It’s National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, brought to you by the National Eating Disorders Association!
This year’s theme is “Come as you are”, highlighting that all clients struggling with eating disorders deserve to tell their story and get the treatment that they need.
The theme inspired me to think about all the business owners out there doing this important work. After all, owning a private practice and building a business is a lot like eating disorder recovery.
Having your own business is full of ups and downs and there are no right answers. Everyone is in a different place and has different goals of where they want to be. No matter where you are in your own business, you have permission to be there. To be seen, heard, and grow as much or as little as you want.
Just like I have my own story of eating disorder recovery, I am also writing my story of building a business. It’s a journey that is hard work and one that deserves to be told- just like your story!
No matter where you are in business, chances are you can find someone who is a few steps behind you and looks up to where you are. At the same time, you can find a few people who are a few steps ahead of you and have a lot to learn from them!! This is why I love coaching dietitians just as much as I love counseling clients. I love to be a part of the journey and so honored that you are all here with me. Thank you for being a part of this community!
I wasn’t always a weight-inclusive dietitian specializing in eating disorder recovery and intuitive eating. I began in the field as a diabetes dietitian and focused on “healthy habits” and weight loss. Thinking back, I was just trying to help clients and realize I wouldn’t be here TODAY if I didn’t have that experience.
After taking training in eating disorders, and a ton of supervision, I figured out my own nutrition philosophy. Changing to this specific niche made all the difference in the growth of my practice. A lot of people worry that making this change means you will not continue to grow in the business, but for most it is the opposite. You will thrive with a specialty. (I wrote about this in another article, which you can read online here!)
The biggest piece of advice I can offer is to never worry about comparing yourself to others. Just get out there and be you, come as YOU are and run your business with passion for what you love to do. That’s where the success will happen!
If you’re interested in adding intuitive eating into your practice, and offering a weight -inclusive practice to your clients, make sure you download my weight-inclusive private practice guide. When you click this link, you can sign up to receive the guide and learn how to take small steps to help your clients in achieving weight-inclusive goals.
P.S. Make sure to follow me on Instagram where I will be sharing all things related to Eating Disorders Awareness week and lots of tips on growing your practice too If you have any interest in this work, now is a great time to learn more for your own business.
P.S.S. Click here to download the Weight-Inclusive Private Practice guide. You CAN make a difference in the lives of your clients doing the work you LOVE to do.
Jennifer McGurk, RDN, CDN, CDE, CEDRD is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist whose mission is to help dietitians Be the Dietitian you were Meant to Be. She is an expert in the field of eating disorders and also supervises other Registered Dietitians as an iaedp approved supervisor. She is the owner of Eat With Knowledge in Nyack, NY and leads a team of dietitians who support the philosophy, “Feel fabulous about food!”
Download her FREE resource on the top 10 mistakes professionals make in private practice.
