What is Nutritional Therapy?

Extensive practical experience: Hands-on work with a diverse range of clients allows therapists to hone their skills in gathering information, analysing health histories, and use creative, critical thinking to understand and resolve atypical and challenging situations that make a personalised nutrition plans effective and achievable to follow.

• From the beginning of my 15 year career as a practicing nutritional therapist, I have worked with a wide variety of cases, including people dealing with serious mental health conditions and drug addictions, and many complex cases that required careful consideration of unique individual circumstances and adaptation of recommendations based on evolving needs.

• This practical experience has been essential in deepening my understanding of how to tailor recommendations to each client's specific needs, as their circumstances are often unique and dynamic, requiring a level of flexibility and problem-solving that goes beyond textbook knowledge.
   

Continuous learning: Staying current with the latest research and engaging in critical analysis of evidence is essential for providing up-to-date, evidence-based recommendations.

• In addition to reading research directly for my own clients and learning, I contribute to communicating findings from meta-studies that analyse the combined evidence about specific health and nutrition topics, as a Cochrane member, volunteering to update Wikipedia entries with the latest Cochrane systematic reviews.

• I also develop continuing professional development (CPD) courses for other practitioners to help disseminate current evidence-based knowledge. These activities not only keep me informed but also allow me to contribute to the broader dissemination of reliable nutrition information.

• Furthermore, I pursued post-graduate education by studying on the first UK master's level program in personalised nutrition as part of its first cohort of students, to advance my learning.

• When high-quality research syntheses are not available on a topic, I may conduct a meta-analysis independently to get the answers I need for safer decision-making.

• This is also something I help other practitioners to do as part of their mentoring independent learning projects to advance their confidence in engaging with evidence-based practice when the answers that are more easily available are unclear.  
   

Teaching and mentoring: Communicating complex concepts to students and clients, and guiding other practitioners, deepens a therapist's understanding and ability to apply knowledge effectively.

• For over 7 years, I worked as a senior academic lecturer, teaching nutritional therapy students a range of subjects, from physiology and biochemistry to research methods and nutrition for specific conditions.

• In my role as a clinical education supervisor, I guided students through live consultations with real clients, often without preparation, explaining my thought process and rationale in real-time.

• This experience not only deepened my own knowledge through the application of concepts in real-world settings but also required me to articulate my thought process as I worked, making my clinical reasoning more conscious and explicit.

• Additionally, for over a decade, I have mentored and supervised both recent graduates and experienced practitioners, helping them advance their skills and knowledge, which has further reinforced my own understanding.
   

Experience problem-solving complex cases: Tackling multifaceted health challenges requires quick thinking, comprehensive knowledge, and the flexible solution-oriented creativity to adapt recommendations based on individual circumstances.

• Over the years, I have increasingly worked with clients who have multiple, interconnected health issues, often experiencing so many severe reactions to foods and medications that they felt completely overwhelmed.

• Some of these clients required so many prescription drugs that other practitioners refused to work with them due to the risk of interactions that necessitated highly a intricate, extremely precise and heavily monitored personalised and adaptive approach.

• These professional experiences honed my ability to think critically, connect seemingly disparate pieces of information, explore directions I'd have never considered, and develop innovative solutions that shaped the way I assess, question, plan, trouble-shoot and support all of my clients today.
   

Commitment to evidence-based practice: Maintaining objectivity, integrating high-quality research into decision-making, and openly adjusting stances when warranted by new evidence are key to upholding professional integrity.

• I prioritise staying up-to-date with the latest research, communicating high-quality evidence to practitioners, and critically analysing study limitations to ensure that my practice remains grounded in solid science.

• When evidence consistently supports a change in approach, I openly communicate this to colleagues, students, and clients, explaining the rationale behind the shift.

• I also teach courses about evidence-based healthcare, to help practitioners deepen their understanding of how to find, appraise and apply the best evidence available, and to recognise the limits of the conclusions possible and the future clarifications required. 

• My commitment to evidence-based practice centres not only on ensuring my clinical recommendations are informed by the most comprehensive assessment of existing scientific research, but also that my communication of it to my peers, and their communication helps strengthen and clarify understanding of the scientific method and what is meant by evidence-based healthcare, which are often misrepresented by media and fad-diet culture. 
   

Maintaining transparency and impartiality: Avoiding conflicts of interest, such as accepting sponsorships, commissions, or paid roles from the food, supplement, or laboratory testing industries, helps maintain objectivity and trust.

• Throughout my career, I have consistently declined such offers, ensuring that my recommendations and teachings remain unbiased and focused solely on the best available evidence and the needs of my clients.

• This commitment to transparency and impartiality is essential for maintaining the trust of those I work with and for upholding the integrity of the profession.
   

Demonstrating competence: Regularly engaging in activities that test and showcase expertise, such as live consultations, case study presentations, or published research, helps ensure that competence is maintained and visible.

• As a senior clinical supervisor, I spent years conducting live consultations with real clients in front of student audiences, presented case studies and shared research findings.

• I have continuously engaged in training and mentoring other practitioners for over a decade, all of which require a high level of skill and knowledge as well as the ability to clearly communicate complex information to diverse audiences.

• These activities reflect my passion and commitment, but also the wealth of knowledge, skills and experience I am continually challenging, testing, refining and sharing to ensure that I am always providing the highest level of care to my clients as I support other practitioners to do the same. 
   

Flexibility, accessibility, and adaptability: Keeping the client at the center of the therapeutic relationship is crucial for successful outcomes. This involves being flexible and adaptable in one's approach, recognising that clients may struggle with the plan, not achieve expected results, or receive new information (e.g., test results or diagnoses) that challenges the original working assumptions.

• In such cases, it is essential not to take it personally but rather to use it as a learning opportunity, recognising when additional support, information, or humility is needed.

• Simplifying the plan, making it realistic, and ensuring that it is easy for the client to understand and apply are key strategies for success. Additionally, being flexible in terms of how sessions are delivered (e.g., online or in-person, pay-as-you-go or packages, upfront payment or payment plans) can make nutritional therapy more accessible to a wider range of clients.

• In my practice, I offer both in-person consultations via my Harley Street practice at The Hale Clinic, in London, and online appointments via Zoom, with various payment options and packages to accommodate different needs and preferences.
   

Recognising the need for support: Seeking additional support and guidance when needed is a sign of a competent practitioner.

• When I ran a service in an addictions clinic, I sought clinical supervision from a psychotherapist to navigate the psychological, motivational, and interpersonal challenges, as well as safeguarding issues that sometimes arose, which were not covered in my nutritional therapy training.

• This experience highlighted the importance to me of recognising the limits of one's expertise and seeking support from other professionals when working with complex cases.

• In recognition of the value of ongoing support and guidance, I now provide clinical supervision, mentoring, and educational services to other practitioners to help them develop their skills and knowledge.
   

Counselling skills and reflective practice: While nutritional therapists are not counsellors, developing basic counselling skills and engaging in reflective practice can greatly enhance one's ability to work effectively with clients.

• Before working with clients, I completed training in counselling skills, which complemented my nutritional therapy education.

• Working within an addictions centre further helped me build skills and knowledge around difficulties with willpower, motivation, coping strategies, self-care, and self-esteem issues, which remain relevant in my current practice.

• Engaging in reflective practice allows me to continuously evaluate and improve my approach, ensuring that I am providing the best possible care to my clients.