Welcome to the Pursuing Private Practice podcast! Join Jennifer McGurk, CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and Megan Hadley, nutritionist and owner of Simple Nutrition, for a conversation about midlife nutrition, body changes, identity shifts, and what dietitians need to understand when supporting clients in this season of life. This conversation is both personal and professional, as both Jennifer and Megan reflect on their own experiences in mid-life. Megan shares her expertise from working with clients navigating food, body image, hormones, health concerns, and the overwhelming influence of diet culture.

• Defining Midlife Beyond Age (03:37) Megan explains what midlife means from her perspective, including body changes, shifting labs, movement changes, menstrual cycle changes, and vision changes.
• Why Midlife Nutrition Became Personal (07:33) Megan shares how her passion for working with midlife clients evolved as she experienced this season herself. Jennifer connects this to the vulnerability of clients in midlife and the constant pressure they receive from diet culture and influencer messaging.
• The Problem With "Feel Like Yourself Again" Messaging (09:17) Jennifer and Megan unpack why the pressure to return to a younger body is so harmful. Jennifer reflects on the importance of embracing each new version of ourselves.
• Supporting Clients Who Want Sustainable Health (14:15) Jennifer goes through the many challenges midlife clients may be navigating, including body changes, hormones, caregiving, and life circumstances.
• Reconnecting With Values, Health, and Boundaries (17:30) Jennifer reflects on how working with a dietitian can help clients reconnect their nutrition to their values, lifestyle, and health goals. Megan shares how this work can help clients as they learn to trust themselves more deeply.
• Inside Megan's Group Practice and Client Offers (23:13) Megan shares more about her group practice and how she supports her ideal clients.
• The Power of Group Work and Community (26:24) Megan reflects on why group support can be so meaningful for clients. Jennifer highlights how powerful it is for business owners to create offers that serve both their clients and themselves.
• What Dietitians Need to Know About Midlife Clients (28:10) Megan offers dietitians guidance on understanding scope of practice when working with midlife clients. Megan encourages professionals to start by having conversations and paying attention to client language.
• Body Image, Intuitive Eating, and Changing Needs (34:13) Jennifer and Megan discuss the importance of body image work, supervision, and continuing education for dietitians supporting midlife clients.

Midlife nutrition is not about trying to get back to a younger version of yourself or becoming vulnerable to every message that promises to "fix" this season of transition. It is about helping clients understand what their bodies need now, reconnect with themselves, and make choices that support their health, energy, values, and quality of life. It is also about learning a new identity, protecting boundaries, and stepping into the version of yourself you want to become in this next chapter. Throughout this episode, Jennifer and Megan remind dietitians that supporting clients in midlife requires curiosity, strong nutrition assessment skills, body image support, and a commitment to understanding the full context of a client's life.

Sponsor: ✨ Business School is a comprehensive 6-month program designed to guide you through every stage of building a private practice: getting set up, seeing your first clients, growing until you're fully booked, hiring a team, expanding your offers—and even learning how to coast when needed. Inside, you'll follow a step-by-step curriculum with the flexibility to choose the path that fits your current stage of business and life. You'll get access to advanced toolkits, templates, and systems for business topics like marketing and finances, but also for counseling skills and client support. Beyond the curriculum, you're supported by personalized 1:1 coaching, weekly office hours, and monthly themes that address the real challenges of private practice. The program keeps you moving forward with built-in accountability that builds resilience and confidence so you feel like a legit business owner. Learn more and apply here: https://pursuingprivatepractice.com/businessschool/

Connect with Pursuing Private Practice:Instagram: @pursuing.private.practice Email: Contact Us

Free Resources For Dietitians at Any Stage of Business: 🔗 The Ultimate Checklist to Start Your Private Practice 🔗 Free Training: Get Clients Now 3-Day Challenge 🔗 Free Workshop: Hire Your Next Team Member 🔗 The Pursuing Private Practice Blog 🔗 The Pursuing Private Practice Podcast

About Megan: Megan Hadley, MS, RDN, LDN is a nutritionist and owner of Simple Nutrition, a nutrition counseling practice in Greensboro, NC that specializes in supporting people with eating disorders and disordered eating. She believes that all bodies are good and that from cake to kale, all foods are important. She is on mission to help people stress and obsess less about food and their bodies because when this happens, people not only improve their nutritional health but they begin to thrive in all areas of their life. When she's not working, Megan enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters. She loves reading, traveling, long naps, good wine, and french fries. Find Megan on Instagram at @meg.hadley and @simplenutritiongso.

Welcome to the Pursuing Private Practice podcast!

Join Jennifer McGurk, CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and Rachelle Mallik, reproductive dietitian and founder of The Food Therapist, for a conversation about building a private practice within the reproductive health space, supporting clients through vulnerable seasons of life, and using clinical expertise to create new opportunities in business.

In this episode, Rachelle shares the story behind her 20‑year journey from an IVF patient coordinator at Weill Cornell to a reproductive dietitian who now supports clients through every stage of their reproductive lifespan. Jennifer and Rachelle discuss how dietitians can provide thoughtful, ethical support while knowing when to bring in other providers, and how dietitians can grow their specialty beyond one-on-one care.

• Defining Reproductive Health as a Private Practice Niche (04:19) Rachelle explains why she calls herself a reproductive dietitian and how this specialty can include much more than helping clients who are actively trying to conceive.
• Rachelle's Path Into Fertility Nutrition (06:44) Rachelle shares how working as an IVF patient coordinator at Weill Cornell helped her understand the emotional weight of infertility and planted the seed for the work she does today.
• The Gap in Pregnancy Nutrition Care (09:12) Rachelle and Jennifer reflect on how little nutrition support many people receive during pregnancy and why dietitians are so needed before, during, and after pregnancy.
• Supporting Clients Through Infertility (11:32) Rachelle talks about the overwhelm, misinformation, guilt, and desire for control that many clients experience when navigating infertility, and how dietitians can support them with compassion and scope-aware care.
• Pregnancy Nutrition, Food Aversions, and Guilt (14:39) Rachelle shares common pregnancy nutrition challenges, including nausea, fatigue, food aversions, constipation, reflux, and the pressure clients feel to "eat healthy" even when eating feels hard. Jennifer reflects on her own pregnancy experience as a dietitian.
• Postpartum Nutrition and Whole-Person Support (17:08) Rachelle and Jennifer discuss the realities of postpartum life, including recovery, sleep deprivation, feeding a baby, body image concerns, and the lack of consistent support after birth.
• The Power of Multidisciplinary Care (20:15) Rachelle and Jennifer talk about why dietitians are often uniquely positioned to recognize when clients need additional support from pelvic floor physical therapists, mental health professionals, physicians, and other providers.
• How Rachelle Structures Her Private Practice (21:06) Rachelle explains why her practice is primarily one-on-one, how she shifted away from packages, and why pay-as-you-go sessions created more flexibility for her clients and her business.
• Creating Professional Resources From Clinical Experience (27:11) Rachelle talks about expanding her business beyond client care through courses, speaking opportunities, continuing education, and resources for other healthcare professionals.
• Scope of Practice in Reproductive Health Nutrition (31:52) Rachelle breaks down how beginner, mid-level, and advanced dietitians can approach reproductive health work while continuing to learn, refer out, and seek support when needed.
• Getting Started in Fertility Nutrition (36:38) Rachelle offers advice for dietitians who want to enter the fertility space, including starting with preconception clients before moving into more complex infertility care.

This conversation is a reminder that reproductive health is not a narrow niche. Rachelle shows how fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, PCOS, endometriosis, lactation, and perimenopause can all live under one specialty when you understand the deeper needs of your clients. Strong private practice work is not just about knowing the science. It is also about understanding the client's lived experience, knowing when to collaborate with other providers, and continuing to grow your expertise over time.

Rachelle's story is also a powerful reminder that you can expand beyond client care and into areas like supervision and professional development within your area of expertise.

✨ Business School is a comprehensive 6-month program designed to guide you through every stage of building a private practice: getting set up, seeing your first clients, growing until you're fully booked, hiring a team, expanding your offers—and even learning how to coast when needed. Inside, you'll follow a step-by-step curriculum with the flexibility to choose the path that fits your current stage of business and life. You'll get access to advanced toolkits, templates, and systems for business topics like marketing and finances, but also for counseling skills and client support. Beyond the curriculum, you're supported by personalized 1:1 coaching, weekly office hours, and monthly themes that address the real challenges of private practice. The program keeps you moving forward with built-in accountability that builds resilience and confidence so you feel like a legit business owner.

Learn more and apply here: https://pursuingprivatepractice.com/businessschool/

Find Pursuing Private Practice on Instagram @pursuing.private.practice

About Rachelle:

Rachelle LaCroix Mallik, MA, RDN is a dietitian and founder of The Food Therapist, a private practice specializing in fertility and women's health nutrition. With nearly 20 years of experience in reproductive health and almost a decade in private practice, Rachelle helps individuals navigate fertility, pregnancy, and other women's health concerns with evidence-based, weight-inclusive care. Rachelle is also a frequent speaker and received the Women's Health Dietetic Practice Group Excellence in Practice Award for her contributions to the field.

Find Rachelle on Instagram at @rachellemallik

Resources: Supervision & Case Consultation Fertility Foundations Course GLP-1s & Fertility Webinar Recording

Welcome to the Pursuing Private Practice podcast!

Join Jennifer McGurk, the CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and Megan Cremins, a registered dietitian and certified personal trainer specializing in Type 1 Diabetes, for a conversation about the value of lived experience, the importance of meeting clients where they are, and how dietitians can build meaningful work in a specialty they care deeply about.

Megan shares how her own diabetes diagnosis shaped the way she supports clients today, helping them move away from fear-based food rules and toward more confidence with blood sugars, technology, and real-life eating. Jennifer and Megan discuss the various ways dietitians can work in the diabetes space, the importance of community, and what it can look like to build a sustainable private practice.

• Megan's Personal Diagnosis Story (04:17) Megan shares the story of her type 1 diabetes diagnosis at age five and reflects on how challenging it was to grow up managing blood sugars, food, insulin, and confidence.
• Becoming the Dietitian She Needed as a Kid (06:51) Megan explains how her own health journey helped her realize that she wanted to support others with type 1 diabetes in a more empowering, compassionate way.
• Moving Beyond Fear-Based Diabetes Advice (08:46) Jennifer and Megan discuss how type 1 diabetes care has often been shaped by food fear and restriction, and why a balanced, flexible approach can better support clients.
• Helping Clients Build Flexibility and Confidence (11:07) Megan explains common client pain points, and Jennifer reflects on how powerful it is for clients to have a provider who can help them experiment with food, blood sugars, and technology without fear.
• Supporting Clients Through Life Transitions (15:11) Megan talks about the importance of extra support during major transitions like pregnancy, college, perimenopause, and other life changes that can affect blood sugars.
• Building a Practice With Multiple Offers (16:39) Megan walks through the evolution of her business, including her group program, one-on-one work, insurance-based practice, recipe club, and brand partnerships.
• Finding a Sustainable Business Model (20:21) Megan reflects on how her mix of offers helps her feel balanced, and Jennifer shares how business owners can continue evolving their boundaries, services, and definitions of success.
• Understanding Scope in the Diabetes Space (24:52) Jennifer and Megan discuss the different layers of diabetes care, including type 1, type 2, insulin resistance, insulin use, medications, pumps, CGMs, and the importance of understanding each client's actual needs.
• Growing Through Community, Social Media, and Consistency (33:58) Megan reflects on how building an online presence, connecting with the type 1 diabetes community, and staying consistent helped open doors for brand partnerships and speaking opportunities.
• Advice for Dietitians Entering the Type 1 Space (38:21) Megan offers advice to dietitians interested in this niche, and emphasizes getting involved in the type 1 community both online and in person.

Megan's story offers a roadmap for turning personal challenges into professional triumphs. She turned her lived experience into a sustainable, purpose-driven practice, helping clients navigate their own Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis with more ease. This episode focuses on both the client experience and the business decisions that come when running a practice, and offers inspiration for dietitians looking to start their own practice, grow their audience, or gain more knowledge about diabetes care.

✨ Business School is a comprehensive 6-month program designed to guide you through every stage of building a private practice: getting set up, seeing your first clients, growing until you're fully booked, hiring a team, expanding your offers—and even learning how to coast when needed. Inside, you'll follow a step-by-step curriculum with the flexibility to choose the path that fits your current stage of business and life. You'll get access to advanced toolkits, templates, and systems for business topics like marketing and finances, but also for counseling skills and client support. Beyond the curriculum, you're supported by personalized 1:1 coaching, weekly office hours, and monthly themes that address the real challenges of private practice. The program keeps you moving forward with built-in accountability that builds resilience and confidence so you feel like a legit business owner.

Learn more and apply here: https://pursuingprivatepractice.com/businessschool/

Find Pursuing Private Practice on Instagram @pursuing.private.practice

About Megan:

Meg Cremins is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Personal Trainer who has lived with Type 1 Diabetes since 1999 and Celiac Disease since 2010. Her private practice is dedicated to helping women with T1D feel more confident with food, health, and life! Her passion for helping others with T1D comes from her own experience of struggling with T1D management for many years and eventually finding a way to feel more supported and in control. Now, she helps others build that same sense of freedom in their own lives with T1D. She loves running marathons, yoga, traveling around the world with her husband, reading romantasy books, and nailing a pizza bolus.

Find Megan on Instagram at @megtypeone.

Welcome to the Pursuing Private Practice podcast!

Join Jennifer McGurk, the CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and Sharon McCaskill, a private practice dietitian, whose own family's journey with celiac disease sparked a career shift and a mission to support others navigating the gluten‑free world. In this episode, they go beyond the basics of celiac disease and talk about what it actually looks like for clients navigating this diagnosis in real life.

Sharon shares her perspective as a dietitian specializing in celiac disease, walking through both the clinical realities and the lived experience of her clients. Jennifer reflects on the role dietitians play in bridging that gap, not just through education, but through support, advocacy, and helping clients feel understood as they figure out what this diagnosis means for their lives.

• The Moment That Changed Sharon's Career (02:11) Sharon shares how watching a dietitian support her husband's health inspired her to go back to school.
• What Dietitians Do That Doctors Can't (06:33) Jennifer highlights that a diagnosis is just the beginning, and Sharon expands on this by explaining how dietitians help clients actually live their diagnosis through personalized support and problem-solving.
• Why So Many Clients Feel Dismissed Before Diagnosis (10:15) Sharon shares that many clients spend years searching for answers before being diagnosed with celiac. Jennifer acknowledges how frustrating and invalidating that experience can feel within the healthcare system.
• The Symptoms Aren't Always Obvious (12:16) Sharon explains that celiac does not always present with GI symptoms. She walks through how it can show up as fatigue, anemia, bone loss, or skin issues, which often leads to it being overlooked.
• The Hardest Part Isn't the Diagnosis (13:27) Jennifer reflects on how overwhelming the transition can be after diagnosis. Sharon shares that going gluten-free in real life is complex, emotional, and requires constant decision-making.
• What's Actually Happening in the Body (15:50) Sharon explains the autoimmune response behind celiac disease and how gluten triggers the immune system to damage the small intestine, even when symptoms are not obvious.
• Why Even a Little Gluten Matters (18:00) Sharon emphasizes that even small exposures can lead to internal damage and long-term health risks. Jennifer reinforces that this goes beyond just how someone feels in the moment.
• Is Gluten-Free Actually Healthier? (25:34) Jennifer brings up the influence of diet culture, and Sharon explains that gluten-free is not automatically healthier. She shares that many gluten-free products are lower in nutrients and fiber.
• Building a Practice That Meets Clients Where They Are (28:59) Jennifer transitions into Sharon's business model, and Sharon shares how she primarily works one-on-one while also creating resources like meal plans and courses for clients who need more accessible options.
• You Don't Need to Be an Expert, But You Do Need to Care (33:33) Sharon encourages dietitians to respect the complexity of celiac, even if they are not specialists. Jennifer reflects on how powerful it is when providers support both the emotional and practical sides of care.
• The Real Takeaway for Dietitians (41:59) Jennifer closes by reinforcing that a dietitian's role goes beyond giving a food list. She highlights how important it is to help clients navigate the full experience of living with celiac in a sustainable and empowering way.

Whether you're a dietitian wanting to better support clients with celiac disease or thinking about how to grow your expertise within your private practice, this episode offers a deeper look at what's often missed. It's a conversation grounded in both clinical insight and real-life experience, with practical takeaways to help you think differently about care, advocacy, and what it truly means to support someone beyond the diagnosis.

✨ Business School is a comprehensive 6-month program designed to guide you through every stage of building a private practice: getting set up, seeing your first clients, growing until you're fully booked, hiring a team, expanding your offers—and even learning how to coast when needed. Inside, you'll follow a step-by-step curriculum with the flexibility to choose the path that fits your current stage of business and life. You'll get access to advanced toolkits, templates, and systems for business topics like marketing and finances, but also for counseling skills and client support. Beyond the curriculum, you're supported by personalized 1:1 coaching, weekly office hours, and monthly themes that address the real challenges of private practice. The program keeps you moving forward with built-in accountability that builds resilience and confidence so you feel like a legit business owner.

Learn more and apply here: https://pursuingprivatepractice.com/businessschool/

Find Pursuing Private Practice on Instagram @pursuing.private.practice

About Sharon:

Sharon McCaskill is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist specializing in celiac nutrition, gluten-free living, and general nutrition. She helps clients build confidence around food through practical, evidence-based strategies that support both health and quality of life. Sharon works through an intuitive eating lens, helping people care for their health and manage chronic conditions in a way that feels supportive, realistic, and free from rigid food rules. She is passionate about making nutrition care accessible, supportive, and realistic for everyday life.

Find Sharon on Instagram at @realfoodwithsharon. Noteworthy Resource: The Helpful Gluten-Free Site

Welcome to the Pursuing Private Practice podcast!

Join Jennifer McGurk, the CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and Nicole Randazzo, founder of Bettr Full, a virtual practice with a focus on helping clients navigate nutrition both with and without GLP-1 medications. In this episode, they unpack everything dietitians need to know about GLP-1 medications, how to support clients through both weight loss and weight-inclusive counseling, and practical strategies that dietitians at any career stage can use when working with clients.

Nicole shares her expertise as a dietitian specializing in GLP-1s, highlighting client results, challenging side effects, and the importance of seeing a dietitian for support. Jennifer brings a weight-inclusive view to the conversation, emphasizing the role of counseling, body image, and holding space for complex, individualized care. Together, they explore the complexities of GLP-1 medications and highlight the essential role dietitians play in supporting clients beyond the prescription.

• 04:52 – How Nicole built a GLP-1-focused practice Nicole shares her path from diabetes education to bariatrics to recognizing a major gap in nutrition support—and building her niche around it.
• 06:43 – Why dietitian referrals should be standard A strong stance: every GLP-1 prescription should come with dietitian referrals for ongoing, proactive support.
• 09:28 – Breaking down what GLP-1 actually does They explain how these medications impact hunger, digestion, and blood sugar—and why they've expanded beyond diabetes care.
• 14:22 – Navigating different philosophies A real conversation about weight-inclusive and weight-loss approaches—and how both show up in client care.
• 16:26 – What clients are really struggling with From food noise and appetite shifts to fear of muscle loss and years of dieting, they unpack the real-life challenges clients bring in.
• 20:05 – The realities of being on (and coming off) GLP-1s Side effects, plateaus, insurance changes, and what happens when medication isn't accessible anymore.
• 22:12 – Shifting the focus beyond weight A powerful reframe: looking at labs, energy, sleep, and overall health instead of just the scale.
• 24:36 – Why dietitians are more important than ever The relationship, personalization, and long-term care dietitians provide can't be replaced by quick fixes or AI tools.
• 28:27 – The risks + how dietitians support safely They talk through side effects, under-eating, and how tailored nutrition strategies make a huge difference.
• 31:00 – Blending approaches in a real-world way Using weight-inclusive care to reduce shame, while still applying structure when it supports the client.
• 34:07 – Advice for dietitians at every stage Whether you're new or advanced, there's a place for you in this work—and a way to keep growing your skillset.
• 35:00 – Knowing your stance and your limits Self-awareness matters: understanding your philosophy and when to refer out.
• 37:00 – Staying open as the field evolves GLP-1s aren't going anywhere—this is an opportunity to stay curious and continue learning.

Without personalized and skilled nutrition support, clients taking GLP-1 medications aren't able to accurately navigate challenges, including changes in hunger, digestion, and metabolism, and risk inadequate protein intake and disordered eating. Dietitians can turn these challenges into opportunities for deeper client relationships, providing client-centered, compassionate care. This episode breaks down the pros and cons of GLP-1 medications, and is helpful whether you're just starting to build your counseling foundation or are a seasoned dietitian.

✨ Business School is a comprehensive 6-month program designed to guide you through every stage of building a private practice: getting set up, seeing your first clients, growing until you're fully booked, hiring a team, expanding your offers—and even learning how to coast when needed. Inside, you'll follow a step-by-step curriculum with the flexibility to choose the path that fits your current stage of business and life. You'll get access to advanced toolkits, templates, and systems for business topics like marketing and finances, but also for counseling skills and client support. Beyond the curriculum, you're supported by personalized 1:1 coaching, weekly office hours, and monthly themes that address the real challenges of private practice. The program keeps you moving forward with built-in accountability that builds resilience and confidence so you feel like a legit business owner.

Learn more and apply here: https://pursuingprivatepractice.com/businessschool/

Find Pursuing Private Practice on Instagram @pursuing.private.practice

About Nicole:

Nicole Randazzo is the founder of Bettr Full, a virtual private practice with a focus on helping clients navigate nutrition both with and without GLP-1 medications. She is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist. Nicole specializes in weight management and blood sugar support, with a focus on helping clients navigate nutrition both with and without GLP-1 medications.

Her approach combines evidence-based nutrition with behavior change and a full-body perspective. She helps clients better understand their eating habits, their relationship with food, and how to build sustainable routines that support their health long-term. She works with individuals who are looking for realistic, individualized guidance—whether that's improving blood sugar, enhancing lab markers, supporting weight loss, improving quality of life, or building a more supportive and balanced mindset around food.

Find Nicole on Instagram at @bettrfull

Welcome to the Pursuing Private Practice podcast!

Join Jennifer McGurk, the CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and Fiona Sutherland, founder of The Mindful Dietitian and an experienced supervisor of dietitians. Together, they explore why supervision is often the missing piece in a dietitian's career, how it can evolve into a meaningful and sustainable business offering, and what it really looks like at every stage of professional growth.

Jennifer shares how supervision became essential to her long-term sustainability—helping her build stronger boundaries in business while also deepening her clinical skills to better support clients. Fiona reflects on how using supervision as a space to process the emotional weight that can linger after sessions made clinical work feel more sustainable. She also talks about how supervision isn't about evaluation, but about support, reflection, and connection. Together, they expand the definition of supervision beyond clinical oversight into something much more human-centered that supports emotional wellbeing, strengthens confidence, and holds space for ongoing support.

• Why Supervision Matters for All (1:28) Jennifer makes the case for why supervision should be a standard part of every dietitian's career, not just in eating disorders.

• A New Way to Understand Supervision (6:09) Fiona introduces a grounded, meaningful definition of supervision that expands beyond oversight and invites dietitians to see it as true professional support.

• Three Supervision Formats Explained (9:18) Fiona walks through the different types of supervision and how to decide which format is right for you.

• Student vs Professional Supervision (10:38) Fiona unpacks the difference between student supervision and professional supervision, and why that distinction matters more than you may think.

• Discovering the Need for Support (16:10) Fiona shares how discovering supervision through mental health colleagues led her to realize just how much she needed that kind of support.

• Inside a Supervision Session (20:02) Jennifer paints a picture of what really happens inside a supervision session and why it's so impactful.

• Burnout, Isolation, and Support (27:00) Fiona dives into the common challenges dietitians face (like burnout, isolation, and decision fatigue) and how supervision can help navigate them.

• Supervision Beyond Eating Disorders (32:55) Jennifer touches on why supervision is valuable across all specialties, even when the work doesn't seem "complex" on the surface.

• How to Choose the Right Supervision Fit (41:33) Fiona explains what supervision looks like in real life and how to find the right structure and support for your needs.

• Levels of Supervision Based on Your Career Stage (47:33) Fiona breaks down the three stages of supervision so you can identify where you are and what kind of support will help you grow.

• Becoming a Supervisor + Final Takeaways (1:01:04) What makes a great supervisor, how to step into this role, and why supervision is a lifelong support system for sustainable practice.

Supervision can transform your growth as a dietitian, and this conversation between Jennifer and Fiona breaks it down in ways that are practical and inspiring. Tune in to discover the supervision tools, insights, and strategies that can elevate your practice today.

✨ Business School is a comprehensive 6-month program designed to guide you through every stage of building a private practice: getting set up, seeing your first clients, growing until you're fully booked, hiring a team, expanding your offers—and even learning how to coast when needed. Inside, you'll follow a step-by-step curriculum with the flexibility to choose the path that fits your current stage of business and life. You'll get access to advanced toolkits, templates, and systems for business topics like marketing and finances, but also for counseling skills and client support. Beyond the curriculum, you're supported by personalized 1:1 coaching, weekly office hours, and monthly themes that address the real challenges of private practice. The program keeps you moving forward with built-in accountability that builds resilience and confidence so you feel like a legit business owner.

Learn more and apply here: https://pursuingprivatepractice.com/businessschool/

Find Pursuing Private Practice on Instagram @pursuing.private.practice

About Fiona:

Fiona Sutherland is an advanced sports dietitian, yoga teacher and clinical supervisor from Naarm (Melbourne), Australia. She is the founder of The Mindful Dietitian, a professional community committed to thoughtful, equitable, and trauma-informed care. This community aims to help health professionals to practice with reflection, integrity, and steadiness as they care for others — and themselves.

Fiona has contributed to the development and delivery of education and training to hundreds of dietitians worldwide from undergraduate training through to an extensive array of live and online professional courses on eating disorders, body image, trauma-informed care and supervision for dietitians, all driven by a vision for every dietitian being more sustained and supported in our work.

In her professional consultancy, Fiona partners with teams and organizations to provide tailored education, training, and organizational development to promote ethical, reflective, and sustainable practice at every level. Additionally, she teaches Masters-level dietetics courses, mentoring the next generation of practitioners to think critically, lead with integrity, and engage in courageous, reflective practice.

Noteworthy Resources:

1. Dietitian Supervision Resources Australia and International (DSRAi)

2. New Supervision Research: Professional supervision in dietetics: A comprehensive, narrative literature review (Crow et al, 2025)

Find Fiona on Instagram at @the.mindfuldietitian

Welcome to the Pursuing Private Practice podcast!

Join Jennifer McGurk, the CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and Courtney Vickery, CEO of Declet Designs, to kick off Season 4 of the podcast. Together, they talk about the wins, the challenges, and the lessons learned in 2025 and how those experiences are shaping their goals for 2026.

Jennifer shares how personal experiences shifted her perspective on business and leadership, while Courtney reflects on hitting capacity in her own company and learning how to simplify her work. They also discuss their "word of the year," what sustainable business growth really looks like, and what listeners can expect from the new season of the podcast.

• Welcome to Season 4 of the Podcast (1:12) Jennifer shares why she took time between seasons to reflect on the direction of the podcast and what listeners can expect from the new season.
• Reflecting on 2025 and Personal Challenges (7:02) Jennifer opens up about the loss of her father-in-law and how that experience shifted her perspective on priorities, family, and running a business.
• Why Boundaries Are Essential in Business Ownership (9:34) Jennifer explains why protecting your time and energy is critical if you want to build a sustainable business that doesn't lead to burnout.
• Courtney's Business Growth and Lessons from 2025 (10:46) Courtney reflects on the biggest wins in her business, including hitting record revenue and completing more than 40 client projects in a single year.
• Understanding Capacity and Avoiding Burnout (18:14) Courtney shares how she realized she had reached capacity in her business and how she's restructuring her workflow to make things more sustainable.
• Why Revenue Doesn't Tell the Full Story of Success (15:17) Jennifer explains how her business had its lowest revenue year in a decade—but also one of its most profitable and sustainable years.
• Simplifying Your Business Model (21:15) Jennifer shares why she decided to stop selling standalone toolkits and focus entirely on Business School to create deeper results for clients.
• The Problem With "More Information" in Business Education (23:32) Jennifer and Courtney discuss why many online courses go unfinished—and why accountability and coaching often lead to better outcomes.
• Courtney's Word of the Year: Simplify (27:43) Courtney talks about her focus for 2026, which includes simplifying services, standardizing systems, and learning to say "no."
• Jennifer's Word of the Year: Elevate (33:41) Jennifer reflects on stepping fully into her role as CEO and elevating her work, her program, and the impact she's making with clients.
• Redefining Success as a Business Owner (34:56) Jennifer shares how her vision for success has evolved—from chasing growth and visibility to building a business that truly supports her life.
• What to Expect from Season 4 of the Podcast (36:55) Jennifer reveals the theme for the new season: showcasing dietitians across specialties and highlighting the many ways private practices can be built.

From reflecting on the highs and lows of 2025 to setting intentions and goals for 2026, this conversation is full of insights, strategies, and inspiration for building a private practice that truly supports both your clients and your life.

📍 Join Pursuing Private Practice on Wednesday, March 25th at 12pm Eastern for a free workshop: From Dietitian Job to Private Practice: The Roadmap to Start, Grow, and Scale Your Nutrition Business

In this live workshop, we'll talk about what it really takes to build a sustainable private practice from mindset and marketing to systems, finances, and leadership. Whether you're just starting out or looking to scale your practice, you'll walk away with clear next steps for growing your business. Sign up: https://pursuingprivatepractice.com/private-practice-workshop/

🌟 Work with me in Business School: the program to give you everything you need to grow a sustainable, profitable nutrition private practice. You will graduate with the tools, support, and strategy for success. The next chort begins April 13th!

Learn more and apply: https://pursuingprivatepractice.com/businessschool/

Find Pursuing Private Practice on Instagram @pursuing.private.practice

About Courtney:

Courtney Vickery, MS, RD, LD is a multi-passionate entrepreneur in the weight-inclusive space. She's an anti-diet dietitian and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor with her own private practice, Vickery Wellness. She is also the CEO of Declet Designs, her website and branding studio for weight-inclusive businesses.

She has a double dose of knowledge, with bachelor's degrees in political science and dietetics, plus a Master's degree in Foods & Nutrition from the University of Georgia (and still teaches an undergraduate course there). Her career journey includes working as a Director of Corporate Health Services & Community Outreach, clinical dietitian, managing group fitness programs and community health programs, and roles in healthcare administration and corporate health. She's even stepped in as the Interim Director of the Dietetic Internship at the University of Georgia.

At home, Courtney shares life with her husband of 15 years (they've been together since high school!), two kids, a dog named Oliver, and two kitty cats, Finnick and Calliope. She is the perfect blend of Enneagram 1 determination and a laid-back coffee shop aficionado. When she's not helping therapists and dietitians rock their brands and websites, you can catch her chilling at a coffee shop, sipping tea, or spending time with her awesome family.

Her passion for blending her love for weight-inclusive care with her knack for web and branding design makes her your friendly expert in dietetics and web design.

Find Courtney on Instagram at @decletdesigns.

Welcome to the Pursuing Private Practice podcast!

This episode wraps up Season 3 of the podcast. We'll be back for Season 4 this fall!

Join Jennifer McGurk, the CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and Hannah Turnbull, founder of NourishED Colorado, a group practice specializing in eating disorders, and a business coach at Values Driven Group.

Hannah shares her journey of building and leading a thriving group practice, the challenges and rewards of managing a team, and her bold decision to step away for an 18-week sabbatical. Together, they dive into leadership, company culture, burnout, and what it really takes to create a sustainable business that supports both clients and clinicians.

This conversation is packed with inspiration and practical wisdom for any dietitian or business owner who wants to step fully into leadership while still honoring their own life outside of work.

1. Shift Toward Coaching & Leadership Development: During the pandemic, Hannah began coaching other owners, earned a master's in organizational leadership, and identified leadership skills as the "secret sauce" for practice success.
2. Planning a Sabbatical: Burnout triggers, delegating responsibilities to trusted leaders, writing exhaustive SOPs, securing a line of credit, and announcing the break to the team.
3. Post‑Sabbatical Structure & Work‑Life Balance: Implemented "No‑Work Wednesdays," a four‑day work week, and strict time‑batching across multiple projects.
4. Leadership Philosophy & Lessons Learned: Advocates detaching from outcomes, modeling balance, viewing the business as an asset, and "rolling out the red carpet" for departing staff.

Hannah's story is a powerful reminder that leading well means trusting your team, setting boundaries, and creating a business that fuels your life - not the other way around.

Timestamps:

• 00:01 Opening & Why People Matter: Jennifer sets the tone, explaining that hiring is both the most rewarding and the hardest part of running a group practice.
• 02:36 Guest Introduction – Hannah Turnbull: Founder of Nourished Colorado (9 dietitians) and Values-Driven Group (business coaching), plus co-host of the Weight Inclusive Innovators podcast.
• 04:08 Career Origins: From hospital dietitian to the "Healthy Annie" blog, a move to Denver via Craigslist, and the launch of her first private-practice space.
• 06:15 Growth & Pandemic Pivot: Rapid expansion to 8-10 clinicians, a swift shift to fully virtual during COVID, and quarterly hiring cycles.
• 09:30 Burnout & Sabbatical Decision: After completing her master's and maxing out her coaching load, Hannah realizes she can no longer over-perform without harming herself.
• 10:50 Preparing to Step Away: She hands off clinical duties, delegates supervision, and navigates key leadership turnover while already planning a 2025 sabbatical.
• 12:06 Team Trust & SOP Creation: Hannah explains how she documented detailed standard operating procedures to ensure the practice would run without her.
• 15:00 Life on Sabbatical: Hannah discovers the power of a structured, work-free period before returning in January 2025.
• 18:15 Company Culture Deep-Dive: Emphasizes companionship, hybrid office use, purposeful all-hands meetings, retreats, and balancing fun activities against cost.
• 21:00 Transparency & Financial Sharing: Shares mission, vision, client flow, and payroll ratios (~75% payroll) while keeping full profit-and-loss details private to build trust without overwhelm.
• 24:32 Retention & Career Pathing: Discusses the typical 2-3-year clinician tenure, encourages honest conversations about growth, and promotes "red-carpet" exits to maintain goodwill.
• 27:41 Practical Sabbatical Prep: Recommends a trusted interim (e.g., finance expert), comprehensive SOPs for every task, and a line-of-credit cash-flow safety net.
• 34:20 Leadership Philosophy: Advocates consent-based hiring, mutual choice to stay, evolving roles, and "rolling out the red carpet" for departing staff as brand ambassadors.
• 41:38 Sabbatical Reflection: Stepping away forces detachment from outcomes, clarifies personal values, and reinforces a sustainable work-life balance.
• 51:00 Final Takeaways: Trust the team, rely on SOPs, adopt the "It's not that serious" mantra, and schedule regular breaks to ensure longevity.

Whether you're dreaming of building a team, navigating leadership challenges, or simply craving more balance, this episode will leave you with the clarity and courage to create a business that truly supports the life you want to live.

Hannah Turnbull is a multi-passionate clinician entrepreneur. She founded NourishED Colorado, a dietitian group practice specializing in eating disorders and weight-inclusive care, and is a business coach at Values Driven Group, where she helps clinicians build thriving, values-aligned group practices. As co-host of the Weight Inclusive Innovators podcast, she shares insights on business, leadership, and finances. A lifelong learner, she's often found nose-deep in a leadership or finance book.

Want more from Pursuing Private Practice?

🧠 Feeling overwhelmed trying to build your team? The Lead Your Team Toolkit helps you hire, manage, and lead with confidence. Take up space as the CEO you're meant to be.

👥 Ready to stop doing it all yourself? Hire Your Next Team Member is a free training that walks you through the first steps of hiring support for your business.

🌟 Looking for the ultimate support system to build the private practice you've always dreamed of? Check out Business School: https://pursuingprivatepractice.com/businessschool/

Find Pursuing Private Practice on Instagram @pursuing.private.practice

Welcome to the Pursuing Private Practice podcast!

Join Jennifer McGurk, the CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and Charlie Golighlty, founder of Group Practice Partner, a fractional practice management partner for strategic, mission-aligned support. Charlie shares why so many solo clinicians and group-practice owners feel like they're juggling too many hats and constantly putting out fires, and how bringing in someone who understands both the clinical world and the language of business can transform that chaos into clarity.

If you've ever felt burnt out in the day-to-day business operations and are ready to step back, see the bigger picture, and make intentional moves for your business, this episode is for you.

1. The Realities of Running a Private or Group Practice: Exploration of the overwhelming multitasking, emotional attachment, and common pain points that practice owners face daily.
2. Introducing Fractional Practice Management: A part-time, on-demand practice manager service that keeps operations running smoothly during leaves or breaks.
3. The Three Core Pillars of a Healthy Business: Discussion on services (bones), systems (muscles), and energy (gut/heart) as essential, interlocking components.
4. Routine Business Check-Ins: The speakers recommend semiannual full reviews and mentorship input aligned with personal life cycles for sustained balance.
5. Recurring Themes Across the Business: A conversation on boundaries, burnout, and visibility as recurring challenges that need intentional focus.

This episode is for you if you're looking for actionable strategies, fresh perspectives, and practical next steps you can use to create a business that supports both your mission and your life.

Timestamps:

• 02:31 Charlie's Background: From an eating‑disorder dietitian to a B2B educator, Charlie brings many years of private‑practice experience to group‑practice consulting.
• 03:51 Why Group Practices Struggle: Accidental "boss" status, rapid scaling, and lack of business foundations leave many dietitians overwhelmed.
• 07:07 Boundaries & Sustainability: Charging enough, protecting personal time, and building a profitable practice are essential for long‑term success.
• 08:15 Three‑Pillar Framework: Services (bones), Systems (muscles), and Energy (heart/gut) must stay balanced for a healthy business.
• 17:20 Assessment Categories: Finances, hiring/onboarding, operations, contractor vs. employee, burnout, and general support guide the audit.
• 24:25 Coasting as Strategy: Deliberate "coasting" periods let owners rest while a well‑oiled machine runs smoothly, often with a temporary CEO.
• 29:06 Emotional Validation: Feeling uneasy about taking a break is normal; you deserve rest and sustainable success.

Whether you're running a solo practice or managing a growing team, this conversation will leave you inspired, better equipped, and ready to make confident decisions for the future of your business.

Charlie Golightly supports the visionaries behind group practices by acting as the integrator - the person who brings it all together. Through fractional practice management, they help human-centered teams get the nitty gritty details done with clarity, sustainability, and care. Whether its reimagining your systems, putting out administrative fires, or supporting your team while you take a leave, Charlie has your back. Learn more about their services and get your free Business Vitality Assessment at GroupPracticePartner.com.

Want more from Pursuing Private Practice?

🧠 Feeling overwhelmed trying to build your team? The Lead Your Team Toolkit helps you hire, manage, and lead with confidence. Take up space as the CEO you're meant to be.

👥 Ready to stop doing it all yourself? Hire Your Next Team Member is a free training that walks you through the first steps of hiring support for your business.

🌟 Looking for the ultimate support system to build the private practice you've always dreamed of? Check out Business School: https://pursuingprivatepractice.com/businessschool/

Find Pursuing Private Practice on Instagram @pursuing.private.practice

Welcome to the Pursuing Private Practice podcast!

Join Jennifer McGurk, CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and team member Courtney Vickery, CEO of Declet Designs, to talk about the COAST stage of business. Join them to discuss the importance of coasting as a business owner, how it can be a strategic and intentional phase, and the benefits it brings to personal and professional life.

When you're a business owner, the need to COAST can come up at any time, sometimes planned, and sometimes unplanned. Whether you think you'll be coasting anytime soon or not, this episode will leave you feeling confident when it's your time to COAST.

1. COAST Stage of Business: Coasting is defined as an intentional phase in business, often necessary during personal life events.
2. Boundaries and Self-Care in the COAST Stage: Emphasizes the importance of evolving boundaries and prioritizing self-care during coasting.
3. Personal Development and Self-Understanding: Business ownership offers opportunities for personal growth and understanding one's strengths and weaknesses.
4. Saying No and Identity as a Business Owner: Discusses the power of saying no and balancing personal identity with business responsibilities.
5. Motherhood and Coasting: Highlights how motherhood and family responsibilities necessitate coasting in business.

This conversation will help you see coasting not as a setback, but as a strategic way to build a sustainable business and life.

Timestamps:

• 00:38 Podcast Series Details: The series will explore the five stages of business, emphasizing personalized roadmaps for success.
• 01:53 Resources and Toolkits: Highlights available resources and toolkits for different stages of business, including upcoming releases.
• 04:23 COAST Stage of Business: Introduction to the COAST stage, emphasizing its importance and intentional nature in business management.
• 05:55 Reasons for Coasting: Lists various reasons for coasting, such as personal health and life events, validating its necessity.
• 06:43 Defining Coasting: Clarifies that coasting involves intentional management, not inactivity, similar to intuitive eating misconceptions.
• 08:50 Boundaries and Self-Care: Discusses evolving boundaries and prioritizing self-care during the coasting stage of business.
• 13:01 Learning About Yourself: Highlights the importance of understanding personal strengths and weaknesses through assessments.
• 14:12 Saying No and Personal Development: Explains the power of saying no to prioritize personal life and shares personal growth experiences.
• 16:14 Motherhood and Coasting: Discusses how motherhood and family responsibilities necessitate coasting in business.
• 18:35 Mindset Shift and Diet Culture: Encourages rejecting societal pressures in business and diet culture, advocating for personal success definitions.

This conversation is a reminder that coasting can be part of growth, and it's an essential step in a business that works for your life, not against it.

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🧠 Feeling overwhelmed trying to build your team?

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Take up space as the CEO you're meant to be. Enroll now.

👥 Ready to stop doing it all yourself?

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Start building the support you need. Sign up for the free workshop today.

📱 Find us on Instagram @pursuing.private.practice