Choosing the Right Allied Health Professional for Your Wellness Goals
Are you contemplating seeking the assistance of an Allied Health Professional to navigate the challenges of fatigue, weight loss, or chronic disease? If so, you've come to the right place. In this comprehensive guide, we aim to empower you with the knowledge and insights necessary to make an informed decision when choosing a health professional.
This article delves into crucial considerations, types of Allied Health Professionals, and the specific expertise each brings to the table. Whether you're grappling with fatigue, seeking weight loss, or managing a chronic illness, our goal is to provide you with clarity on who might be the best fit for your unique needs. So, take a moment to read on, and by the end, you'll be well-equipped to embark on your health journey with confidence and understanding.
While we do help individuals with the very issue you’re facing, this blog isn’t about us. We have written it to make sure that you know how to choose the right Allied Health Professional for you - because the relationship between practitioner and client is super important for results.
While we do help individuals with the very issue you’re facing, this blog isn’t about us. We have written it to make sure that you know how to choose the right Allied Health Professional for you - because the relationship between practitioner and client is super important for results!
What type of Allied Health Professional do you need for fatigue, weight loss, or chronic disease management?
When deciding between different Allied Health Professionals to work with, you might feel overwhelmed and unsure of who you need to see.
It’s confusing knowing the difference and who to choose to help you. Below, I’ve outlined the differences between some common types of Allied Health Professionals in this field so you can see which might be the best fit for you.
Naturopath: A naturopath uses natural therapies including herbal medicine, nutrition, iridology, and lifestyle advice to promote wellness. They can help you understand the underlying causes of your fatigue, weight issues, and chronic disease and provide a holistic approach to help you manage these conditions. In Australia, Degree qualified Naturopaths have completed the same level of nutrition training as nutritionists. Many Naturopaths have additional allied health qualifications to support their clients journeys.
Nutritionist/Dietician: A nutritionist/dietician specialises in designing personalised diet plans based on the nutritional needs of an individual. They can provide you with a detailed dietary plan that can help you manage your weight, reduce fatigue, and improve chronic disease. Each nutrition related modality is subject to different training and regulations. Nutritionists may offer a more holistic and flexible approach to nutrition like a naturopath compared to dieticians. They might focus on overall wellness, lifestyle, and preventive health rather than specifically treating medical conditions, unlike dieticians.
Health & Wellness Coach: A health & wellness coach can provide you with the right motivation and set you up with the tools to achieve your health goals. They can guide you through your journey to managing fatigue, controlling weight, and improving chronic disease by helping you make the necessary lifestyle changes and overcome challenges along the way.
Discovering the right Allied Health Professional is key to your well-being. Continue reading for in-depth insights that will empower you to make an informed decision tailored to your unique health goals.
Finding the right Allied Health Professionals with the right experience for you
Make sure you know what you need help with, so that you can decide who will be the best fit. For example:
If your main concern is weight management, a naturopath or nutritionist with health & wellness coaching skills could be the best choice. They can guide you through the necessary lifestyle changes, provide motivation, and help you overcome challenges along your weight management journey.
If you struggle with fatigue, then a naturopath or a nutritionist is going to be able to help you most. They can provide you with a holistic approach to manage fatigue by addressing its root causes through diet and lifestyle changes.
If you’re dealing with a chronic illness, you might benefit most from a naturopath who can work in conjunction with your other healthcare providers to offer a comprehensive, integrative approach to your health.
Look for someone who has direct experience working with others who have the same concern as you. Many Allied Health Professionals have special interests in certain health problems or types of patients, and they have extra training and methods to help.
For example, in our practice, we have developed specific programs for our clients with weight management, and chronic disease that include key testing, supplements, nutrition, behaviour and lifestyle programs with coaching support. We also work closely with other medical and allied health specialists to ensure our patients receive the best care possible.
If you’re not sure if someone has the right training and experience with your issue when you look at their website or social media, then make sure you ask!
What are you willing to invest (in time and money)?
The investment in working with Allied Health Professionals for your weight management, or chronic disease can range between 1-6 months and $600-$3000 depending on the package or number of sessions you need, and the person’s level of expertise. It's crucial to recognise that investing in your health and well-being is a valuable commitment that can lead to long-term benefits.
One thing I will say is that healing takes time, and you can’t expect even the most expert health practitioner to be able to help you with weight management or chronic disease in one or two sessions. There is no quick fix when it comes to the human body.
It’s important that you realise you need to put in the work and the time - otherwise, you’re wasting time and money.
So where do we fit?
We’re not the practitioner for everyone. But if you’re reading this article, you might wonder what our services are and how we fit in with all this. Now, let's explore how our services align with your health goals.
The way we have packaged up our services for individuals struggling with weight management and chronic diseases affected by weight is designed to help you get the best outcomes in the shortest amount of time possible.
Over the many years working with individuals like you, we know that it generally takes 3 months of support to achieve significant transformation to your health and wellness to set you up for long term success.
We also know that we need to look at these things in detail to really address the key reasons you might be experiencing fatigue, weight issues, or chronic disease so we can help manage them:
Personalised nutrition is a core component of our program structure for our Mind Your Weight program. This programs is designed specifically to your body’s needs based on a specific blood pathology panel giving you a plan that will work with you for most people for the rest of their life.
Additional blood pathology may be a requirement for more complex or chronic illnesses, particularly if they are not currently managed by GPs or other specialists that form part of your health care team.
To consolidate success our 12-week lifestyle and nutrition program includes an online Healthy Nutrition and Habits self-paced course, exclusive recipe collections, and motivational journal. The course includes topics and mini tasks related to nutrition, mindset and self-development in short weekly videos, and worksheets.
The program has a personalised coaching component that is delivered weekly in a combination of 1:1 and group coaching sessions to help you set lifestyle goals to support your revamped healthy lifestyle. This is the time to get your questions answered, and to interact and learn from your peers in the program. There is also a community chat group for additional support.
Because we want all of our clients to succeed we also address the thought patterns and behaviours that are holding do many people with chronic weight loss and health issues back. The Rewire and Release Breakthrough is included in all of our programs so that you can write the next chapter in your story with confidence.
We are a results-based practice and so we don’t skimp on anything. We have expertly designed our packages to ensure that our clients get the best outcomes possible.
Because of this, we need our clients to commit to a minimum of 3 months. We also have masterclasses, challenges, and a 30-day Shift Your Weight habit change program for those pesky plateaus or beginners testing what's possible.
Next steps…
Understanding how to choose the best practitioner is a crucial step. Now, let's delve into the importance of feeling confident in your decision and introduce the next steps in your health journey.
It’s really important that you feel confident in your decision, and have all your questions about working with someone answered before you commit. Even if you’re choosing to work with us.
More resources
That’s why we always ask anyone considering hiring us to help them with their health to book in a complimentary strategy session. These are no-obligation chats where you get to learn what its like working with us and get all your questions answered.
Explore our website for masterclasses, challenges, and a 30-day Shift Your Weight habit change program for those pesky plateaus or beginners testing what's possible.
