WHY THE IMAGINARY FIX-IT TICKET MATTERS & HOW TO AVOID THE TRAP WITH REBECCA SNOW

I have been mentoring for 12 years now.  And it is not unusual for me to see burnout during CNS candidate’s internship and Supervised Practice Experience.  I was surprised by this at first.  How is this possible?!?  Right out of school we are at the peak of our passion and desire to help.  I can understand burnout after 10 years, but 3 months? 

The more I pondered this issue I realized a few things.

Nutrition care is so much more than food.  We are partners and collaborators with patients who are often ill and have complex health issues.  Master’s degree training provides knowledge and wisdom but not how to manage energy and empathy.

Nutrition grads go into practice ill equipped to handle the energy exchange that happens between individuals, as well as their level of responsibility and empathy for the patient. Practicing is an energy exchange and we need to make sure we are not overresponsible for our clients well being.  We do take responsibility for ethical practice, engaged listening, prompt follow-up and good evidence-based information.  But we can not FIX people.  

Another reason folks may experience burn-out, is that the idea of being a nutritionist does not match the reality  The phenomenon of actually practicing clinical nutrition doesn’t always match folks expectations. I have seen CNS candidates decide clinical practice is not for them.  That is totally fine! There are various career paths for the nutritionist - industry, education and nonprofit.  In November 2024 we hosted a panel of CNS’s doing community work!

I want to arm CNS candidates with tools to prevent burn out, to prevent feeling drained after clinical sessions.  

In order to do this, It is important to manage energy and  have good boundaries for yourself 

1. Manage how much time you spend in the session.  Stick with the time frame.

2. Manage how much time you spend outside the session. Limit to 15-30 min for follow-up and 1 hour for initial consults.

3. Manage expectations for the work you will do

4. Manage ownership for the health problem.  

#4 leads us to the topic of this blog.  

Who owns the health problem?  Your client does.  

They own the story or phenomenon that they have a health problem They own their bodies. They manage their desire to change behavior and have the ability to change. 

We live in a culture where people want fixes. We take our car to the auto mechanic to fix.  People bring their bodies to the doctor to fix.  People bring their bodies to the nutritionist to fix their weight or eating issues. 

When clients enter your virtual office, they have an imaginary fix it ticket.  They ask you…I have this problem, will you fix me?  You can take the ticket or not.  They won’t word it this way but essentially they will use other words.  

Don’t take the ticket.  

Instead say… 

• I can help you fix this yourself.  

• You have the power to change. 

• I can educate you about your body. 

• I can guide you to know your body better.  

• I can help you to feel more empowered.  

• We are partners.  

Bob Duggan, a teacher and one of the founders of Tai Sophia(MUIH) taught me this concept.

Remember that taking the ticket reduces the power and transformation that patients receive when they learn to listen to their bodies and self regulate. 

Taking the fix it ticket will cause burn out and inflate imposter syndrome because we can’t fix people.

It also reinforces the model of thinking that people are broken.  Let’s reinforce the model of thinking that the body is wise.

The Nutrition & Herbal Collective is a nurturing community offering personalized mentorship and CNS supervision for nutrition graduates. We train nutritionists in evidence-based and functional nutrition practice, building the skills towards successfully starting a nutrition private practice. We help the nutrition student meet their SPE requirements, pass the CNS exam and earn the Certified Nutrition Specialist credential. Read more about all our program has to offer.

Have questions?  We’ve got you! Check out our Frequently Asked Questions  about our personalized nutrition Mentorship Program and meeting the SPE requirements.