How to convince your clients to go to therapy (for dietitians and other helping professionals)

The Innovative Therapist

Episode 98. Today's episode is directly from an amazing community member question. Her question was: I would love to know ways that I, as a dietitian, can support my clients and even ways to help nudge them toward working with a therapist if they aren't already. Are there simple ways to help explain the importance of therapy, mindset, stress on weight loss goals? Any books, trainings, other resources you could share would be wonderful! Have you ever had a question like this? If you are a dietitian or other helping professional, my guess is you have. If you've ever had a question like this (or a similar one, like how do I get my therapy client to go see a dietitian, or how do I get my partner to go to therapy, etc), you'll love this episode!​ Getting someone to change or do anything is a challenge of course. Instead of convincing or coercing, we are going to talk about ways to get curious and help them do the same. Join Our Upcoming Workshop! Sign up today to join! What to Expect in this Interview In this interview, we cover: 6:40: If you are a dietitian, health coach, or other helping professional and working with someone you think would really benefit from therapy, what can you say to help this person see the value too 11:12: What if someone says "that's a good idea, I should" and then continues to not take steps towards therapy? 13:00: How can you encourage them to seek therapy without making them feel like their issues are "too much" or make them feel shame? 21:53: How can you tell if dietitian or health coaching services may not be enough? 24:58: My favorite research study, The Milkshake Study, that demonstrates the role of mindset on our biology so perfectly Some therapy resources for people who need some logistical help finding a therapist And much more! "I know I shouldn't focus on weight loss, but..." (Polarized Parts Alert!) Are you feeling unsure how to guide a client who wants to improve their relationship with food, but also wants to lose weight? We offer this super cool transformational exercise that can help your clients work to understand their polarized parts, build self-trust and listen to their intuition! This free PDF gives step-by-step instructions for doing one of my all-time favorite exercises (based on Internal Family Systems theory) to explore polarized parts. It will help clients get to know the parts of themselves without judgment, understand their intention, and create empowerment and harmony in their body. This is hands-down one of the best ways I've found to help support client autonomy and build self-trust at the same time. I can't wait to share it with you! Sign up today to begin this innovative journey! Therapy Resources Mentioned: NAMI Knowledge Article on Treatment: “I need to see a Psychiatrist/Therapist. How can I find one?” Provides options for low-cost/no-cost resources, Public Health Coverage (Medicaid, Medicare), and private insurance. American Psychological Association offers a psychologist locator where you can search for a therapist; search by location and then filter by insurance carrier, treatment methods, specialization, languages spoken and more. Online Therapy and Mental Health Apps MindBodyVA.com - Founded a led by Shawn's good friend and excellent psychologist colleague Dr. Sapna Doshi Disclaimer: This blog and podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual professional advice or treatment, including medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider patient relationship.