09/17/2026
Don’t be an a***e to your patients.** 🤷🏼♀️
You can be honest with someone about their health without making them feel like crap.
Instead of: “You need to lose weight. Your numbers are getting worse. You need to exercise more.”
Try:
“How many days this week do you feel like you made healthy choices? Okay—what if we added just THREE more healthy choices next week?”
“Did you prioritize your sleep?”
“Were you consistent with the things we talked about?”
“Give me 90 days of really good effort. Not perfection—EFFORT. Let’s see what happens to these numbers.”
Because constructive feedback doesn't have to feel like criticism.
Every person sitting across from me is a human being doing the best they can with whatever life is handing them right now.
Maybe they're going through a breakup.
Maybe they lost their job.
Maybe their back hurts every single day.
Maybe they're taking care of everyone except themselves.
Maybe they just lost someone they love.
Maybe they're simply exhausted.
People often come to healthcare providers when they already feel frustrated, scared, embarrassed, or desperate for help.
Why would I meet them there with judgment?
My job isn't to shame someone into being healthier. It's to figure out where they are, meet them there, and help them make realistic changes that move them forward.
You can hold people accountable and be kind.
You can give constructive feedback and maintain a healthy, trusting relationship.
You can tell someone they need to make changes without making them feel like they've failed.
Sometimes people don't need another lecture.
They need someone in their corner saying:
“Okay. This is where we are. Now let's figure out what we can do next.” 🤍
That’s the kind of healthcare relationship I want with my patients.