professional

supervision +

mentorship

for dietitians

Seeking out a professional supervisor or mentor does not mean you aren’t experienced or skilled enough already. It means you are taking your professional development a step further and staying committed to creating a safer space for your clients. 

People can develop very adaptive ways of coping with trauma, such as leaning on food as a way to soothe emotional distress. So, it is not surprising for these coping mechanisms to show up in the dietitian office. 

Did you know dietitians can benefit from professional supervision and mentorship at any point in their career?

let's talk about it!

Professional supervision for trauma-informed practice can involve:

  • Giving you the opportunity to engage in supportive self-reflection and curiosity about your trauma-informed practice. 

  • Consulting on specific client cases or populations that you find yourself struggling with, or feeling inadequate. 

  • Exploring how perfectionism or imposter syndrome might be showing up in your practice.

  • Learning about how unresolved trauma impacts the nervous system, and what that has to do with your clients’ eating habits. 

  • Discussing professional challenges in a safe and supportive way. 

  • Compassionately talking through mis-cues or mistakes made when supporting clients with a trauma-history, and planning for how to approach with more safety next time

  • Checking in with your own self-compassion and capacity, and providing emotional support.

Professional supervision for trauma-informed nutrition care: a safe space to reflect on your practice, so you can nurture a safer space for your clients.

Professional supervision for dietitians has 3 main functions

Formative + Learning

Enhancing understanding of and integrating new skills, insight and professional competence

Restorative + Support

Emotional support in coping with stressors, and taking care of your wellbeing and self-care

Normative + Accountable

Ensuring ethical and effective practice in professional practice

Source: Crow, T., Kiely, L., Harris, D., & Palermo, C. (2025). Professional supervision in dietetics: A comprehensive, narrative literature review. Nutrition & dietetics : the journal of the Dietitians Association of Australia, 82(5), 457–466. https://doi.org/10.1111/1747-0080.70023
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Let’s face it, learning about trauma-informed care can feel scary and overwhelming

It might even bring up shame, or fear of making mistakes.

Supervision provides a container for all of that - it is a space to explore shame or other emotions that come up as you learn more about trauma-informed practice.

The idea of professional supervision was brand new to me early in my counselling career. At the time, in my existing career as a dietitian, I generally got support from my employer or colleagues if I needed to talk through challenges I was having with clients or my struggles with imposter syndrome. 

But even with that, it was sometimes hard to feel like I had a consistent person to turn to for support… or I had trouble finding someone I could trust to unpack my concerns when I needed to… or I was worried about burdening colleagues when they already had their plates full. 

I am grateful for the supports I have had throughout my career as a dietitian. But something I really learned to appreciate when as a counsellor is professional supervision. 

Essentially, professional supervision and mentorship is a professional relationship that exists solely to focus on your professional development at any point in your career. 

Angela Tucker

Registered Dietitian + Canadian Certified Counsellor

How trauma-informed professional supervision can benefit dietitians

  • Preventing secondary traumatic stress, vicarious trauma, burnout and compassion fatigue 

  • Safe and ethical practice as you learn about and integrate trauma informed-care

  • Confidence in integrating counselling skills within your scope of practice

  • Providing emotional support when you need it

  • Ensuring your are meeting your fullest professional potential

My commitment to you in your trauma-informed practice journey…

I commit to creating a space in which you feel safe enough to get curious, explore your practice, reflect on your strengths, and gently address where you need support

I am ready to talk more!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Trauma-informed practice helps us understand the lasting impact trauma can have on people, including psychological, biological, spiritual, social and neurological.

    When a dietitian is working with a client in a trauma-informed way, they are sensitive and compassionate to the ways their client uses various behaviours (such as food restriction or binge eating) to help them cope with trauma.

    When a provider engages in trauma-informed practice, they are doing their best to protect their clients from further harm. 

  • Trauma-informed care has been around for a long time, but it is pretty new in dietetics.

    Understanding how trauma impacts the person in our office, and their relationship with food, has the potential to build therapeutic trust, help them feel seen and understood, and provide a more attuned level of care.

  • It really depends on your goals and how much support you feel you need, but a good start is once a month. 


  • Dietitians can benefit from professional supervision at any stage in their career, especially when they are learning about something brand new!

    Professional development isn’t only about taking in knowledge from courses and webinars, it is also about being supported in integrating new skills and working through the areas you feel stuck with personalized support and accountability. 

  • No, professional supervision is not the same as working under a preceptor. I won’t be assessing your competencies or taking responsibility for your decisions. 

    I know how we love our research as dietitians, so here is an research-based definition of professional supervision in dietetics: 

    “Professional supervision is a formal process conducted regularly within a protected relationship between a supervisor and a supervisee. It encompasses a range of activities designed to support the supervisee in focusing on their current practice as well as the systems and cultural contexts of their work. Reflective practice is central to supervision and is facilitated by a trained supervisor who is skilled at ensuring that the supervisee's learning and welfare remain at the core of the supervision process. Effective supervision is workplace-endorsed and supervisee-led. It provides opportunities for learning, support and accountability that are responsive to the supervisees' needs throughout the career span. The outcomes of supervision enhance the professional functioning and wellbeing of the supervisee through insight, knowledge and skill development, emotional support, and the monitoring of standards. These outcomes ultimately benefit the clients and communities served by dietitians while contributing to a resilient and progressive profession.”


    (Crow, Kiely, Harris & Palermo, 2025)

    • Completed a comprehensive 12 hour training on clinical supervision

    • Ongoing, regular work with my own professional supervisor to support my learning, engage in self-reflection, challenge my beliefs and biases, and grow professionally

    • Ongoing training in the treatment of trauma as a counselling therapist 

    • My own ongoing professional work with trauma survivors, both as a dietitian and a counselling therapist focused on trauma recovery

    • Professional supervision is not counseling or therapy

    • A professional supervisor is not your boss