Sharing Dietitian Wisdom
As health practitioners working in mental health spaces are grateful to the clients we work with who show incredible courage and generosity. These people are willing to share their inner world with us. When we listen and are witness to our clients we are able to learn.
Recently, we conducted a survey to a number of dietitians. The survey included questions about their careers and advice they would like to share. We want to acknowledge the wisdom of our colleagues who are often so open in sharing their reflection, learning and guidance that has shaped our experiences and learning. It is important that we acknowledge the achievements of the ones who have come before us and that their experiences have paved the way for our own. We walk on the paths they created. Following on from this, we also hosted a webinar as part of Dietitian Week 2024 where five dietitians engaged in thought provoking discussion. This article summarizes the common themes identified from the survey and webinar:
"This work can be challenging, and it may feel scary and limited with the current resources in this area, but it is worth it and can be some of the most rewarding work you will do. You can be the change you hope to see, if only in your consult room for the time being"
"Learning and un-learning in the space of eating disorders has been pivotal in my career. The clinicians working in this space are so committed to hearing the experiences of individuals and trauma informed care even though it is extremely uncomfortable as it often acknowledges the gaps in how we were trained as dietitians and also recognising potential harm we have caused in the past. This work has allowed me to improve my skills in service development, providing supervision and support to other clinicians, true compassion, being trauma informed, being completely patient centered and being able to advocate in an area that lacks resources while also facing significant stigma and misunderstanding of the complexity of this illness."
