A personal trainer is a licensed individual working one-on-one with a client to assist them in reaching their fitness objectives by providing a fitness schedule that is specially adapted to their requirements. These sessions can be done at home with an online personal trainer, but they often occur in a gym setting (Thompson, 2018). The main goal of a personal trainer is to make their clients lose weight and build strength. They may also assist athletes in improving their athletic performance. This essay will discuss the scope of practice for psychology and behavior change for a personal trainer.
Fitness clients are more than just customers; they have many responsibilities and play multiple roles in their lives which affect their psychology and behavior. When dealing with these clients, personal trainers must respond professionally and tactfully without exceeding their defined scope of practice. Personal trainers are not licensed mental health experts; thus, they cannot and should not provide counseling services (Schofield, W.,2019). They must resist the urge to suggest things that may seem obvious to them or to try to treat mental health issues. Offering services that fall within another health professional’s defined scope violates ethics. They are authorized to guide customers through behavior change as it relates to lifestyle and health, offer dependable exercise and dietary advice, and refer clients to the proper healthcare provider for conditions outside of their area of expertise.
In conclusion, personal trainers are important as they give the tools and support needed to reach a health and fitness goal. Consequently, they must act professionally and tactfully to remain within their scope of practice. Offering services within another health professional’s defined scope, such as psychological counseling, violate ethics.
References
Schofield, W. (2019). Psychotherapy: The purchase of friendship. Routledge.
Thompson, W. R. (2018). Worldwide survey of fitness trends for 2019. ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, 22(6), 10-17.