the past.
This question is an excellent tool you can use to gauge interest and get a baseline of readiness. Although you’re not directly asking if your client is actually ready to make change, this question will often begin to make that clear.
Not all your clients will have been successful in making changes in the past, just as not everyone will have even tried to change their health or lifestyle. Either way, this question gives your client a unique opportunity to reflect on the kind of effort they’ve put in to their own wellbeing.
This is a nice way to get a sense of what they might be willing to try again and the kind of focus or patience they have when they decide to make a change. For those who’ve been successful this can be a great reminder that change is possible — as well as an opportunity to support them in a more sustainable version of that success.
Keep in mind that just because something didn’t work in the past, it doesn’t mean it killed their confidence. Likewise, just because they saw success at one point, doesn’t mean they have the confidence to do it again. Be aware that both possibilities can exist and part of your job is to be empathetic to whichever version manifests.
How you can help?
For this final question, your job here is to do only 1 thing. Listen. Listen to what they’re asking for, and then give them that thing. What they say here is the goal they want to set. Our job as a dietitian is to give our clients the tools they need to reach that goal.
After being asked the first 2 questions, your client has already reflected on what they consider to be their health challenges. They’ve also considered what’s worked (and what hasn’t worked) as they’ve tried to make changes in the past.
Now is their opportunity to tell you clearly, what they’re ready to do more of and what kind of help they actually want.
In nutrition counseling, getting your client’s confidence up is ultimately a matter of empowerment. You’re empowering them to be the expert. The decision maker for themselves. The one in the room who truly knows what they need. This question does each of these things.
And That's It!
Follow these 3 steps and you’ll build your client’s confidence in nutrition while giving them the tools they need to improve their health for the long run.
When you give your client exactly what they’re asking for, you give your clients permission to choose their own path and set their own goals.
Want even more to help in clinical?
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