To help her patients and clients recover , Talia has spent years building her dietitian toolkit , developing her counselling and psychology skills – and if you ’ re looking to get into the area , she ’ d recommend you do the same . “ It is about food but it ’ s more so about someone ’ s relationship with food . I need to change how people eat , change their belief systems around food .” To do so , Talia recommends psychological-based leanings like motivational interviewing , the Health at Every Size course and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy . Talia commented that “ eating disorders are on the rise , so having those skills available will be so helpful in any area of dietetics .”
Getting work in eating disorders can be tricky – but being persistent and showing initiative is key . Talia ’ s tips include getting any experience you can working in mental health , asking to shadow other dietitians or volunteering so you have an edge when it comes to the interview process . “ If you can show that you ’ re passionate in the area , that you ’ ve engaged in some professional development , that ’ s going to be really helpful for you .”
As for what the future holds , Talia predicts online services are going to become more and more popular . “ The pandemic has proved that online services can be really beneficial to people with eating disorders ” – and that ’ s especially true when you consider the reach of online services . Talia also expects a shift towards residential treatment , moving support and care back into the patient ’ s home . “ On a personal level , I hope we ’ ll be able to offer more practical skills – cooking and meal support ”.
For more on Talia ’ s career so far , tune in to our Dietitian Connection podcast , Rebuilding relationships with food : Talia Cecchele , eating disorders dietitian . You ’ ll learn more about how Talia established herself in London , how she works to bring about sustainable behaviour change and the misinformation around Refeeding Syndrome , as well as the key things all dietitians need to remember when it comes to eating disorders .
RULE BREAKER !
On the back of the success of her 30-Day Food Rule Challenge , Talia has launched the Rule Breaker Challenge , a program that helps people regain control of their food choices . At the time of publication , the program is in the midst of its inaugural 6-week round - keep your eyes peeled for new start dates being announced soon !
Click here to learn more .
© Dietitian Connection 16 Infuse | May 2021