My Life as an Eating Psychology Coach: Kalpana Patel

What made you want to become an Eating Psychology Coach?

I have seen myself and many others struggle in their relationships with food and body. I was always curious to delve deeper into the depth of this issue. I wanted to learn why we all shared a different relationship with food and what did that tell us about our relationship with life, and I was hoping to find a solution that would change the way we looked at food. I have seen people who are constantly trying out different diets, hoping that this would be the one that would change things around – only to jump to another one shortly, desperately hoping that this will do the trick. I wanted to find out why we are holding off on life, hoping to love, enjoy and live only once we see a particular number on the scale. I was guided in the direction of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, and having done the Eating Psychology Coach Certification Training was one of the best things I did.

What do you love about being an Eating Psychology Coach?

My favorite part about being an Eating Psychology Coach is helping my clients invite love into their lives. It is such a feeling of satisfaction when I see them begin to love themselves and be more present in their lives. When they learn to slow down, relax, let go, bring in joy, passion and love, they begin to feel lighter and see a transformation taking place in their lives.

What does your practice look like?

My practice consists of both men and women from age 25 to 60. I conduct my coaching sessions over the phone. My clientele usually consists of people who are looking for weight loss; people challenged with disordered eating behaviors such as overeating, under eating, or binge eating; people struggling with negative self and body image; and people who are having digestive issues. I don’t have any programs yet, but I am working on putting something together that will help people.

How did your education at the Institute prepare you to work successfully with clients?

The Training at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating prepared me to work with my clients to achieve success with their food and body issues. At the Institute I learned about Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition. I learned about issues with digestion, overeating, binge eating, mood, and sleep. I studied the importance of love, pleasure, and self-care.

What was your favorite aspect of the Training?

It is so hard to say what was my favorite aspect of the Training. The live teleclasses with Marc were definitely the most favorite! I loved the staff support on the Facebook page and also the words of encouragement that would come in with every email in response to the end of the module quiz. I also found the downloadable audios super helpful.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted your professional life/financial well-being?

Being an Eating Psychology Coach added a niche area to my coaching practice. I started seeing clients specifically with concerns regarding their relationship with food. My clients feel that my fees are justified because I have the tools required to help them with their issues. This has definitely contributed to my financial well-being.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted you personally?

Being an Eating Psychology Coach, I am so much more comfortable in my body. I am more loving and caring towards others and myself. Just like how I teach my clients to stop judging themselves, I continue to work on not judging myself.

What do you see for yourself in your future as an Eating Psychology Coach – where is your work evolving towards?

I would like to see myself working with parents of teens and their children who are entering their teens. I think teens face a lot of peer pressure, go through lots of academic stress, emotional imbalance, and the need to be accepted or to “fit in.” It is so easy for them to fall prey to forming an unhappy relationship with their own selves, with their bodies, and with food, ultimately developing unhealthy eating issues. I would love to help the parents be mindful about how they talk about their own bodies or weight issues or food, and how they can work on introducing healthy eating within the family to ensure a loving environment where the children focus on staying active and food is eaten without the emotions of fear, guilt or shame.

Why Would You Recommend the Training to Others?

I would definitely recommend this Training to others. Even if someone does not intend to use the Training to help others, they can help themselves or their friends and family.

Anything else you’d like to share?

I am so grateful to The Institute and Marc for conducting a Training like this that is able to empower so many people by helping them to look at their bodies and at food with love, helping them be comfortable with their bodies, be more mindful in their eating, and look at their disordered eating as a message to find the deeper meaning of their struggle.

NAME: Kalpana Patel, Certified Life Coach/ Certified Eating Psychology Coach
BUSINESS: Next Step with Kalpana
WEBSITE: linkedin.com/in/kalpanapatelacc

BIO: Kalpana is a certified life coach (ICF), a certified eating psychology coach certified at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating and a Certified Transformational Nutrition Coach (CTNC). Her main goal in her coaching practice is to help people to love themselves “now” as opposed to waiting to do that only when they “get there.” Getting there could mean different things for different people: Getting the perfect job, reaching the perfect weight, finding the perfect life partner. By loving themselves unconditionally, they are placing the key to their happiness in their own hands. She has a true passion for helping people cultivate unconditional love for themselves, and helping people to form healthy relationships with food.