Invitation to Participate in a Short Quantitative Research Survey: Psychotherapists’ Awareness and Integration of Nutrition in the Therapy Room

Dear PCT Scotland colleagues,

My name is Anne Conneely, and I am currently completing an MSc in Pluralistic Counselling and Psychotherapy at IICP College, Dublin. I am conducting a quantitative survey exploring psychotherapists’ and counsellors’ awareness of the relationship between nutrition and mental health, and how, if at all, this awareness is integrated into therapeutic practice.

The aim of this research is to better understand how therapists conceptualise the role of nutrition in relation to mood-related distress (such as anxiety and depression), including professional boundaries, levels of confidence, and factors that influence whether nutrition is discussed in the therapy room.

You are invited to participate in this study if you are:

• A pre-accredited or accredited psychotherapist or counsellor
• Currently practising and receiving supervision
• Based in Scotland, elsewhere in the UK, or Ireland

What participation involves:
Participation involves completing a short, anonymous online survey, which takes approximately 5–10 minutes. At the end of the survey, participants may optionally indicate interest in taking part in a follow-up online focus group to explore themes in more depth.

Participation is entirely voluntary. All perspectives are welcome, including from practitioners who do not currently discuss or integrate nutrition in their work..

This study has received institutional ethical approval, and all data are handled in line with GDPR requirements.

If you are interested in taking part or would like further information, please access the survey via the link below:
https://forms.office.com/r/1Ut1GmnwPM

If you have any questions about the study, please feel free to contact me at aconneely@gmail.com.

Thank you very much for taking the time to consider this invitation. Recruitment will remain open until 28 February 2026. Please feel free to share this invitation with colleagues who may be interested.

Kind regards,
Anne Conneely
MSc Pluralistic Counselling & Psychotherapy
IICP College, Dublin