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: Understanding the PersonCornell Course
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Cornell CourseCounseling Skills: Understanding the Person ()
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Course Overview
Nutrition professionals are experts in nutritional sciences, sought after for this specialized knowledge. Yet their crucial role as counselors and change agents is seldom given as much attention in nutrition degree programs, despite the increasing need in the field for skilled counselors. In this course, experienced wellness educator and counselor Beth McKinney, MSEd, RD, CHES, will explain how and why client-directed counseling can effectively influence healthy behavioral change and prepare you to use research-based techniques to create rapport, build trust, and elicit useful information from clients.
Key Course Takeaways
- Apply research-based principles and techniques used in nutrition counseling
- Identify the benefits of client-directed counseling
- Interpret your and your clients' non-verbal cues
- Identify techniques for self-management during a counseling session

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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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