Am I 'the One' for You?

If you're like nearly half of all Brits, you'll have made a health-related new year's resolution at some point in your life. According to the stats, it's also likely that, if you made a resolution this January, you're no longer keeping it. Perhaps, instead of going it alone, you're consdering working with a practitoner to help get you there. But there's a whole range of practitioners in the health and wellness industry, from the supremely qualified to the downright nutty. How do you decide who's right for you?

In a future post I'm going to talk about finding a practitioner in general; what to look for and how to avoid getting taken for a ride. But, seeing as this is my account, I thought I'd set out my own stall first.

You can and should look out for signs that your practitioner is appropriately qualified, safe and regulated. But often a successful partnership with a practitioner is based around a good working relationship. When your practitioner's ethos, personality and way of working are compatible with the way you like to work, and when they push the right buttons for you (and avoid the wrong ones) you're more likely to achieve a satisfying outcome.

You may be wondering what my ethos is and whether I’m someone you’d like to work with. If you really want to get to know me, the best way is to follow me on social media. But here are 10 things that define the way I work, which you may want to consider.

1.      I've got the credentials. Did you know that anyone can call themselves a nutritional therapist? It's not a protected title. Not everyone is degree-qualified. I am. That means that, as well as clinical practice, I've studied anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, research methods, biochemistry, reflective practice and much more. Oh, and I have over 20 years' experience in education so I'm really good at explaining things, being creative and working with young people.

2.      I don’t have an agenda. I don’t favour one particular way of eating, and I don’t receive bonuses from any nutrition companies. That means that my advice is as impartial as I can manage and is suited to you.

3.      I don’t make empty promises. I don’t offer you ‘body transformations’; they’re not realistic, and your body is amazing just as it is. It doesn’t require transforming. Instead I offer you the opportunity to honour your body by finding out which food serves it best and using that to support your health in a way that is enjoyable and manageable within the life you live. Despite the lack of fake promises, my clients generally experience benefits within a couple of weeks.

4.      I’m size friendly. Are you sick of conversations being about your weight or size rather than your health? Not with me. The evidence shows that long-term, sustained weight loss is only possible for a small minority of people. The diet industry is selling people a lie and destroying their self-esteem and relationship with food in the process. Do you want to be associated with an exploitative industry with a 5% success rate? I don’t!

5.      I’m evidence based. You may be wondering what happens when I’m not face-to-face with you. I’m probably researching your case. And by ‘research’ I don’t mean I’m reading the work of some dodgy practitioner with a fake degree. I’m looking for reliable, peer-reviewed studies from reputable sources relating to your needs. The truth is that I won’t always find them, but I’ll do the best I can, and be honest about the quality of available evidence.

6.      I’m safe. I’m in the process of updating my professional memberships and insurance as we speak. Are you on a medication? I’ll check if it’s safe for you to use any supplements you might be considering. That’s nothing special; it should be standard practice. I’m in a clinical supervision group, so I can always get feedback if I’m struggling (we never reveal personal details about our clients; your confidentiality is of the utmost importance). I love going to quality training events where I can learn more about best practice.

7.      I’m kind and respectful. I don’t do ‘tough love’, and I don’t ‘push you for your own good’ unless you ask me to. I may be the expert, but you’re the boss. I’m on your side and I’m here to support you. I listen to what you want, not what I think you should have. I give you time to express your needs and preferences, and I value them.

8.      I have a secret superpower. Did you know that I’m also trained as a hypnotherapist? So, if you’d like help with unwanted behaviours around food, or if you have another unhelpful habit you’d like to work on this year I may be just the person for you.

9.      I keep it real. I don’t have a Rockstar lifestyle, a personal chef or trainer or an aspirational body. I have plenty of bumpy bits and wobbly bits. I often struggle to find time to cook because I’m doing a million other things. My kitchen is small and frequently messy. I like chocolate and ice cream. A lot. In fact, I’m probably very much like you in many ways. That’s why I’m less likely to get all judgy towards you about what you eat; you need never be embarrassed about talking to me about food. If that sounds relatable, I may be the right person for you. If you prefer the aspirational type, great. I have plenty of wonderful, well-qualified practitioner friends who can help.

10.  I’m versatile. There are so many ways to work with me. You can:

• Join my online meal planning course starting on 4 February. This is a fun and very affordable way to work with me wherever you are.
• Have a 1:1 consultation package with me. Click here to book a chat with me about this

·        Come to one of my cookery days

·        Send your children to one of my fun children’s workshops

·        Join me and other fabulous health experts for a Scottish retreat

·        Book me as a speaker for your event, webinar or podcast

·        Have a fabulous VIP day just for you (coming soon)

If this all sounds great to you, let’s talk. You can book a chat with me here. If not, don’t worry; I’ve still got you covered. I’ll be posting very soon about how to choose a nutritional therapist (or indeed any other practitioner) from everyone who’s out there. If you’re not sure, I’ll be talking more about my special areas of interest in a future post. So, whoever you’d like to work with, you’re one step closer to meeting them in 2020.