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Our Nutritional Counselling Online Course will teach you how to advise people on their Food and Nutritional needs by becoming a food and nutritional counsellor
Counsellors need to have specialist knowledge in the area of nutrition, weight loss and children’s nutrition. At the same time counsellors need to maintain and keep up-to-date with their professional counselling skills and practice.
The promotion of health in education is another rapidly expanding area and requires people who are very well versed in the knowledge and facts about nutrition, while at the same time being to demonstrate the importance of good counselling.
This course is suitable for:
People seeking to develop counselling skills to use in conjunction with nutritional advice.
People inspired to educate people about improving health through nutrition.
Counsellors, fitness instructors, health professionals or life coaches looking to broaden and develop their skills.
People with a passion for well-being
Three Modules within this course have been accredited by the CMA – The Complimentary Medical Association. On completion of any qualifying module, you can join as a “Fully Qualified Practitioner” and be entitled to use the post-nominal latters “MCMA” after your name. CMA Full Membership is a privileged position and the fact that you have been accepted for CMA Membership demonstrates that you have a clear commitment to standards and professionalism. CMA Members in all categories are recognised as the elite in their field.
Understanding Obesity -Causes, genetics, lifestyle, exercise, eating habits, affect of pregnancy, medical conditions, diseases, water, changes at different stages of life (adolescence, menopause, etc). Evaluation of Weight status & Body Composition
Nutrition Basics: revision of the basics, discussion of food sources, organic/inorganic, not just what you eat but how and when you eat, healthy digestion…
Diets – Fads, Fiction and Fact: A review of a range of popular approaches to Weight Control – Starvation, Ketogenic Diets, Dieting. Crash diets, supplements, cleansing/elimination diets, Low carb diets, sweeteners, fat substitutes; Dangers
Preventing Obesity
Treating Obesity
Modifying Eating Behaviour
Restricting Calorie Intake
Medical Conditions: Hormones, Drugs, Eating Disorders
Planning a Diet
Learning Goals
Please see lesson titles for your learning goals.
Practical (Set Tasks)
Examinations
Program Summary
More Information
Your learning experience with ADL will not only depend on the quality of the course, but also the quality of the person teaching it. This course is taught by Iona Lister and Juliette Harris. Your course fee includes unlimited tutorial support throughout from the teacher specialising in the module you are undertaking. Here are their credentials:
Iona Lister – Counselling Licentiate, Speech and Language Therapy, UK, Diploma in Advanced Counselling Skills.
Iona has been a clinician and manager of health services for fifteen years, and a trainer for UK-based medical charities, focusing on psychosocial issues, mental health disorders, and also the promotion of communication skills for people in helping roles. She tutors and facilitates groups via workshops and teleconferences, and now specialises in Sight Loss. As a freelance writer, she contributes regular feature articles for magazines, has written five published books, as well as published courses relating to personal development and counselling skills.
Iona has also written published books, courses and articles across a wide range of subjects, mostly in the areas of health, counselling, psychology, crafts and wildlife.
She has drawn experience from clinical and managerial experience within the NHS as well as medical and humanitarian subjects. She has been a regular feature writer and expert panel member of a national magazine for six years.
Books include: A Guide to Living with Alzheimer’s Disease (and associated dementias), The Psychology of Facial Disfigurement; a Guide for Health and Social Care Professionals, When a Medical Skin Condition Affects the Way you Look; A Guide to Managing Your Future, Facing Disfigurement with Confidence, Cross Stitch: A Guide to Creativity and Success for Beginners. Courses written include: Mental Health and Social Work, Counselling Skills, Understanding and Responding to Substance Misuse, Journalling for Personal Development, Guided Imagery, Stress Management.
Current work includes: Tutor: Courses associated with Creative Writing, Counselling Skills, Psychology, Holistic Therapy, Certified Hypnotherapist and Hypnotension Practitioner.
Facilitator of Teleconference Groups: Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB)
Trainer (Skills for Seeing): Macular Society
Reviewer of Books/Information: Macmillan Cancer Support
Fundraiser: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Embroidery/Art Groups Facilitator, Board Member
Website Manager: The Strathcarron Project, Coordinator (Delaware & Tennessee) Human Writes
Juliette Harris – Nutritional BSc Hons Biology (University of Sussex)
Juliette has over 10 years experience in teaching and private tutoring. As an undergraduate, she contributed to published research on the behaviour of an endangered bat species, though her main areas of interest and specialisation are genetics and cellular biology. After 7 months in the rainforests & reefs of Central America, Juliette began her teaching career at prestigious private school, Brighton College. She soon returned to Central America, headingup a field-trip for A-level students. She has been private tutor & exam coach to a range of students with very diverse backgrounds, aptitudes and expectations.More recently, Juliette has enjoyed working with adults with learning difficulties and enormous barriers to education. Juliette currently splits her time between England and Bulgaria, where she works as a teacher and missionary.
Excerpt from the Course
NUTRITION DURING DISEASE
For most obese people, excess weight is not caused by poor diet and lack of exercise. There are, however, instances when obesity is caused by a specific medical condition or the medications taken to treat it.
Medication can cause obesity in several ways:
Metabolism changes: Some drugs can alter the body’s metabolism causing calories to be burned more slowly.
Corticosteroids: Corticosteroids are known to stimulate appetite while reducing the body’s ability to absorb glucose, which can promote central obesity.
Beta-blockers: Beta-blockers can cause shortness of breath and fatigue, making it difficult for patients to exercise.
Calcium channel blockers: Calcium channel blockers taken for high blood pressure can cause users to retain water.
Antipsychotic medications: Drugs used to treat psychiatric conditions and mood disorders, like depression and bipolar disorder, are among those most closely associated with weight gain. Among the more common drugs associated with weight gain are quetiapine (Seroquel), olanzapine (Zyprexa) and risperidone (Risperdal).
The side effects of a few drugs include appetite stimulation. Tranquillizers, anti-depressants and some diabetic medications can increase appetite therefore lead to weight gain. Some medications influence nutrient absorption through various mechanisms, including transit time of food through the digestive tract, pH and bile acid activity as examples.
Weight gain caused by prescribed medication can be very upsetting and sometimes weight loss can be very difficult. Where people gain weight after starting a particular medication, it is very important that they discuss this with their doctor and they should on no account stop taking their medication.
DRUGS AND HORMONES PRESCRIBED FOR WEIGHT MANAGEMENT-
In addition to the effect medications may have on causing weight gain, there are also medications that may assist with weight loss. Obesity medication and weight loss drugs refer to all medications and hormones, which reduce or control weight. These drugs alter one of the fundamental processes of the human body, weight regulation, by reducing appetite, altering metabolism, or reducing the absorption of calories. The side effects of obesity drugs vary and may include headaches, restlessness or nervousness, insomnia, diarrhoea or constipation. There have been reports of people experiencing high blood pressure, seizures and even strokes but these incidences are extremely rare. The potential side effects to a person’s health are a real risk which should be considered, therefore it is recommended that anti-obesity drugs only be prescribed for obesity where it is hoped that the benefits of the treatment outweigh its risks. People should be fully informed before making a decision which drugs is best for them. The following table shows a range of medications used in the treatment of obesity, their mechanism of action and the advantages and disadvantages of each type of medication.
SOLUTION – FOCUSED COUNSELLING
A recent trend in the counselling profession is to help the client find solutions to their problems and to help them view their future optimistically. This differs to traditional counselling where the focus is on gaining insight into the origin of client’s problems.
Solution-focused counselling emphasises the strengths and resources of the client rather than their deficits. It entails a respectful partnership between the counsellor and the client, using a conversational process to help the client to identify goals and exceptions to their current difficulties. It also emphasizes credit over blame and success over failure.
This style of therapy was initiated by Steve de Shazer in the late 1970s. He, and other therapists, including Michelle Weiner-Davis, William O’Hanlon and Insoo Kim Berg, believed that clients were better able to manage their difficulties by focusing on the future, rather than the past and present. They felt that the traditional therapists’ intensive exploration of their clients’ problems was slow, wasteful, and possibly even counterproductive. In their view the intense focus on problems merely highlighted the client’s perceived inadequacies, often causing the client to be overwhelmed and pessimistic about their ability
to initiate change.
The underlying philosophy is that people create constructs that represent their world or parts of it. These constructs are developed through life experiences, and what others say about the individual and how others behave towards them. They are strongly influenced by day to day conversations with others. Our constructs are maintained through the stories we tell ourselves as a result of these interactions. Therefore, conversation is seen as having a central role in this form of therapy. Solution-focused counselling is more concerned with developing opportunities rather than identifying them, and with managing problems rather than exploring and understanding them.
The view of clients is such that they are seen as having the resources within themselves to resolve their problems. The therapist empowers the client by encouraging them to feel competent to resolve their own problems. If a client is too focused on the past then the therapist will attempt to steer them away from it.
This type of therapy is not concerned with underlying deep issues but only to help the client to understand them to the point that they can see them more clearly and in a more organized way. It is more concerned with how clients are able to deal with problem situations. Only the successful parts of the past are to be brought forward. From this standpoint it can be seen as a means of forming an image of a brighter and better future by exploring the best of what has gone before and which already exists.
STRATEGIES USED IN SOLUTION-FOCUSED COUNSELLING
Solution-focused counselling generally follows a specific sequence:
1. Engaging the client 2. Constructing pathways for change 3. Generating creative solutions
1/ Engaging the client The solution-focused counsellor seeks to engage the client by listening and channelling the flow of conversation. The counsellor is curious, open, inquisitive, and above all, positive. It is important that the counsellor adopts the client’s world and in so doing, this ought to lessen the client’s resistance. It also means that the counsellor can demonstrate an understanding of the client’s world.
The engaging world of the human psyche is thrown open in this deep and intriguing ebook. Multiple case studies help the reader explore this fascinating subject in depth.
Counselling Handbook eBook course online. Full of interesting case studies, this ebook is a wonderful introduction to the complex world of the human psyche. Expand your mind and learn about what makes people tick.
Are you a good listener? Hone your skills by learning popular counselling theories and techniques.
You will learn about:
Listening skills
Non-verbal communication
Influencing skills
Defense mechanisms
Our perception of others
Attributions
Convariance theory
Lay epistemology
(and many more such things that may not make sense now but will by the end of the book).
Contents:
1. Where can counselling be used?
2. How to see behind the mask.
3. Emotions and attitudes.
4. How to communicate better when all you have is words.
5. Theory versus practice.
6. Diffusing difficult situations.
7. Golden rules or tips.
8. Appendicies.
Extract from book:
We don’t know for sure how much of our communication is non-verbal. Estimates vary from 50% to the 80%. Non-verbal communication becomes more significant, the more mixed the messages are. So if a person is saying one thing, but their body is saying something else, we will tend to pay more attention to what their body is saying to us. Most of us are aware that this is a sign of attempted deception.
Meharabian (1971) carried out a study to see how people decide if they like each other. They looked at facial expressions and spoken words. Participants had to listen to a recording of a female saying one word “maybe” in three tones of voice – neutral, like and dislike. The subjects were then shown photographs of a female face with three expressions – neutral, like and dislike. They were asked to guess which emotion the person in the photograph, the person on the recording and both together were experiencing.
The participants were more accurate in guessing the emotion of the photographs than the voice at a ratio of 3:2. Meharabian also carried out another study where participants had to listen to nine words. Three showed liking (dear, thanks, honey), three showed disliking (brute, terrible, don’t) and three showed neutrality (oh, maybe, really). The words were spoken in different tones. The participants were asked to guess the emotions behind the words. They found that tone carried more meaning than the word.
They concluded that:
■Without seeing and hearing non-verbal messages, there can be more chance of misunderstanding.
■A lot of communication does come through non-verbal communication, but we are still unsure as to the exact amount.
■When we are not sure about a particular word, we pay more attention to non-verbal communication.
■When we do not trust a person, we pay more attention to non-verbal communication.
There are many myths about body language. For example, crossing your arm means defensiveness, covering your mouth means you are lying and so on. But we should rely more on other factors such as:
■Clusters of factors (showing more signs of non-verbal communication).
■Non-verbal behaviour at the time a question is asked, particularly if the question is embarrassing or difficult.
■Situations where the other person may not be trying to control their non-verbal behaviour.
As we said above, it is important to consider your own non-verbal communication. BUT not to such an extent that you try to control it all the time, which can make it appear false or give mixed messages from you.
Discover a better understanding of food and nutrition, what to eat and what to avoid. Human Nutrition is an ideal introductory text for students and anyone else interested in learning how diet and harm or help human health.
Human Nutrition eBook course online. It’s surprising how little most people know about the human body and how it works. If we all spent just a small amount of time educating ourselves, we would save years in terms of health problems and hundreds of pounds otherwise spent on health care.
Throughout history there has been a vast array of nutritional claims and dietary advice. For example, there is evidence of dietary regimes involving fasting as far back as in Ancient Greece and many examples since of diet being used either to restrict intake to lose weight or to act as a cure for a medical complaint. This book will give you the background necessary to understand these theories and make better choices for yourself.
Book Contents
Chapter 1 The Digestive System -Everyone is different
Nutrition and nutrients
Digestion
General health recommendations
Examples of serving size
Chapter 2. Modyfying Diet for a Particular Lifestyle or Genetic Disposition
Lifestyle
Cultural differences
Genetic considerations
Chapter 3. Foods and Nutrition
Why do we need to know the nutritional content in foods?
Nutrients provided by the five food groups
Chapter 4. Nutrition and Health Disorders
How diet may affect skin
Diet and our bones, joints and muscles
Nutrition and the heart
Diet and the respiratory system
Diet and the urinary system
Diet and the digestive system
Diet and the brain/mental
Assessment
Assessment is based on a combination of completing all assignments and sitting for a final short one and a half hour exam, in your own location.
If you don’t cope well with exams then you may elect to undertake a project instead. This is a popular option.
In addition, most modules have a Set Task at the end of each lesson placed before the assignment. This is an opportunity to undertake practical work to help you acquire knowledge and skills and practical experience. This ADL feature is an added bonus not found at most online schools. Set Tasks are not required for assessment.
Some courses also have optional Self-Tests which are available on our online learning platform. These are not available by correspondence or by USB, and do not form part of your overall grade.
How our courses work
Choose Your Learning Method You choose how you would like to receive your course material, i.e., Online, USB or Correspondence. The choice is yours. You may also work on online or offline.
Tutor Allocation Every student is assigned their own dedicated tutor who is an expert in their subject area. They provide as much or as little individual contact as you require. You can contact your tutor whenever you need – your hours are not limited.
Feedback and Assignments Tutor Feedback is an essential component in helping you understand the subject matter. Tutor feedback is given in the form of notes written on the assignment. We encourage you to contact your Tutor where help with clarification and understanding of course material may be required.
Your assignments are located at the end of each lesson. You submit them for marking whenever you are ready. There is no time limit.
Set Tasks and Self-Tests Most modules have a Set Task at the end of each lesson before for the assignment. This is where you get the opportunity to undertake practical work to help you acquire knowledge, skills and practical experience. Many modules also have short Self-Tests.
Exams Once all assignments have been completed you may then elect to sit for a one and half hour exam in your own location. If you prefer not to take the exam you do have the option to undertake a project instead. Once the exam or project part of the course is completed, your Certificate is then processed. Please allow approximately 4 weeks for this.
Design Your Own Qualification ADL offers students the flexibility to self-design their own qualification – bundling together a combination of 100-hour modules into a qualification higher than a certificate.
FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Here is a list of the most often asked FAQ’s.
General
Q. Why should I enrol with the Academy for Distance Learning? A. Here at ADL, our students are our priority – we treat everyone as a unique individual.
Q. Do I need to buy text books? A. No, as each module has been written by highly qualified industry professionals. The content of the material is presented in such a way that text books are not required. However, if you require additional reading your tutor will be able to supply a list.
Q. What happens if I have to stop studying for a while? (eg. become sick, go on holidays, have a baby, move house, etc) A. It’s OK to take a break and start up your study at a later point in time. Just let us know.
Q. Is there an age limit? A. There is no maximum age limit. We do however, have a minimum age limit of 18 years. Below that age parental consent would be required.
Q. Are your courses up-to date? A. Our courses are revised and updated on a rotation system.
Q. Do you have a Cancellation policy? A. Yes. We have a cancellation policy that is fair and equitable. For further details please click here.
Q. Will I have any opportunity to engage with other students? A. We have a Student Community group based on facebook! If you don’t have a facebook account already, you could make one just for talking with fellow students on the group.
Enrolment
Q. When can I enrol/start? A. You may enrol and start at any time of the year – it’s all self- paced.
Q. Can I study from anywhere in the world? A. Our courses are available to anyone, anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home. The course content is relevant to any country, culture or economy.
Q. How long do I have to complete the course? A. You complete the course at any time that is convenient for you.
Q. Completing a 100 hour module – how long will it take? A. For some students a 100 hour module will take approximately to 3- 6 months to complete. Others take less time and some even longer.
Assessment
Q. Assessment – how does it work? A. For each 100 hour module you are assessed by assignments (at the end of each lesson) and a final one and a half hour exam (or you may elect to complete a Project, instead of sitting the exam) – the choice is yours – you sit for the exam in your own location.
Q. I don’t cope well with exams – what can I do? A. You may elect to undertake a Project (set by your tutor) instead of sitting the exam. Projects are completed from your home and can usually take a couple of weeks to complete.
Q. If my assignment is not up to standard is there an opportunity to resubmit my work? A. Yes –
Q. How many assignments do I need to complete for each module? A. At the end of each lesson, there is an assignment – so if a course has say, 10 lessons, there would be 10 assignments.
Q. I am having difficulty attending workshops/industry meetings, what can be done? A. If your course requires attendance at workshops, conferences, or industry meetings; alternative arrangements can be made in your country.
Qualifications
Q. What qualification will I receive? A. For individual modules, you would be awarded a Certificate endorsed by TQUK (Training Qualifications, UK), providing you complete all assignments and the exam. If you just want to complete only the assignments and not sit for the exam or finish a Project, then a Letter of Achievement would be awarded. For more details on qualifications available please click here.
Q. Can I customize my diploma/higher qualification? A. Not all educational institution’s certificates /diplomas meet everyone’s needs. The opportunity to Design Your Own Diploma at the Academy (subject to our approval) is an added bonus, not found at other colleges. You choose modules that you think will help you in achieving your goal.
Q. What do I get when I complete the course? Will I receive a transcript? A. At the completion of all courses and providing all assignments and exam requirements have been met, you will receive your Award and a Transcript.
Tutors
Q. Our tutors – who are they? A. We appoint Tutors and require that they must be currently active in their industry, with at least 5 years’ experience in their chosen profession.
Q. Can I contact my tutor at any time? A. Yes – you have unlimited access to your tutor via email through our Online Classroom. You can always leave a message with ADL requesting your tutor to contact you. You decide on how much or how little contact you wish to have.
Q. Practical work – How is this done? A. To find out more about this part of the course please visit the section on How Our Courses Work here.
Career Options
What's Included
What your tuition fees include
All Course Material via Online, USB or Correspondence
Assignments Marked
Professional Tutor Feedback
Set Tasks - Practical Exercises to help you develop skills
Self-Tests – multiple choice questions at the end of lessons in most modules
Unlimited Personal Tutor Support – via our student classroom
Committed and Friendly Admin Support – vital to your success
All ADL Exam or Project fees (exception RHS exams)
If you require further details about any of the RHS industry recognised qualifications please, call one of our friendly RHS Course Advisors on +44 (0)1227 789 649 or email: [email protected]
Q: When can I Enrol/Start My RHS Course With ADL? A: Anytime, Anywhere. There are no enrolment deadlines.
Q: I live Overseas. Can I Study From Overseas? A: You can study any of the RHS theory qualifications overseas. All courses are offered in English. You will need to email RHS Qualifications direct to arrange sitting for your examination overseas.
Q: Is There a Time Limit for Completing an RHS Qualification? A: At present there are no time limits. However, RHS is contemplating in the future, the introduction of course time-lines.
Q: Are There Any Entry Requirements (Pre-Requisites)? A: The RHS Theory courses do not require prerequisites, previous experience or any knowledge of horticulture. You just need passion for all things horticulture.
Q: What Course Should I Start With First? I Am New To RHS Qualifications. A: We highly recommend that you start with Level 2 – Principles of Garden Planning, Establishment and Maintenance.
Q: What Does ADL Course Material Include? A: Includes Power Point Presentations, Videos and written course lessons.
RHS EXAMS
Q: When Do Exams Take Place? A: Exams are held on fixed dates in February and June of each year. You should register as a candidate at least 3 months before these dates, so please do not leave exam registration to the last minute
Q: Where Do I Take My Exams? A: UK: You take the exams at the RHS Wisley Centre, located between Cobham and Ripley in Surrey or at other authorised RHS centres around the UK. Overseas: please email RHS qualifications direct for centre information.
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People inspired to educate people about improving health through nutrition.
Iona Lister – Counselling 
Juliette Harris – Nutritional
Counselling Handbook
Human Nutrition