The fastest way to become an intuitive eating counselor

So, you’ve decided to make the commitment to a life of helping others heal their relationship with food and their bodies. And you’ve decided on the Intuitive Eating Counselor certification developed by Evelyn Tribole. First and foremost, I commend you. You’re doing the Lord’s work (or Buddha’s work, or Allah’s work… Mother Earth? Pick your poison). 

But, maybe you aren’t a dietitian or a therapist. Maybe you’ve stumbled into this dream later than you would have liked. You might be looking at the several years of education you’d have to acquire in order to become an Intuitive Eating Counselor (IEC), and it has deterred you. You might even feel like you aren’t worthy of the certification if you haven’t “paid your dues” as a health professional. 

Well, I’m about to start my IEC journey in March 2022, and your girl is most certainly not a licensed mental health professional. I’m simply a woman who has survived a decades-long eating disorder and is hell-bent on keeping others from going through the same thing. 

I believe we need more folks doing this work, and because of that, I’m going to show you exactly how I was accepted into the program – without spending thousands of dollars and years of my life in academia. With this information, my hope is you’re inspired to make the same choice. We need more of us in this world. So, let’s give the world our best shot.

Check yourself with your recovery, if applicable. 

If you’re in recovery from an eating disorder, and you plan to move forward with this certification, check yourself. Ask yourself whether you’re stable enough in your recovery to move forward. If you are, amazing. If you aren’t, amazing. Now you can reassess and go get some help. 

If it’s the latter, you can always come back to your dream once you’re in a more stable spot. Remember, mental health professionals have mental illnesses, too. It doesn’t take you out of the running.

Identify whether you’re an eligible health professional. 

The creators of the certification have a list of eligible health professions they accept, and most of them require a ton of education and capital. If you’re one of the eligible professionals, no need to continue reading. Please apply and start changing lives. 

If you’re not, read on.

Determine which health professional certification you’d like to pursue.

My priority was to determine the quickest and most cost-effective way for a non-health professional to become eligible for the IEC certification. The reason for this is because I have an undergraduate degree and a graduate degree. I’ve already spent so many years of my life in school. I couldn’t imagine having more midterms, capstone projects or theses. Woof.

Money was a factor, as well. I’m not in student debt anymore, but I spent tens of thousands of dollars on my education, and I’m not in a financial spot to be dropping cash on another graduate degree. 

If you aren’t looking for the fastest way to becoming eligible, think about the careers on the list. Which three stick out to you most? Take those three, start Googling, and determine whether you can afford the cost and dedicate the time. What sparks a light in your heart? What seems exciting to pursue? Listen to what your intuition is telling you here, and take action on it. 

If you’re looking for the quickest way, that is through the Associate College of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer (ACSM-CPT) certification. 

Want to learn more about the ACSM-CPT?

I put off that damn certification for years, but I finally achieved it. Now, I’m on my way to helping others break free from the chains of food issues – so they can move on with their lives. Feel free to follow my journey here, and let it inspire you to potentially do the same. And if you’re curious about how I passed the ACSM-CPT in one try, I’d be happy to tell you.