Beth McKinney is a lecturer in the College of Human Ecology and former Director of the Cornell University Wellness Program. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Nutritional Sciences and her Master’s degree in Health Education. Ms. McKinney’s expertise in coaching and counseling spans over 20 years and includes life coaching, nutrition counseling, wellness counseling, and behavior change. She also teaches counseling skills and behavior change techniques to Cornell undergraduates. A Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and Certified Intrinsic Coach® with previous experience in both clinical and community nutrition, Ms. McKinney specializes in both nutrition education and behavior change.
Counseling Skills: Eliciting New BehaviorsCornell Course
New Behaviors
Cornell CourseCounseling Skills: Eliciting New Behaviors ()
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Course Overview
For many nutrition professionals, motivating clients to change their behavior is a daunting task. But, by revising how you approach goal setting—by focusing on your clients' wants and needs—new behaviors become easier to elicit. In this course, you'll learn how to recognize what's valuable to clients for goal setting and work with them to determine realistic, actionable goals that align with their specific desire for change. Using empathy, and a variety of tools and techniques, Beth McKinney helps you bring out the best in yourself and your client as you navigate the goal-setting process.
These courses are required to be completed prior to starting this course:
- Counseling Skills: Understanding the Person
- Counseling Skills: Understanding the Problem
Key Course Takeaways
- Use verbal and nonverbal cues to recognize what is most valuable to the client for setting a goal
- Transition effectively to goal setting
- Work with clients to determine realistic, actionable goals based on their specific wants and needs
- Increase the use of empathy within your practice

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Course Length
2 weeks
Effort
3-5 hours per week
Format
100% online, instructor-led
Course Author
Lecturer, Cornell College of Human Ecology
Who Should Enroll
- Students from the United States must be Registered Dietitians (RD or RDN)
- International students need to have a credential approved by the International Confederation of Dietetic Association — full list available here
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