Building a Sustainable Non-Diet Practice | RDs Thriving in Private Practice with Zayna Flahaut

Описание: What if your lived experience is the very thing that clarifies your niche, pricing, and practice model?

Building a Sustainable Non-Diet Practice | RDs Thriving in Private Practice with Zayna Flahaut

In this episode, Zayna Flahaut, MS, RD, owner of Wholesome Nutrition, shares how she built a thriving virtual private practice in Illinois using a non-diet, all-foods-fit approach. Zayna supports clients struggling with disordered eating and complex relationships with food—helping them find peace in a way that’s realistic, compassionate, and sustainable.

Zayna walks through how her personal experiences with dieting and weight stigma informed her professional philosophy, how she landed on her pricing structure, and how she strategically uses insurance to support both access to care and work–life balance. She also shares how thoughtful systems, boundaries, and automation allow her to do deep, relational work without burning out.

RDs Thriving in Private Practice is an interview series where colleagues share what it takes to start and sustain a nutrition business—and get inspired.

✨ Key Takeaways:

1) Your Story Can Shape Your Niche: What once felt like a liability can become your greatest source of clarity, resonance, and impact as a clinician.
2) Food Knowledge Isn’t Enough: Lasting change comes from addressing the emotional and psychological drivers of eating, not just nutrition education.
3) Insurance Can Support Growth—Strategically: In Illinois, billing preventive nutrition (Z-codes) allowed Zayna to build a low-hours, high-impact practice with strong work–life balance. State-specific knowledge matters.
4) Low Turnover Can Be a Strength: Long-term, relational work often means clients stay longer—which reduces marketing pressure and deepens clinical impact.
5) Systems Protect Sustainability: Automation, clear boundaries, and efficient workflows don’t distance you from clients, they preserve your energy so you can stay present and well.

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#PrivatePracticeDietitian #NonDietRD #InsuranceBasedPractice