Hi Reader!

I get asked about psych meds and nutrition A LOT.

Years ago, I made myself a spreadsheet of psych medications, their side effects, and nutrition interactions, that I still reference today.

One of these days, I’ll pretty it up and make it available to everyone. For now, that probably explains why *Psychotherapeutic Medications and Nutritional Status: Integrating Mental Health and Nutrition Care* caught my attention in the FNCE program.

I’ve shared my session shortlist in my FNCE 2026 guide. Here, I wanted to say a little more about why a few of those topics interest me, and what might be useful to listen for if they’re on your list, too.

​Psych meds and the questions that follow us into practice​

The medication session connects directly to questions people already bring me. I’m interested in how the presenters move from information about a medication to decisions about nutrition care.

For this one, useful questions to bring might be:

- What should we assess or monitor, and what would change our nutrition plan?

- What needs a conversation with the prescriber or pharmacist?

- How can we explain what we know, including what we’re uncertain about, without leaving a client more confused?

The session looks like it includes includes nutrition risk assessment and drug–nutrient interactions. I’d like to come away with details that help answer the questions behind “What should I know about this medication?”

Trauma-informed care in an actual appointment

​From Fight-or-Flight to Rest-and-Digest: Integrating Trauma-Informed Tools in GI Nutrition Care is another session on my list.

Trauma-informed care is something I want every clinician (RD or not) to be familiar with. For a conference session, I’m especially interested in what the approach looks like during an appointment.

-What language might we use when asking a sensitive question?

-How do we offer meaningful choices during an assessment?

-What would we reconsider about how we usually give recommendations?

Those are questions I’d bring to this session. If you’re attending, you could choose one part of your own appointment process to think about as you listen. That gives you something specific to revisit afterward.

Food noise and brain fog are coming up already

The food-noise Learning Lounge session caught my eye because of nearly all my clients have asked about food noise recently, even those not on a GLP-1 medication.

And a follower brought up brain fog on one of my posts recently, so Clearing the Fog: Understanding, Measuring, and Managing Brain Fog Through Nutrition feels timely, too.

For both topics, I’d start by listening to how the speakers define the terms. What exactly are they describing, and how is it being measured?

Then I’d want to know who was included in the research and how closely that matches the people we see in practice. Before turning an interesting finding into a recommendation, I want enough context to judge where it applies.

If you work with someone who uses either term, you might bring a general question about assessment or communication.

Remember to keep identifying client details out of conference discussions.

A session where you’ll definitely find me

I’m moderating Metabolism in Menopause: Integrating Nutrition, Hormones & Strength, and I’m especially excited to be doing that with my friend Janna. The panel also includes a physical therapist and a physician.

I like the opportunity to hear different professions discuss a shared topic. One question to keep in mind during an interdisciplinary session is where another professional’s perspective could help you with something you’re encountering in your own work.

​The dates/times and the rest of my mental health-related picks are on the site now.

In Addition to the Behavioral & Mental Health Track...

I practically live and breath mental health nutrition when my dietitian hat is on. However, have a personal rule that I try to keep myself out of echo chambers. As much as possible...

So here are some other sessions I may try to attend.

• ​Food Affordability and the Future of Public Health: A Conversation with the 2026 Langholz Award Recipient, Dr. Adam Drewnowski​
• ​Staying Ethical in a Polarized World - Advocacy, Science, and Communication​
• ​Elevating Voices: Exploring Lifestyle, GLP-1 Therapies, and Equity in Diabetes Care for Black Women​
• ​Unpacking Bias & Advancing Equity: Cultural Perspectives in Nutrition Care​
• ​Vibe Check: Engaging Gen Z and Alpha Without the Awkward - Maybe I'll get some tips for talking with my son!🫠🤣
• ​Overcoming the Machismo Mindset: Culturally Adaptive Methods for Behavior Change​
• ​The Unexpected Low: Navigating MNT in Post-Bariatric Hypoglycemia - I have a client in mind for this one
• ​A Hospice Dietitian's Field Guide to Nutrition for the Terminally Ill Patient​

Give yourself one question to listen for

If you’re torn between sessions, try finishing this sentence for each one:

“I’d like to leave with a better understanding of ______.”

You may find that one session connects much more directly to what you need right now. You can still change your mind when you get there. I certainly do.

And if, like me, you don’t want to spend the whole session taking notes, a brief note afterward can be enough to start:

- The question this helped me answer.

- Something I want to verify or read more about, with the source attached.

- An idea I might use, and what I need to understand before trying it.

You don’t have to come home ready to overhaul your practice. A clearer answer to a question you’ve been struggling with is a useful thing to bring back.

If there’s something you’d like me to look into at FNCE, or you want to sit down and chat, send me a message on my personal LinkedIn profile.

I check it more frequently than email during the conference, and I’d like to hear what you’re curious about, even if you won’t be there.

See you next week!

Jennifer Parrott Hanes MS, RDN, LD

600 1st Ave, Ste 330 PMB 92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2246
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