What Weight-Inclusive Nutrition Counseling Looks Like in Private Practice

Welcome to the Pursuing Private Practice podcast!

Join Jennifer McGurk, CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and Chelsea Levy, Registered Dietitian and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, for a thoughtful conversation about caring for clients with diabetes, PCOS, and endocrine disorders through a weight-inclusive approach.

Jennifer and Chelsea unpack what weight-inclusive medical nutrition therapy really looks like in practice. They discuss supporting clients with diabetes and PCOS, navigating conversations about weight loss with compassion instead of judgment, and building a private practice that allows you to practice in a way that truly aligns with your values.

• Why Weight-Inclusive Care Is More Nuanced Than People Think (04:41) Chelsea introduces her approach to weight-inclusive nutrition counseling, explaining how she combines evidence-based medical nutrition therapy with trauma-informed, fat-positive care for clients.
• Looking Beyond Weight in Nutrition Counseling (06:21) Jennifer and Chelsea discuss weight stigma, social determinants of health, client autonomy, and the many ways dietitians can build practices around this work.
• Chelsea's Journey Into Weight-Inclusive Practice (09:58) Chelsea shares how her own experience with chronic dieting and working with an intuitive eating dietitian ultimately shaped both her career and the way she cares for clients today.
• The Role of Lived Experience in Client Care (13:01) Jennifer and Chelsea discuss representation within dietetics, the importance of lived experience, and why clients deserve the autonomy to choose providers who feel like the right fit for their care.
• When Clients Say, "I Want to Lose Weight" (17:41) One of the biggest questions weight-inclusive dietitians face is how to respond when clients want weight loss. Chelsea explains why curiosity, consent, and exploring the deeper goal often lead to more meaningful conversations than simply shutting the topic down.
• Building a Practice That Supports the Whole Person (24:03) Chelsea shares how she has grown a private practice that includes individual counseling, supervision, meal support groups, body image work, and collaborative medical care, centered around meeting clients where they are.
• The Healing Power of Eating in Community (28:30) Chelsea describes the monthly community dinners she co-hosts in New York City and why creating weight-inclusive spaces around food can be deeply healing for clients working on their relationship with eating.
• Expanding Your Scope as a Weight-Inclusive Dietitian (33:00) From clinical supervision to diabetes education and business mentorship, Chelsea explains how dietitians can continue growing their skills while staying grounded in ethical, individualized care.
• What Weight-Inclusive Medical Nutrition Therapy Really Looks Like (37:37) Chelsea breaks down how weight-inclusive diabetes and endocrine care focuses on behaviors, labs, medications, and long-term health. Jennifer and Chelsea also discuss why curiosity and continued learning are essential throughout a dietitian's career.
• Taking Up Space in Your Specialty (44:08) Chelsea closes the conversation with encouragement for dietitians to confidently share their expertise, embrace their niche, and let people know how they can help.

Weight-inclusive care is often misunderstood. From the outside, it can seem like it's simply about rejecting diet culture or avoiding conversations about weight. But as Chelsea shares, the work is so much more nuanced than that.

Dietitians balance evidence-based recommendations, client autonomy, lived experiences, and the realities of practicing within a healthcare system that often focuses on weight loss. This episode is an honest conversation about counseling, clinical care, and creating space for more curiosity and autonomy.

Chelsea's story is such a great example of what can happen when you continue learning, stay connected to your clients' needs, and allow your practice to evolve over time.

Sponsor:

✨ Business School is 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:

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📧 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 Chelsea:
Chelsea Levy, MS, RD, CDN, Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and the founder of Chelsea Levy Nutrition, a virtual private practice based in New York City. She specializes in eating disorders, disordered eating, and size-inclusive approaches to managing endocrine-related conditions such as diabetes and PCOS. A self-identified fat woman, Chelsea is committed to a weight-inclusive medical model. Her work is rooted in evidence-based nutrition therapy, intuitive eating principles, and trauma-informed care.    

Connect with Chelsea:
Website: Chelsea Levy Nutrition
Instagram: @chelsealevynutrition