Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Pillepich.
Hi Michelle, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I originally studied government and hispanic studies in my undergraduate career, but once I graduated I realized I did not want to work in those spaces. I was interning on a political campaign and realized it was not what I wanted. I ended up applying to many internships that just sounded interesting to me and landed an internship at a food magazine. I thought I would go into food media, and while that was a fun experience, I realized I did not want to be behind a desk and was craving direct interaction with the people I was helping. After talking to many dietitians about their work, I ended up deciding that was the path I wanted to pursue. During my graduate school, I was also learning on my own about intuitive eating and health at every size while learning the science of nutrition in school. I aligned so strongly with the intuitive eating philosophy and wanted to practice that way. Eating disorders are a niche within nutrition that naturally align with intuitive eating, so I pursued that area of practice and fell in love with it. I interned at a residential treatment center, briefly worked as their chef, and then got my first dietitian job at another residential location once I passed my exam. From there I worked at PHP and IOP treatment centers and outpatient practices. In 2021, I started my own virtual outpatient private practice and have been working with clients on eating disorder recovery in private practice ever since!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Working in eating disorder treatment in 2020 was definitely a challenge. It was a big transition going from in person treatment centers to the virtual space. This was a test in flexibility and learning, but ultimately allowed continuity for clients and a lot more access even now. I ended up with a perfect opportunity to start my practice virtually without a lot of startup costs so that allowed me to take the leap. It worked out so well and I am grateful for the timing of it all!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Michelle Pillepich Nutrition?
I am a nutrition private practice made up of a team of Registered Dietitians. We specialize in eating disorders and work from an intuitive eating lens helping anyone work on improving their health with as few dietary restrictions as possible.
What sets us apart is our focus on flexibility and learning your own body instead of following diet rules. That being said, we also welcome those with weight concerns and we understand the world of diet culture that we live in and how that impacts the way people think about food. We help people shed the diet lens and embrace true health which cannot be defined by weight. I am also certified as a personal trainer and yoga teacher, so I love to talk to clients about exercise and make sure they are moving in a way that supports their health and fueling their movement adequately as well. Many times, exercise is a missing piece of eating disorder recovery to I love to integrate that into my work.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
I wish I knew that nobody has it figured out! The beauty of entrepreneurship, and why so many business owners are attracted to it, is that you can always evolve and change. This also means there is always a lot to learn! As a clinician, we are not taught business, but get to know your peers and colleagues and find a supportive group of other providers. We can all learn so much from one another and you will feel less alone knowing that others are still learning too.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://michellepillepich.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellepillepichnutrition/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-pillepich-mph-rd-cpt-89b84036/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@michellepillepich
