Deck 1: Preparing to Meet Your Clients

Question 1

Define nutrition counseling and nutrition education.

Answer 1

Nutrition counseling is the process of guiding a client toward a healthy nutrition lifestyle by meeting nutritional needs and solving problems that are barriers to change.
Nutrition education includes any set of learning experiences designed to facilitate the voluntary adoption of eating and other nutrition related behaviors conducive to health and wellbeing.

Question 2

Name and explain the seven qualities of counselors considered to be the most influential by
leading authorities as identified by Okun.

Answer 2

(1) Knowledge: Nutrition counselors need to be knowledgeable of a vast array of subjects in the biological and social sciences as well as have an ability to apply principles in the culinary arts.
(2) Self-awareness: Counselors who possess self-awareness are aware of their own beliefs, respond from an internal set of values, and as a result have a clear sense of priorities.
(3) Ethical integrity: Effective counselors interact with clients indicating that they value the dignity and worth of all people.
(4) Congruence: Counselors demonstrate congruence by behaving in such a way that indicates harmony between who the counselor is and what the counselor says, and there is consistency in verbal and nonverbal behaviors as well.
(5) Honesty: Honest counselors appear authentic, genuine, and sincere. Feedback and advice are given indicating a sincere concern for the welfare of their clients not because of a need for the counselor to show dominance.
(6) Ability to communicate: Clinicians must be able to communicate factual information
and a sincere regard for their clients.
(7) Gender and culture awareness: Effective counselors have an understanding of how gender and culture influences thinking and behavior and respect the values that arise from their clients' cultural orientations.

Question 3

Explain how taking on the role of helper improves the self-image of the helper.

Answer 3

The helper's self-image is strengthened from the awareness that "I must be OK if I can
help others in need." Also, as the helper becomes involved in the perceptual world of others, their own issues diminish.

Question 4

Identify and explain how seeking to fulfill two basic needs of counselors through a counseling
relationship can be detrimental to the relationship.

Question 5

Why is it important for counselors to understand their worldviews to achieve cultural
sensitivity?

Question 6

What can a counselor do to alleviate the negative impact of the counseling process itself?

Question 7

Name and explain the two phases of the helping relationship.

Question 8

Why is indicating to a client that everything will be fine unlikely to be productive? What is
a more useful approach?

Question 9

Identify three issues for novice counselors.