Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Hickman.
Hi Rachel, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I went to Lipscomb University in Nashville for undergrad and didn’t really know what I wanted to do (like a lot of freshmen!). At the end of my freshman year, I declared psychology as my major – thinking that I wanted to become a therapist and do 1:1 counseling. As I started psych classes, I very quickly realized they did not suit me very well. I happened to simultaneously be in an introductory nutrition class as an elective and fell in love with the science behind the way our bodies use food as energy. I very quickly immersed myself in the nutrition world and decided to change my major to dietetics.
Growing up, I never really knew that being a dietitian was a job option. Thankfully, dietitians are becoming more common, which means people are getting the nutrition support that they need! After changing my major, I realized how much it made sense for me to become a dietitian. From a very early age, I was in the kitchen with my mom all the time – cooking dinner, baking goodies, decorating cakes, all the things. My mom was also sick growing up so we were constantly trying out new foods and new nutrition plans to make sure she was taking care of herself. I made the decision to become a dietitian and never looked back – and it just felt right!
After college, I started my internship at Lipscomb and felt called to do 1:1 outpatient nutrition therapy (which made sense given that this was ultimately what I wanted with psychology/therapy). I loved the relationships built in outpatient sessions between provider and client. Soon after internship, I began working in private practice, focusing on eating disorders and disordered eating.
Eating disorders and disordered eating have always been my heart and soul in the dietetics world. I experienced different levels of care throughout my internship, ranging from outpatient to the residential level. Now, I do private practice work! At this point, I have been an outpatient provider for about 4.5 years – group practice for a few years, and now I have my own practice – Tennessee Nutrition Counseling, LLC! It had been a dream of mine for a while, so I decided to take the leap of faith and create something of my own almost a year ago! While going out on my own has certainly been scary, I have learned so much about myself and the business world and I’m so grateful to be where I am today.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Like any college/post grad journey, the road hasn’t always been super smooth! The hardest part for me has been feeling like I’m not ‘knowledgeable enough’ to be helping people improve their health outcomes. Of course, after having gone through four years of undergrad, a year of internship, passing a board exam, completing a Master’s program, and consistently immersing myself in continued education, I know this is false! But I’m human like anybody else and certainly struggle to feel adequate in my role some days. I love my job so much and I want the best for each client who steps into my office, so I just want to make sure they are taken care of!
Starting a business has also come with plenty of hurdles. I always feel like I need to be doing more or finding more time for marketing, social media, and admin. At times throughout the last few years, I have struggled with my work-life balance and figuring out how much time to spend on certain tasks and when to put work away for the day. This looks different for everyone, but I feel like it’s important to be honest about the struggle! It’s a learning process and sometimes each day looks different – and that’s okay!
We’ve been impressed with Tennessee Nutrition Counseling, LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I own my own solo private practice! I specialize in eating disorders/disordered eating, chronic dieting, body image issues, sports nutrition and compulsive exercise. In addition, I also work with clients who need support with diabetes, hypertension, or other medical nutrition complications. I operate from an anti-diet approach and incorporate the following treatment methods: evidence-based, health at every size (HAES), weight-inclusive, intuitive eating, all foods fit, motivational interviewing.
I take pride in being able to meet clients where they are at, using a client-centered approach. Everything that I suggest in sessions is individualized, so clients know they are truly getting the best care for THEM. I also coordinate care with other members of a treatment team (psychiatrist, PCP, psychologist, therapist, etc.) to ensure one cohesive unit.
Any big plans?
I plan to continue providing evidence-based care for each of my clients to help them reach their fullest potential in life. I would also love to offer more group-based support groups because I strongly believe that support and accountability can drastically impact someone’s ability to follow through. Sometimes we just need to not feel so alone in order to make some changes!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tnnutritioncounseling.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tnnutritioncounseling/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569493541644
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-hickman-ms-rdn-ldn-53711a12a/
