Please forgive me, for I have sinned. I used to be a stereotypical dietitian in my first 2 (ok more like 4) years in practice. I'm now in my 5th year of practice and STILL learning my style.
I was a very good student and sought to do the best job I could on every homework assignment, project, presentation, and test. I knew what my career path would be by age 12 thanks to reading Reviving Ophelia and wanting to help people overcome their fears about eating and their bodies. I haven't regretted that decision at all over the years and feel pretty lucky to have discovered this at such a young age. Looking around the workplace I see people decades older than me uninspired and unhappy on the job. That will never be me. (Check back in 15 years, just to be safe.)
In college I learned certain diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure can be treated by modifying one's diet, exercise habits, and losing weight (not quite true, it turns out, but more on that later). As a baby dietitian I spoke non-stop at 100 miles per hour in my patient visits. I handed out pre-designed meal plans and miscellaneous handouts to solve everyone's problems. Then I wondered why no one ever came back to keep working at their problems.
Three years ago I was hired by my current company and credit my boss and colleagues for being knowledgeable about understanding resistance to making behavioral change and "non-diet" approaches to weight management. I finally understand why a dietitian's counseling skills make all the difference in truly helping someone, more so than their book knowledge. I am still working on the nuances of being a better "nutrition coach/counselor" but am confident in the direction I am heading.
So to those patients I saw from 2006-2010 I'm sorry for not doing my best.
Your friendly dietitian,
Erica
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