What’s it like to work with Jessie the Dietitian?

What’s it like to work with Jessie the Dietitian?
If you’ve clicked on this link, it is likely that you have wondered, “What if I worked with a dietitian? What would it be like?” Let me tell you a bit more!

Who are my clients?

One of the aspects that I love so much about my job is that I work with such a wide array of clients. The majority of nutrition counseling clients are University of Florida students: undergraduate and graduate students, plus a dose of UF faculty and staff. Ages range from 18 to 65, and all ethnicities and races are represented in my client profiles.Every time I have a new client, I am absolutely honored to know that this individual has chosen to invest their time and money in themselves and in my services. Each client places their trust with me sharing their thoughts, experiences, and goals; individuals may confide that they have never said some of the words out loud before. These conversations are sacred to me and our session remains a private haven only shared between the two of us. (It’s also FERPA + HIPAA law that it remains between us!)

What do we talk about?
Just like my diverse clientele, our discussions are just as diverse. Many want to talk about weight status, intuitive eating, and finding the right nutrition approach for their lifestyle. Some come to me with a plea for guidance as they are confused trying to figure out how to nourish themselves well for optimal energy and academic focus. Many want to nutritionally invest in themselves for long-term health while others have specific GI concerns that need assistance. Overall, it is a beautiful array of different needs and life histories asking for a bit of help.

Clients seek out nutrition counseling to improve their quality of life, their health, and their happiness.
It is my honor to help them.

My clients excite me and challenge me to: become a better practitioner, continue to learn more about their specific concerns, and assist each person individually to meet their own unique needs. Read more about my nutrition philosophy here.

What happens during an initial session?

An initial session is 60 minutes and follow-up sessions are 30 minutes. The first few minutes of an initial session is time spent getting to know each other personally. After we have built some rapport, I want to learn your history, your story, how it relates to nutrition, and your nutrition and health goals. We’ll focus on these aspects during the majority of the session setting small, incremental steps along the way for your “nutrition homework.” These steps are meant to help you make incremental, behavior-based changes that are in line with what you hope to achieve by the end of the first session (very short-term goal) and in the big picture (long-term goal). It is important to allow for change. Your goals may take new shape as we work together and explore a deeper understanding of what motivates you.

Nutrition counseling that is FREE (and fee-based)!

FREE: At the start of COVID-19 and stay-at-home orders, a new service was launched to reduce the cost and access barriers to nutrition counseling. Nutrition SPEED counseling is a free 10-minute session via Zoom with a registered dietitian available to the UF community. It’s a speedy chance to:
 Get answers to a confusing nutrition topic
 Expert guidance on the first steps toward nutrition change
 Discover if traditional nutrition counseling is right for you

Every UF student, alumni, faculty, and staff of UF and UF Health Shands is eligible for one free nutrition speed counseling session each semester (summer, fall, spring). Sign up on RSConnect -> Nutrition counseling -> Nutrition speed counseling

FEE: Traditional nutrition counseling is personal and more time intensive for each person and is fee-based. Read more information on our

website here.

-Jessie Furman, MS, RDN, LD/N

Jessie is a Registered Dietitian and Assistant Director for Nutrition at University of Florida’s Department of Recreational Sports where she does individual nutrition counseling and coaching with the UF community. Follow her on Instagram for more nutrition tidbits.

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