Mood and Food: Exploring Irish & UK Psychotherapists’ Awareness and Integration of Nutrition in the Therapy Room
This study aims to examine how psychotherapists and counsellors in Ireland and the UK understand and respond to the relationship between nutrition and mental health within clinical practice. Although evidence linking nutrition and mental health outcomes—particularly anxiety and depression—is increasing, there is limited research exploring how practitioners interpret this evidence, negotiate professional boundaries, and decide whether or how nutrition-related topics are addressed in therapy.
This study focuses on therapists’ professional perspectives rather than clinical outcomes. The primary aim of the research is to investigate practitioners’ awareness of the nutrition–mental health relationship and how this awareness informs therapeutic decision-making. The study aims to explore attitudes toward discussing nutrition in therapy, perceived scope of practice and ethical boundaries, confidence levels, and the practical factors that influence engagement with the topic. It also aims to examine perceived training needs and the role of supervision and interdisciplinary collaboration in supporting safe and appropriate practice.
A mixed-methods design will be employed, comprising an anonymous online survey followed by an optional qualitative focus group. The survey will form the quantitative phase of the study and is designed to capture responses from a broad sample of qualified and pre-accredited psychotherapists and counsellors.
It will include closed-ended questions and brief open-text items and will take approximately 5 - 10 minutes to complete.
Quantitative data will be analysed descriptively, while open-text responses will be analysed thematically to identify key patterns and areas of convergence and divergence in practice.
Participants may optionally indicate interest in a follow-up focus group at the end of the survey. A small number of participants will be invited to take part in a single online focus group via Zoom, lasting approximately 90 - 120 minutes. The focus group will provide qualitative depth and will allow for more detailed exploration of issues identified in the survey, including boundary management, confidence, and training experiences.
Discussions will be audio-recorded with consent, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Participation in both phases of the study is voluntary. Survey responses will be anonymous, and focus group data will be anonymised using pseudonyms. All data will be stored securely and managed in accordance with GDPR and institutional ethics approval.
The findings aim to contribute practitioner-informed evidence to discussions on training, professional boundaries, and interdisciplinary working in counselling and psychotherapy.
Please see here for more information and for details on how to participate, please see here.