What is a Client Advocate: How to Empower Your Clients as a RD
As Registered Dietitians, we help to change our client’s lives every day. There is so much POWER in food and nutrition, and as soon as clients realize how achievable their goals are with the help of a RD, the transformation is nothing short of inspiring. I don’t have to tell you this—you do what you do because of the impact you have on your community.
However, our goal as RDs isn’t just to provide nutrition-based health care. We TRULY want to empower our clients to be their own advocate for their health. They can leave our sessions not only equipped with the treatment plan that fits their goals, but also with the knowledge, confidence, and support to champion their own health for the rest of their lives.
Client advocacy is invaluable and so important to what we do. So, I wanted to dedicate this post today to the process of uplifting and strengthening your clients to become their own advocates.
Here’s what you can do as a Registered Dietitian:
What is a Client Advocate: How to Empower Your Clients as a RD
If you look up the definition of a “client advocate” it defines it as a professional who stands up for the rights, needs, and concerns of a client. They’re basically there to ensure their client’s voices are heard and their needs are met. Though we should definitely champion our client’s needs as RDs, our goal should really be to empower them to be their own advocates. Then, no matter where they are or who is with them, your clients can ensure they receive the care they deserve!
What Does A Client Advocate Do: RD Version
So, before we get into what we can do to empower a client to be their own advocate, below is what we can do to advocate for our clients as they’re developing their own confidence:
Become the primary point of contact for health needs
Take effort to deeply understand client needs
Represent the client’s concerns and needs in the healthcare system
Address and resolve issues
Provide regular updates to clients
Monitor satisfaction of client throughout the process
Work to improve programs and customer service
Conduct regular reviews and evaluations
7 Ways To Advocate For A Client as an RD
Now, finally, let’s get into how you can empower your clients to advocate for themselves and their health needs!
Equip them with knowledge about nutrition, health, and their specific conditions.
As RDs, we don’t gatekeep. Our goal is to share the nutrition expertise we have with the world and make it common public knowledge! We can empower our clients to be their own advocate when we educate them about food and nutrition and how it impacts their bodies. That way, they know better every day how to strategically handle their health concerns and have the tools to understand healthcare professionals when they offer advice or treatment options.
Help them take ownership of their journey through goal-setting.
When we’re the only ones setting goals for our clients and pushing them to success, we cut out a very important person in the process. It’s not about what we want for our client’s health, we have to inspire them to set their own goals! That way, they can take ownership of their journey and set new goals even without the help of your weekly sessions.
Inspire them to trust their instincts and listen to their bodies.
There’s a lot of bad advice out there. We want our clients to trust their instincts and listen to their bodies, even when it’s different from the trends or what someone told them. With the help of an RD, we want clients to learn how to use discernment and lead their own journey.
Teach them to effectively communicate their dietary needs and preferences.
It’s difficult to communicate about your dietary needs! We’re sometimes brought up to think of our dietary needs as a burden and we’re taught to avoid bringing them up. However, our client’s nutrition requirements and preferences are essential to their health, not evidence they're “picky” or “disrespectful.” We have to teach our clients how to effectively, confidently, and shamelessly express their needs in a variety of settings.
Provide them with the resources they need to find trusted information.
As RDs, we’re all about continuing education, right? We want to encourage our clients to continue their education, too! I don’t mean you should push them to get bachelor degrees in nutritions, of course. Instead, you should teach them how to locate trusted nutrition and food information outside of you, so they always have the resources to succeed!
Encourage them to self-monitor their food intake and physical activity.
When your client monitors their own food intake and physical activity, it encourages them to be aware and invested in their own health. As their RD, you can help them identify problem areas or opportunities for celebrating, which can help tremendously with personal advocacy!
Teach them how to establish a support network.
Eventually, our clients leave us. Graduation is, of course, the goal, but it’s still a hard farewell for everyone! We don’t want our clients to ever slip back into old habits or feel helpless in regards to their health again (this is why it’s important they advocate for themselves.) To help set them up for success in their advocacy journey, help them establish a support network that can push them in the right direction and towards the right resources!
Though we can be advocates for our clients, our true job as RDs is to help clients advocate for themselves!
I hope this post helped you understand how you can do even more for their clients on their health journey! You already do SO MUCH for your dreamy clients, but this is one more way we can use our expertise to change the world and empower the public to take control of their health and wellness.
For more on how you can find more personal success as a Registered Dietitian, whether that’s by doing more for your client or by opening your own private practice, I can help! As a dietitian business coach, I’ve dedicated myself to empowering YOU to find the work-life balance you deserve and realize the true potential of your position as an RD. You can apply to work with me here and, in the meantime, browse my blog for more on turning your dreams into a reality as an RD!