Nutrition counseling for eating disorders is “eclectic,” meaning that the registered dietitian (RD) can choose from among a variety of counseling techniques depend- ing on each patient’s needs. This chapter describes some of the counseling tools commonly used to treat eating dis- orders and addresses some of the challenges facing the RD during the nutrition counseling process. The chapter concludes with guidelines for the duration of nutrition counseling for eating disorders and additional counseling resources.
MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING AND READINESS FOR CHANGE
For many nutrition counseling interventions, success relies heavily on the patient’s willingness to work toward recovery, confidence that change is achievable, and abil- ity to persevere in the face of inevitable difficulties. In the transtheoretical model, this is described as “readiness for change” (1). Motivational interviewing (MI) is a counseling
technique to assess the patient’s level of motivation to change and help him or her shift from precontemplative, contemplative, and preparation stages into action (2). MI
