Struggling with Counseling? Use These 3 Phrases to Build Trust Without Over-Talking
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[00:00:00] Struggling with counseling. Use these three phrases in today's podcast episode to build trust without over talking. If you've ever left a session wondering, did I talk too much? You're not alone, you meant well. You wanted to help your client. You wanted to sound smart, like an expert, and to deliver value.
But somewhere along the way, the session became a lecture instead of a conversation. If that sounds familiar, then today's episode is just for you. Today I'm giving you three simple phrases that instantly shift the energy of your session to build trust, to invite dialogue, and to create space for your clients to actually open up.
Now you'll also hear how real dietitians moved from over-explaining to leading, confident client-centered sessions with better follow through and retention. Now the problem is that [00:01:00] Overtalking kills engagement. one of our clients, a newer private practice dietitian, told me that she was pouring value into every session, lab supplements, research handouts, preparing ahead of time.
but clients were not following through and some clients ghosted her completely. when we reviewed her session together, The problem was clear. She talked 80% of the time during session. her clients had no space to reflect, ask questions, and they might have not felt heard.
The fix to this would be intentional phrases that turn a lecture into a conversation. One of these phrases would be, what do you make of that? Use this right after you explain a concept instead of jumping into more teaching pause and say, what do you make of that?
Now, why this works is because gently checks for understanding and it invites reflection in the client's own words. An example includes [00:02:00] what's a quick overview of how fiber supports blood sugar. What do you make of that One of our clients, a diabetes dietitian, used that with a very resistant client and he finally admitted.
Honestly, I had never done that before and I just didn't know how to apply it. The second phrase I wanna share with you. Includes, would it be helpful if instead of assuming that your client needs something, ask them, would it be helpful if I showed you how to build a plate with foods you already eat?
Now, why this works is because it creates collaboration, reduces overwhelm, and builds consent and safety. It puts your client in the driver's seat, which is what we wanna do as dietitians. Now A-P-C-O-S dietitian in our community inside the membership did use this with her clients who nodded during sessions but didn't take action.
And then once she asked this question, clients felt safe asking for help. So whether it was a pantry swap or meal ideas, it [00:03:00] worked. You're not giving away authority here. You're inviting clarity, you're making people feel like they have a say so in the session. The third phrase includes, what would make this feel doable for you?
Now, this is your go-to when a client looks hesitant or says, I'll try. Instead of pushing your plan, co-create the next steps. Say, what would make this feel doable for you? One of our clients, a dietitian used to give detailed meal plans and clients did smile, but sometimes they disappeared and she didn't know why.
So she tried this question. A client replied, if I could just start with lunch, that's the only meal I could eat alone. They focused on just lunch, and that client stayed with her for three months, which was really good for her. The bonus appears to embrace the pause, which can be really hard. Silence is not a problem.
After asking a reflective question, just stop talking and let the space between you and [00:04:00] your client do its job. One of our clients said, silence used to scare me, but now I see it's where the magic happens, right? You don't need to fill every second, and you don't need to create space for insight.
So one of these free phrases you can use in your next session, just one, test it and see how it feels. And I also want you to consider joining the library because we teach you that you don't have to say more to prove your value. You might actually need to say less with intention inside of the library, you'll get access to real world counseling scripts, mock scenarios for 11 different specialties.
With three levels each. That's 33 simulations for clinical case studies using motivational interviewing. Now we do give you a certification, so there's multiple choice for reflection. You can take the quiz unlimited times, and it's really gonna help you build your confidence. We also show you resistance handling frameworks, [00:05:00] and we coach you to help lead sessions and get results so we have clinical supervision baked into our business curriculum.
I look forward to seeing you inside of the library.
