There are a few different holistic-centered nutrition programs out there these days.  Combing through all the information I could find, comparing the programs, the time and financial commitment, and the curriculum, I decided on the Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) program with the Nutritional Therapy Association (NTA).

Why I became a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner

There were two very personal reasons why I decided to enter the realm of holistic nutrition: my health and my happiness.  With my own success in improving my rheumatoid arthritis (RA), my interest in nutrition was sparked and it was what I thought about constantly.  I felt completely lit up when I talked to others about nutrition.  It would give me this extra burst of energy when I could help someone else with their health.  During this time, I had become increasingly unhappy with my career as a structural engineer.  This was mainly due to the stress that came along with it.  That chronic stress eventually led to my RA symptoms sneaking back into my life, and it became very clear to me that I needed to make a change if I ever wanted my health to improve.

So with the desire to improve my health and happiness, I decided to take a leap of faith and apply for the NTP program.  I was hopeful that this program could allow me to one day build a career that I loved, while helping others improve their health!

Course Logistics

There are a total of 15 modules in the course that cover a wide array of topics.

You will start with the Foundations of Nutritional Therapy:

  • Properly Prepared, Nutrient Rich Diet
  • Digestion
  • Blood Sugar Regulation
  • Fatty Acid Balance
  • Mineral Balance
  • Hydration

You will then move on into more specialized topics that build upon the Foundations (structural engineering pun intended):

  • Endocrine System
  • Allergies
  • Immune Weaknesses
  • Cardiovascular System
  • Nutritional Detoxification
  • Weight Loss
  • Mental Health
  • Fertility
  • Etc.

Throughout the course you will learn how to support the body nutritionally, starting with the foundations, and focus on the root cause instead of just chasing symptoms.

The online portal is where you’ll watch your video lectures, listen to audio lectures, submit homework (yup, homework!) and communicate with your instructor team and fellow classmates.  You’ll also have bi-weekly teleconference calls that are recorded in case you missed it live.  You’ll learn how to use both the manual and web-based versions on an extensive questionnaire called the Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire (NAQ or Nutri-Q).  This questionnaire is extremely helpful in determining possible nutritional deficiencies of your client and tracking their progress over time.

There are three workshop weekends where you’ll dive into the Functional Evaluation (more on this in a bit) as well as listen to guest speakers and review material from the course.  During the second and third weekends you’ll also have your midterm and final.

The NTP program is by no means easy!  Before I started, I was pretty worried about the additional work load on top of my 40+ hour engineering gig.  It was doable, but it was pretty difficult at times.  I had to cut back on a lot of activities to make it work.  I didn’t see friends and family as often as I would have liked but, I just kept telling myself it was only for 9 months.  My husband took on a lot of the housework and cooking to allow me to study at night after work and on the weekends.

There are some breaks built into the program which were helpful for a little relaxing and a little catch up on reading.  On average, I spent about 15-20 hours per week.  If it was near an exam, the amount of time I spent was quite a bit higher.  Even with all those hours of work, I really did enjoy what I was learning.  It felt like I was doing what I was always meant to do!

The course cost is $3,900.  You’ll also have quite a few books to purchase that will run about $500 for all of them.  You may be able to find some used books online to help lower your costs.  If your class isn’t local to you, you’ll need to factor in the cost of travel and lodging for workshop weekends.  I had to travel about 2 hours away, but thankfully I had family to stay with while I was there.

The FE and LNT  (say what??)

I want to start this by saying, I’m a fairly skeptical person by nature.  Whether you see that as a good thing or not is besides the point, but I often have to “see it to believe it.”  The Functional Evaluation (FE) is what really sets the NTP program apart from the other holistic nutrition programs I looked at.  The FE is a method used to identify and correct nutritional deficiencies using Lingual-Neuro Testing (LNT).  A simplified explanation of these two important tools is this: During a Functional Evaluation, we palpate specific points on the body that are associated with the function of organs and systems in the body.  While palpating the point, we ask for a score of 1 to 10 based on the discomfort felt by the client.  This score will help determine if there is a nutritional deficiency present.  If the deficiency is present, we can use the LNT process by having a client hold in their mouth a nutrient or food associated with correcting the deficiency.  You then repeat the palpation to determine if that nutrient helped or not.  This process allows us to create an individualized nutritional protocol for each client.

The first time I experienced this was at our first workshop weekend.  After having a point go from a score of 9 (very uncomfortable), to a score of 0 (no discomfort), I was pretty much sold!

What I’m doing now as an NTP

Following graduation from the NTP program in June 2015, I left my current job.  I have to say that happened faster than I had planned.  With the support of my husband, we decided it was the right time to move on.  My stress had reached an all time high, sending my health and happiness into a downward spiral.

After some time off, I picked myself back up and began focusing on a new career as an NTP.  I opened my practice and began working with distance clients one on one.  It’s been incredibly rewarding to see the health of my clients improve!  I plan to continue with my one on one practice, and hopefully start seeing clients in person soon.

As you probably know, I’m still here creating recipes to share with you all that are based on the principles I learned from the NTA.  I’ve also just released a cookbook, A Brunch for the Season: Winter!

There are so many things you can do with an NTP certification!

  • Write a book or e-book
  • Create a blog
  • Host a podcast
  • Open a private practice online, or in person
  • Teach future NTPs
  • Teach classes and seminars
  • Create group programs
  • Almost anything you can dream up!

Becoming an NTP was one of the best decisions I’ve made and I’m so thankful for what that program has brought into my life.  Not only did it provide me with an extensive education that has turned into a career, but I have met so many amazing people who I’m happy to call my friends!

So, does this program sound like something for you?  If so, I highly recommend you listen in on a live informational call with the NTA.  I did this, and it was what made it even easier to pull the trigger on applying!

If you found this post helpful, I would be so appreciative if you listed me (Suzie Bauer) as a referral on your application.  I would receive a commission for the referral that would go into running this website.

The deadline for the Winter 2016 courses is fast approaching!  Go to the Nutritional Therapy Association website for more information!

I’d love to hear from you if you’re considering becoming an NTP!  Do you have any more questions?  Ask them below in the comments!