The Nutritional Supplement

Which course did you graduate from at CNELM and when did you graduate?

I graduated in 2008 with a BSc (Hons) in Nutritional Therapy.

What did you do before doing this course? I worked full time at the Transport Research Laboratory and managed a team of forensic scientists.

What made you decide to embark on this course of study and what attracted you to CNELM?

I wanted to work for myself and had started to become interested in complementary therapy.  At that time my partner had a nutrition consultation with Kate Neil and having listened to his experience I realised that this was an area that interested me. I was particularly drawn to the course at CNELM as it was very much a science-based qualification. 

What was your first role after graduating?

I worked at a multidisciplinary clinic in Marlow as their Nutritional Therapist, at first working only Saturdays while maintaining my full-time job.

How did you kickstart your practice / career?

I focused on two areas – the practice in Marlow and my own home practice. I increased my hours at the clinic in Marlow, it was attached to a health food store and I volunteered to be on the shop floor when I didn’t have clients, so I learnt a huge amount about supplements and health foods, and also found clients along the way.  At home I joined Patrick Holford’s newly established “Zest for Life” franchise and started to run groups in local venues for health and weight loss.  This was a huge learning curve and was invaluable for both experience and confidence. The company provided many helpful materials and I invested in a set of Tanita body composition analysis scales, which were needed for the classes and have been a great tool in my practice ever since. 

Where has your career taken you so far? 

I added corporate work to my practice, providing advice, talks and seminars to companies, university staff, government departments and local authority staff.  At the same time, I became a module leader at CNELM and a Supervisor in the student clinic.  A highlight of my work outside one-to-one practice was being asked by a charity to talk to groups of people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction about the role of nutrition in addiction and recovery. More recently I have taken on a role as Professional Supervisor, originally trained by BANT to run supervision groups which are now successfully being run online.  When I moved to South Wales a few years ago I established myself in private practice at a local clinic. The ability to run online consultations has more recently provided a means of continuing practice when a clinic setting isn’t an option. 

Do you specialise in a particular area of health? 

I have always welcomed whoever walks through the door and enjoy the variety and challenge that this brings.

Which part do you think has been the most rewarding or successful?  There are so many aspects of this job that are rewarding – one of the major rewards of course is how you feel when you hear from a client that their life has been significantly improved, or even changed, by the dietary and lifestyle recommendations.  The work for the addiction recovery charity was also very rewarding and made me aware of the need to reach more people without the financial means to access nutritional therapy. 

Is there anything you wish you’d known before finishing your studies that you might have prepared for differently?

Before graduating I underestimated the importance of the coaching side of practice. CNELM were clear about the vital part it plays in practice and I completed my NLP Practitioner Certificate, but it wasn’t until I practiced that it became clear that for many clients the coaching/lifestyle aspect is just as relevant as the nutrition intervention and that more training in this area would be helpful. 

If you were graduating now, would you do anything differently? 

It was a brilliant degree which led directly to practice and I was lucky enough to move directly into a thriving clinic setting, so I would not consider doing anything different in that respect. Given the importance of the coaching aspect of nutritional therapy, given my time again I might well consider doing a Life Coach course to complement the NLP Certificate.

What or who has most inspired you in your work? 

I am really inspired by the many women I meet who juggle children, jobs and other home commitments to complete their degrees and forge a new career as a nutrition practitioner, often as a change of career.  This takes courage and commitment, and such people form the backbone of our profession.

Do you have any tips, hints, things you’d have done differently...? 

I have over the years enjoyed the support of colleagues for exchange of information around testing, supplements etc and I would also have valued the opportunity to join a Professional Supervision group had it been available earlier in my career, to be able to discuss confidentially some of the issues that arise in practice.