Page 72 - Nutrition Counseling and Education Skills: A Guide for Professionals

to the client’s problem and is seldom helpful. The recipient of the advice has the choice of following the
advice or not.

SELF-ASSESSMENT 1

Directions: Identify the following types of responses as understanding, probing, confrontational,
evaluative, hostile, or reassuring.

1. “The food does taste different without salt. Let’s see if we can find some substitutes that you can try.”
2. “I know you can do it. It just takes time.”
3. “How do you expect to lose weight if you continue to eat fast foods every day?”
4. “That’s interesting. Tell me more about that.”
5. “You say that you watch your food choices weekdays, but eat whatever you want on weekends. Do you

think that’s why you haven’t lost any weight?”
6. “When you’re at a party, try to find someone to talk to instead of eating.”

Hostile Responses

In the hostile response, the professional’s anger or frustration is uncontrolled, and the response may lead to
antagonism or humiliation of the client. The hostile response may result in the client retaliating. A vicious
cycle of angry, hostile responses results, thus destroying the professional–client relationship.

Reassuring Responses

With a reassuring response, the client is prevented from working through her feelings because the interviewer
suggests that there is nothing to worry about. Too frequently, a client’s expressions of anxiety are followed by
the counselor’s reassuring response that things will improve and that the person should not worry. This
response suggests that the problem does not exist, or that the counselor does not want to discuss it. Such
responses make it difficult to discuss or solve the client’s problem. Admission of failure with the diet may have
been difficult for the client, but it indicated a desire to discuss the problem.

Closing the Interview

The third part or closing of the interview takes the shortest amount of time but should not be rushed or taken
lightly. During the closing, end on a positive note, such as a word of appreciation sincerely expressed and
thanking the person for his or her time and cooperation. Another suggestion is to review the purpose of the
interview, summarize the points or goals, and declare the completion. “That’s all the questions I have. Thank
you for your time and information.”

You may ask if there are any questions the person would like to ask or any other comments he or she wants
to make, which may elicit important new information for which adequate time should be available. For
example: “What else would you like to ask or tell me about?” You may ask the client to summarize points,
goals, or next steps agreed on.

The time, place, and purpose of future contacts should be mentioned. To a hospitalized patient, the

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