HAES® informed eating disorders dietitian Haley Goodrich joins Jennifer for an informative and heartwarming discussion on this episode of the Pursuing Private Practice Podcast.

Co-founder of INSPIRD to SEEK, a community for weight-inclusive healthcare professionals, Haley shares her story of how she evolved to become an advocate and educator of the HAES approach to dietetics. After quickly discovering early in her career that clinical dietetics was not her jam, she reflects on how becoming an entrepreneur was the only way to practice the way she wanted. After opening a private practice which grew quicker than she anticipated, she studied Intuitive Eating as a tool, learned more about how to teach her clients about HAES, and worked toward being an eating disorders dietitian.

Now running a group practice with two other dietitians, Haley discusses the process of hiring, the satisfaction of employing others, and how success in a private practice is not always based on the numbers, but sustained growth by creating relationships with referral sources and practitioners in the area.

“I was tired of living really small, and I’d rather take a risk and live a bigger life than feel really safe inside my comfort zone, and I’ll figure it out.” – Haley Goodrich

Haley also tells how she took on the Eating Disorders Chair position in the Behavioral Health and Nutrition dietetic practice group from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, how it has helped her to communicate strategically, and the importance of HAES being embraced in the academy. She also shares how INSPIRD to SEEK evolved out of her own need for community at a time before any Facebook groups, and being the only HAES practitioner in Pittsburgh, PA.

Together they shine a light on the topic of collaboration instead of competition in the niche of anti-diet practitioners, and how we all bring our own message that is unique to help each other learn and grow.

“I truly think that competition in this space is a way to distract ourself from the real purpose of our work. We don’t need to compete against each other. We’re going against the grain and a $70 billion diet industry; that’s who we need to compete against.” – Haley Goodrich

Some of the topics discussed include:

• The privilege of being a Dietitian and being able to take the risk of being a business owner.
• The challenge of finding balance her professional and personal life.
• The importance of boundaries, how they shift, and managing time on social media.
• Her passion for supporting dietitians in private practice to shift to a weight-inclusive approach. 
• Her advice to new dietitians.

 

Visit https://pursuingprivatepractice.com/ to learn more about resources to start and grow your dietitian private practice!