Lauren Samuel, a Bluffton area Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, didn’t ever expect to start her own business but knew that she wanted to do one-on-one counseling. “I got my first job at WIC and I’m still working there part-time,”she explains. However, it was clear to her: “If I want to do my dream job as a dietician, I’m going to have to start my own business.”

That business is Embrace Mind & Body Wellness LLC, which she created in 2020. In addition to providing general nutrition guidance, Samuel helps clients adopt more intuitive eating practices and shows women how to manage the symptoms of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) through diet.

These services are provided online, not in an office, making it easier for clients to fit counseling into their routine. Services include:

• Weekly virtual nutrition counseling
• Email or message support between sessions
• Workbooks for some types of counseling

Counseling periods range from six weeks to six months or more, depending on the goals being addressed. Samuel’s approach to nutrition is weight neutral, as exemplified by the Health At Every Size (HAES) philosophy. “You don’t have to lose weight to be healthy. What I’m trying to do instead of focusing on weight loss or weight as the end goal, is let’s try and focus on your eating patterns and creating a healthy relationship with food,” she explains.

To learn more about the services offered, Samuel schedules “discovery calls” with potential clients. “They can get an idea of what my approach is, what their concerns are and how I can help them.”

Samuel graduated from Bluffton University’s nutrition and dietetics degree program in 2017. She is also a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. Intuitive eating emphasises physical and emotional awareness and wellbeing rather than restricting foods or calories.

For more information about Embrace Mind & Body Wellness LLC, visit https://www.embracemindbodywellness.com. Samuel is also a member of the Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce.