As a lactation consultant, your role in goal-setting is to be a coach, cheering your clients on and pointing them in the direction of the path they want to take. 

While you have the advantage of experience that they don’t, it would be counterproductive for you to dictate how they should do things and what their goals should be. Be someone who your clients can rely on to provide objective guidance and problem-solving while empowering them to build the family relationship they want.

“We are so dedicated to helping our families feel like they can trust and be honest with us and know that we are on their team.”

In this episode, we will cover:

• Setting goals with your clients is a great opportunity for using your communication skills.
• Starting with how you present yourself online and extends to the intake process, actually meeting with the client, and following up.
• Even if you think you know the right answer or the right course of action, it is imperative for your client’s goals to be their idea based on your input and guidance.
• Great questions to ask when meeting in person with the client are: “What do you want to work on during our time today?”, “Tell me more about…”, and “What do you want this to look like?”
• When it comes to putting theory into practice, the process of determining the steps the client needs to take should allow them to be autonomous but with your objective voice helping them vocalize and structure their plan.
• Thinking in terms of milestones rather than metrics.
• Being sensitive about what they’ve been through already
• Helping your clients take a look at what is hindering them or holding them back and see if you can provide a solution they hadn’t thought of.
• Making sure your clients do not put too much pressure on themselves to be achievers but rather celebrate milestones and manage disappointments
• Circle back at the end of the visit to talk about follow-up, especially with clients whose insurance might not cover recurring visits.

This podcast is sponsored by The Lactation Private Practice Toolkit. This toolkit provides resources, training, and tools for lactation consultants in private practice and includes lifetime upgrades to the latest industry news and resources. Click here and enter code “podcast” to receive 10% off the toolkit.

Links and Resources

• “Motivational Interviewing” book
• Lactation Business Coaching website
• Lactation Business Coaching Facebook
• Subscribe to the Deeper Dive Membership: https://learn.paperlesslactation.com/subscription/deeper-dive-membership
• Have an idea for a podcast episode or a Deeper Dive? Let us know! https://learn.paperlesslactation.com/form/collaborate

If you like what you heard today, please follow us on Facebook and Instagram and leave us a review on iTunes. 

About Us

Leah Jolly is a private practice IBCLC with Bay Area Breastfeeding in Houston, Texas.

Annie Frisbie is a private practice IBCLC serving Queens and Brooklyn in New York City and the creator of the Lactation Consultant Private Practice Toolkit.

Many thanks to Stephanie Granade for her production assistance, and to Silas Wade for creating our theme music.