If you’ve been following me for a while, or even if you just found me and happened to land on this article, you may have noticed that I often identify myself as a nutritionist. But what does this mean? What exactly is a nutritionist? And is nutritional therapy something you would benefit from?
First, “nutritionist” is not a credential. I am a registered dietitian nutritionist, which is a certificate. For this, I earned a master’s degree in nutrition, did 9+ months of supervision, and then passed a challenging national exam.
Registered dietitians do many different things. It’s a myth that we all work in hospitals (although some do). If a dietitian does recipe development, they are a recipe developer and a dietician. I do nutritional therapy, so I’m a nutritionist and a dietician.
Healing — what does it mean in one word?
The word “treatment” itself means two different things in the context of nutrition.
Many dietitians (including those working in hospitals) offer medical nutritional therapy, or MNT. This could mean providing tube feeding or intravenous nutrition in a hospital or other facility. It could also mean helping someone learn to eat to manage their high blood pressure (by reducing sodium) or celiac disease (by discovering sources of gluten and finding gluten-free alternatives). And so on. It literally helps one manage a health issue with diet.
When I help my clients with IBS find what foods make their symptoms worse, that’s MNT. When I help my clients with eating disorders learn new eating habits, that’s what MNT is all about.
But nutritional therapy can also resemble mental health or psychological counseling. That’s because what you eat isn’t just about food. It is also about why you eat, how you eat, where you eat and so on. It’s about the history of food and eating and whether it was… complicated.
It’s about whether you have used food to cope with stress or trauma or big emotions in the past, and if you still do now.
It’s about the habits you are trying to form and the habits you are trying to breakand what obstacles—real or “in your head”—you have to overcome. It’s about how you feel about your body and how that affects your eating or not eating.
I always wear my nutritionist hat when working with clients who are:
- Dealing with a long history of chronic yo-yo dieting (and trying to get off that particular hamster wheel)
- Attempting to treat disordered eating behaviors, either in the form of a diagnosed eating disorder or what is often referred to as a “subclinical” eating disorder. (She does not meet the criteria to be diagnosed, but the eating behaviors and mindset are still quite disturbed and bothersome).
Treatment of an eating disorder uses both types of “nutritional therapy.”
How is a nutritionist different from a therapist?
While I practice nutritional therapy, I am not a therapist, mental health counselor, psychologist, etc. I have searched for a lot of continuing education in different mental health topics, but the way I approach them in my work is different than how a mental health professional would.
For example, I have extensive training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). While I may use specific tools from ACT or DBT as the case may be, I do not “do” ACT or DBT with clients. I don’t put them through this whole process.
Similarly, I am trained in trauma careand can talk with clients about how past/current trauma affects their relationship with food and their body, but don’t directly help them heal the wound. That’s not my lane and it’s not within my scope of practice as a registered dietitian.
If a client has anxiety about food choices or their anxiety is getting in the way of eating, I will help them work through it. But I’m not treatment their stress, and I don’t help them deal with stress in aspects of their lives that don’t somehow intersect with eating, exercise, or self-care.
To look at the other side, if a mental health professional is treating a client for generalized anxiety disorder, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, trauma, or something else, food may come up in those conversations. However, it would be outside their scope of practice to make specific dietary recommendations.
How a nutritionist can help
I know (unfortunately) that many people think their dietitian will judge them for their current eating habits, give them a meal plan and then judge them again if they don’t “comply”. I’d be lying if I said there aren’t dietitians like that, but that’s not how I work, and that’s not how most dietitians work.
I don’t judge my clients, because I know that our relationship with food and eating—and our bodies—is complicated. And if you’re also dealing with a psychological or neurological difference like ADHD, depression, anxiety, or PTSD, that makes things more difficult.
I approach my work as a nutritional therapist with compassion, curiosity and acceptance of my clients about who they are and what life experiences brought them to where they are today. I know the reason they reached out to me is because they are struggling in some way and dealing with physical, mental or emotional distress (or all of the above).
I don’t try to “fix” people, but I try to guide and support them in a way that helps relieve their distress and resolve their struggles. Sometimes this means suggesting that they take something to their mental health therapist (if they already have one) or that they seek mental health counseling for issues that are broader and affect all areas of their lives.
I have some clients who have been in treatment for years. I have had others who realize they need to start healing again after working on the “food part” discover they have deeper unresolved issues to take care of. Just like many people think they should be able to figure out “food” on their own, they think they should be able to figure out “stress stuff” on their own. The reality is that we all have our own ‘stuff’ and there is no shame in seeking professional help and support.
Looking for nutritional therapy for yourself? Book a free 20 minute call to discuss.
Disclaimer: All information provided here is general in nature and provided for educational purposes only. This information should not be taken as medical or other health advice related to an individual’s specific health or medical condition. You agree that use of this information is at your own risk.
Hi, I’m Carrie Dennett, MPH, RDN, a weight that includes registered dietitian, nutritionist and body image consultant. I offer compassionate, personalized care for adults of all ages, shapes, sizes and genders who want to break free from eating disorders, disordered eating or years of dieting. If you need to learn how to management of IBS symptoms with food, or improve your eating and lifestyle habits to help manage a current health concern or just supporting your overall health and wellness, helping people with that too.
Need 1-on-1 help with your nutrition, food or body image concerns? Schedule a free 20-minute Discovery Call let’s talk about how I can help you and explore if we’re a good fit! I am in network with Regence BCBS, FirstChoice Health and Providence Health Plan and can bill Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield insurance in many states. If I don’t get your insurance, I can help you claim compensation yourself. To learn more, explore our insurance and service areas page.
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