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New Resources for Nutrition Educators WEB SITE Touching Hearts, Touching Minds. Massachusetts WIC Nutrition Program. Tools and materials for emotion-based nutrition counseling and training video. Available at: http://touchinghearts touchingminds.com. Accessed March 6, 2009. The strategies and materials on this Web site differ from traditional nutrition edu- cation approaches. Because emotions— not logic or facts alone—drive behaviors, this new approach represents an exciting opportunity for interacting with people that will lead to behavior change. These materials highlight the emotion-based benefits of making eating and activity changes in addition to the logical, ratio- nal benefits of taking action. As a nutrition educator, do you sometimes feel frustrated because your client does not appear to be mak- ing any behavioral changes? The prob- lem may be with the delivery of the nutrition message. The Touching Hearts, Touching Minds program chal- lenges educators to view people as ‘‘feeling machines that think, rather than thinking machines that feel.’’ Emotions drive behavior. Behavior change is more likely to happen when we speak to people’s feelings and highlight the emotional benefit of taking a health-related action. The emotion-based materials and counseling strategies featured on this Web site are the result of a USDA pro- ject grant, received by the Massachu- setts WIC Program, to look at ways of revitalizing nutrition education. WIC nutrition educators now have a new repertoire of materials to use as effective behavior change catalysts. Materials were designed to touch the heart first, usually with engaging visuals, and then to provide the key messages on which to act. A series of 33 handouts has been developed (in English and Spanish) that covers a range of maternal and child health topics that are appropriate for the WIC target audience. Six handouts feature recipes. The Web site also includes a link to The WIC Parent Con- nection video. The video demonstrates emotion-based techniques used by real counselors interacting with par- ents in group discussions. The Web site is user friendly. The site is divided into sections, including an overview of the project, emotion- based materials, implementation tools, and contact information. The overview section includes a discussion of the project’s development, along with the benefits of emotion-based counseling, implementation tips, and feedback from staff and partici- pants. All 33 color handouts are accessible as PDF files in the emo- tion-based materials section. In the implementation tools section, users will find reprinting guidelines, a link to a PDF file containing key messages to accompany the handouts, counsel- ing tips, and a link to a training video. The emotion-based materials and counseling strategies will benefit all nutrition educators, not just those employed in a WIC setting. The mate- rials are within the public domain, making it free for all nutrition profes- sionals to use. It is easy to download a copy of each of the handouts from the Web site. Information is provided on how to obtain printer-friendly files for all of the emotion-based materials, as well as on how to obtain materials available in other languages. A free copy of the video also may be re- quested for training purposes. Even though the materials are free to download, the cost of printer car- tridges and paper to print multiple copies may be prohibitive to some nutrition professionals. And, although most individuals/agencies have access to the Internet, those who do not would find it difficult to access these valuable resources. The recipes featured on snacks, breakfast, beans, beef, chicken, and pork are quick and easy, perfect for the busy WIC mom. But this section possibly could be en- hanced by including fruit and vegeta- ble recipes as well as recipes that feature WIC food (besides beans). Overall, the Touching Hearts, Touch- ing Minds emotion-based materials and counseling strategies come highly recommended for all nutrition educa- tors who are looking to revitalize their nutrition education efforts and renew their passion for positive behavioral outcomes in their clients. Laura Graney, MS, RD, CD, CBE, She- boygan County WIC Project Nutritionist, 1011 N. 8 th St, Sheboygan, WI 53081 doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2008.09.006 Cite this article as: Graney L. Touching Hearts, Touching Minds. WIC Parent Connections Training Materials and Video [New Re- sources for Nutrition Educators]. J Nutr Educ Behav 2009;41:229.e1. Inclusion of any material in this section does not imply endorsement by the Society for Nutrition Education. Evaluative comments contained in the reviews reflect the views of the authors. Review abstracts are either prepared by the reviewer or extracted from the product literature. Prices quoted are those provided by the publishers at the time materials were submitted. They may not be current when the review is published. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2009;41:229.e1 Ó2009 SOCIETY FOR NUTRITION EDUCATION Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior Volume 41, Number 3, 2009 229.e1

Touching Hearts, Touching Minds

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Page 1: Touching Hearts, Touching Minds

New Resources for Nutrition Educators

WEB SITE

Touching Hearts, Touching Minds.Massachusetts WIC Nutrition Program.Tools and materials for emotion-basednutrition counseling and training video.Available at: http://touchingheartstouchingminds.com. Accessed March 6,2009.

The strategies and materials on this Website differ from traditional nutrition edu-cation approaches. Because emotions—not logic or facts alone—drive behaviors,this new approach represents an excitingopportunity for interacting with peoplethat will lead to behavior change. Thesematerials highlight the emotion-basedbenefits of making eating and activitychanges in addition to the logical, ratio-nal benefits of taking action.

As a nutrition educator, do yousometimes feel frustrated becauseyour client does not appear to be mak-ing any behavioral changes? The prob-lem may be with the delivery of thenutrition message. The TouchingHearts, Touching Minds program chal-lenges educators to view people as‘‘feeling machines that think, ratherthan thinking machines that feel.’’Emotions drive behavior. Behaviorchange is more likely to happenwhen we speak to people’s feelingsand highlight the emotional benefitof taking a health-related action.

The emotion-based materials andcounseling strategies featured on thisWeb site are the result of a USDA pro-ject grant, received by the Massachu-setts WIC Program, to look at waysof revitalizing nutrition education.WIC nutrition educators now havea new repertoire of materials to useas effective behavior change catalysts.Materials were designed to touch theheart first, usually with engagingvisuals, and then to provide the keymessages on which to act. A series of

33 handouts has been developed (inEnglish and Spanish) that coversa range of maternal and child healthtopics that are appropriate for theWIC target audience. Six handoutsfeature recipes. The Web site alsoincludes a link to The WIC Parent Con-nection video. The video demonstratesemotion-based techniques used byreal counselors interacting with par-ents in group discussions.

The Web site is user friendly. Thesite is divided into sections, includingan overview of the project, emotion-based materials, implementationtools, and contact information. Theoverview section includes a discussionof the project’s development, alongwith the benefits of emotion-basedcounseling, implementation tips,and feedback from staff and partici-pants. All 33 color handouts areaccessible as PDF files in the emo-tion-based materials section. In theimplementation tools section, userswill find reprinting guidelines, a linkto a PDF file containing key messagesto accompany the handouts, counsel-ing tips, and a link to a training video.

The emotion-based materials andcounseling strategies will benefit all

nutrition educators, not just thoseemployed in a WIC setting. The mate-rials are within the public domain,making it free for all nutrition profes-sionals to use. It is easy to downloada copy of each of the handouts fromthe Web site. Information is providedon how to obtain printer-friendly filesfor all of the emotion-based materials,as well as on how to obtain materialsavailable in other languages. A freecopy of the video also may be re-quested for training purposes.

Even though the materials are freeto download, the cost of printer car-tridges and paper to print multiplecopies may be prohibitive to somenutrition professionals. And, althoughmost individuals/agencies have accessto the Internet, those who do notwould find it difficult to access thesevaluable resources. The recipes featuredon snacks, breakfast, beans, beef,chicken, and pork are quick and easy,perfect for the busy WIC mom. Butthis section possibly could be en-hanced by including fruit and vegeta-ble recipes as well as recipes thatfeature WIC food (besides beans).

Overall, the Touching Hearts, Touch-ing Minds emotion-based materialsand counseling strategies come highlyrecommended for all nutrition educa-tors who are looking to revitalize theirnutrition education efforts and renewtheir passion for positive behavioraloutcomes in their clients.

Laura Graney, MS, RD, CD, CBE, She-boygan County WIC Project Nutritionist,1011 N. 8th St, Sheboygan, WI 53081

doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2008.09.006

Cite this article as: Graney L.Touching Hearts, Touching Minds.WIC Parent Connections TrainingMaterials and Video [New Re-sources for Nutrition Educators]. JNutr Educ Behav 2009;41:229.e1.

229.e1

Inclusion of any material in this section does not imply endorsement by the Society forNutrition Education. Evaluative comments contained in the reviews reflect the views of theauthors. Review abstracts are either prepared by the reviewer or extracted from the productliterature. Prices quoted are those provided by the publishers at the time materials weresubmitted. They may not be current when the review is published.J Nutr Educ Behav. 2009;41:229.e1�2009 SOCIETY FOR NUTRITION EDUCATION

Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior � Volume 41, Number 3, 2009