My journey from someone struggling with their health to a fully qualified BANT registered Nutritional Therapist has been transformative!
NCA nutrition graduate Ferdia Earle shares the first part in her journey to becoming a nutritional therapist (second part coming in January!)
The start of my journey
In August 2018, having fought my way through my close friend’s wedding as maid honour, I could no longer deny that I was unwell. For months, I’d been experiencing strange and scary symptoms affecting everything from my energy to my sleep, voice, vision and mental health. Despite GP tests coming back clear, I knew something wasn’t right.
This was particularly challenging because I was used to living life as a dedicated rock climber – someone with plenty of motivation and energy. But that year, I was struggling. I really wasn’t myself. Aged 29, I found myself repeatedly visiting doctors, always leaving with different tablets. I was about to start yet another course of antibiotics, suspecting Lyme disease from the numerous tick bites I’d picked up in the hills.
Taking My Health Into My Own Hands
I realised I had fallen into a medication treadmill, with my symptoms only getting worse. My intuition told me that to fix this, I was going to have to take my health into my own hands.
What I began learning about diet and lifestyle’s potential to prevent and resolve health issues was mind blowing. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t known any of this before. Didn’t we all need to understand this, given the current state of health in Western societies?
By Christmas, after becoming interested in Functional Medicine, I started working with a BANT-registered Nutritional Therapist. Within months, I saw significant improvements. I was so convinced by Nutritional Therapy and was spending so much time reading about it that I decided to get qualified – not just for myself, but to help others too.
Choosing the Right Education
I attended Open Days for several BANT and NTEC-approved courses in the UK. The Northern College of Acupuncture (NCA) stood out immediately, covering many of the health topics and coaching skills I was looking for. I loved that it was an in-person course in a beautiful building in York, complete with its own library. There’s nothing like being able to meet face-to-face to make for better learning and better support. The fact that the building was shared with Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture courses was a bonus – I anticipated some interesting cross-pollination of ideas.
If I’d needed any convincing, the Open Day left me with no doubt that NCA was the place for me. From the moment Denise personally welcomed me, to the fun activities and meeting with the college Director, I felt the staff’s genuine love for their students and profession. Unlike my previous experiences at red brick universities, I felt truly valued and supported – I knew NCA was a place that would ensure my success.
Navigating Challenges
The college was truly tested six months in, when the pandemic hit. Remarkably, the staff managed to adapt to online delivery that very week, ensuring our learning continued uninterrupted – incredible.
The most nerve wracking part of the course for many of us was probably starting client consultations in the college clinic. But the preparation and supervision we received were exceptional. We were able to help clients see real health improvements immediately, and I’m immensely proud of the work I did. The extensive written work for each consultation, while challenging, gave me peace of mind that I was thoroughly prepared. I continue to use the process I was taught in college with my clients, and many of the tools including the health questionnaire.
As someone trained to postgraduate level in research design, and with ten years’ experience working in research contexts, I was particularly impressed with the research training. The staff know that not everyone has an academic background, and that others have not been in education for some time. Everyone was methodically supported to develop research skills and confidence in critiquing academic studies, preparing them for their dissertation but also professional life.
Getting The Building Blocks In Place
After finishing my studies, I took a year or so to catch my breath and continue to improve my own health, implementing all that I’d learned. Then in 2022, I began to feel curious about setting up as a Nutritional Therapist seeing clients 1:1. I drew on course lectures covering business basics such as insurance and privacy policies, and sought support from Heart of Business, a soulful company specialising in supporting small businesses. They are very good at removing the icky-ness of marketing and reassuring you that you don’t have to get everything right first time.
Their guidance was invaluable. I learned how to:
- Identify my ideal clients
- Communicate effectively with them
- Structure a website
- Shape my offerings and pricing
- Start with simple marketing approaches
- Build my business gradually
I spent a lot of time thinking about what to call my business and designing a logo. Heart of Business taught me that people really come to work with you, so I decided to use my name as my business name. Not having ‘nutrition’ or similar words in my business or website name also gives me flexibility to add other therapies into my repertoire later on. I built a logo in Wix, designing one I thought would work well on social media platforms.
I created a website using one of the simplest packages on Wix. Via my website, visitors can sign up to a mailing list in return for a free offering. This facilitates an ongoing conversation with potential clients rather than relying on them booking in with you there and then, which most people are not ready to do. One of the most helpful things I have done to help people find me is ensure that my business is listed on Google maps. That way, I show up when potential clients google ‘nutritionist near me’. My biggest communities to tap into are my local community, and the UK rock climbing community to which I belong.
Practical Business Tips
One nutrition supervisor suggested it could take five years to establish a full practice, and that the 20-25 clients I saw in my first year was a ‘good’ number. So I continue to do other work alongside Nutritional Therapy. This also means I have not rushed into using paid-for practice tools, instead using free versions and manual methods for now, though Practice Better comes highly recommended to me. I created a free, HIPAA-compliant email address to manage costs and maintain independence from Wix should I move my website in the future.
I decided to work online and in clients’ homes initially, as I do not have space in my own home to see clients. There are usually opportunities to rent clinic space by the hour if you prefer that option.
Accessing Professional Supervision
Having previously led research into the importance of quality supervision for good practice and emotional resilience in social workers, I prioritised finding good supervision for myself as a Nutritional Therapy practitioner. The NCA offers a graduate learning community, and BANT provides weekly clinical conversations through CPD UK. These peer interactions are crucial for building confidence and competence, in my experience.
My first inquiry
My initial marketing was minimal – just a few posters in local health shops and climbing centres. Then came the moment of truth: publishing my website and waiting for my first inquiry. Was I nervous? Absolutely! But I reminded myself that NCA had given me the tools and preparation I needed.
Can this be you?
My journey from someone struggling with their health to Nutritional Therapist has been transformative. I am still in the early days of establishing my practice: you can read more about my first steps in practice and hopes for the future in my next blog. But for anyone considering this path, and wondering whether NCA is right for you, attend an Open Day to get a feel for the college and community, and think about how important an in-person course and close student support is to you.
You can find me at