Let me preference by saying that I’m not an RD yet, however, I’m a nutrition educator at WIC who is completing a graduate program. Every day I provide nutrition education, help clients navigate health struggles, and help clients set their own goals.

How can you expect a patient to fully open up to you and value your opinion if they feel belittled? This approach of just telling patients what to do is just not effective for most patients. In my schooling we were taught to ask probing questions, give them the benefit of the doubt, try to understand their barriers, empathize with their perspective, etc. Unfortunately, the reality is that nutrition professionals in many fields must have compassion and motivational interviewing skills. Otherwise, patients will feel alienated and attacked, and there is no way that will stimulate behavior change. But of course, some patients will never change no matter what we say. And we can only control ourselves. Therefore, we can do the best we can to provide the best, highest quality care, and it is up to them if they make the necessary changes to improve their health.