The Pursuing Private Practice Podcast with Jennifer McGurk and Guest Paige Smathers
In this episode:
Jennifer is joined by Paige Smathers, RDN, CD to explore the important topic of burnout for dietitians in private practice, and to share insightful and relevant strategies to prevent it.
Together they explore the definition of burnout, and shine a light on the causes of it from not only the complexities of the dietitian industry and our clients, but also from the anxiety and uncertainty that the online world can cause private practice owners. They reflect on the need to have honest conversations with ourselves and acknowledge how this work can be exhausting with the pressures to manage all aspects of the job.
Paige shares how she recognizes the early signs of depletion that leads to burnout, how she came to accept that discomfort, uncertainty and discouragement are part of this work and being in private practice, and how she developed mindfulness skills to deal with that, rather than just trying to feel better.
Jennifer and Paige discuss how learning to tolerate the distress of this work can actually help dietitians grow in other aspects of life, and be role models for our clients.
“Mindfulness for me is not about feeling good; it’s about getting more skilled and able to feel the discomfort that I’m feeling, because discomfort and uncertainty is part of this work.” ~Paige Smathers
Some of the topics discussed include:
- Paige’s journey from seeing inpatient hospital clients, to her discovery of Intuitive Eating and starting a practice.
- How her private practice and podcast has developed since 2015, and the importance of staying true to her message and mission.
- Self-care strategies and how to maintain realistic boundaries in private practice by working smarter, not harder.
- How diversifying and building in-person connections in your local community can re-energize you and your practice.
- The differences between in-person versus online burnout, and ways to stay grounded and true to your values when social media causes anxiety and uncertainty.
- Proactive mindfulness techniques and managing your schedule to maintain energy levels.
We need to take care of ourselves so we can effectively work with our clients and thrive in our practice. You’ll get some helpful burnout prevention tips from this episode that you might not have considered!
SHOW SPONSOR
The Dietitian Business Plan Roadmap is the guide that you need to start your private practice. Learn the 10 key steps you need to do in order to start your private practice with confidence. Download your FREE guide and get started today here!
ABOUT PAIGE SMATHERS
Paige Smathers, RDN, CD is a registered dietitian nutritionist in private practice and podcaster whose work revolves around helping people heal their relationships with food and their body. She specializes in chronic dieting, addiction recovery nutrition, eating disorders and family feeding dynamics. Her approach to nutrition and health is grounded in mindfulness and is rooted in the intuitive eating and Health at Every Size frameworks. She is the owner of Positive Nutrition®, which provides individual nutrition therapy, online courses, and mentorship and coaching for professionals. Follow her on Instagram and Facebook for more food for thought!
LINKS / RESOURCES:
- Website: positive-nutrition.com
- Navigating Burnout as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
- Connect with Paige on Instagram and Facebook
RESOURCES FROM JENNIFER
- Download the FREE Dietitian Business Plan Roadmap
- Starting a private practice? Beginner Basics is for you!
- Growing your private practice? Dietitian Business School is for you!
- Connect on Facebook
- Connect on Instagram