Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Killen.
Stephanie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey started when I was in my early 20’s. I had been put on an antibiotic for acne and my healthcare provider never told me to come off of it. Over a year later, I started to develop GI symptoms. I went to see my mother’s friend, who was a former RN turned holistic practitioner. She listened to my story, performed some muscle testing (applied kinesiology) on me, then sent me off with dietary recommendations and a few supplements. The whole process was incredibly fascinating to me. Before then, I had only experienced traditional medicine.
After a few weeks following her recommendations, my symptoms improved. I was off the antibiotic, my bloating was gone, and my clearer skin was still maintaining. This was the first time I discovered that food and herbs had the power to really heal. Back then, I wasn’t sure how to turn this kind of work into a full career, but I was definitely interested.
After graduating college, I enrolled in culinary school, which fed my passion for food and sparked my interest in nutrition. I looked into what a career in nutrition would look like and was presented with the option of becoming a Registered Dietitian. I felt this route didn’t offer the path that aligned with my passion, so I decided to go in a different direction.
After working in kitchens, personal cheffing, and eventually taking a full time job working for a beverage company for several years, I found that my passion continued to be learning about and using food as medicine. I started to really look for programs that taught a more holistic approach to nutrition, provided education on muscle testing, and created the opportunity to run functional labs for my clients. I wasn’t interested in fad diets and teaching people how to lose weight with the standard approaches. I was interested in root cause healing and teaching people how to truly nourish their bodies.
I opened my practice in 2019, renting a space in a small wellness center in San Luis Obispo. However, COVID hit a few months later and I decided to take my practice virtual. I have continued to practice this way ever since and it has allowed me to help a wider range of clients.
Early on, I decided to specialize in women’s health-with a large focus on gut and hormone health. A woman goes through so many changes throughout her life and I felt that most women were, and still are, underserved when it comes to their health. I see incredible transformations every day through my work and I truly believe this is what I am meant to be doing with my life. I absolutely love what I do.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My biggest struggle along the way has been learning the marketing side of my business. It’s not something most of us consider when choosing this line of work. Most of us offer services that are private pay, so we aren’t linked into any healthcare provider lists that provide a direct flow of clients. This means it’s up to us to get the word out about what we do and who we help, which is challenging. I’d rather spend all my time and energy seeing clients, but instead I have to dedicate a lot of it to trying to market myself. And for me, I am not someone who enjoys constantly creating content or being on social media, which is how a lot of businesses attract clients these days. I’m also a busy mama, so it’s a lot to try to do the work I love, take care of my family, and then wear a marketing hat on top of it all.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Sound Body Nutrition?
My business is designed to work with women one-on-one to help them get to the root cause of their ongoing symptoms and bring their bodies back into balance using diet, lifestyle, and natural therapies. I do not believe in a “one size fits all” approach. Every woman’s body and health journey is unique, so I find it important to create a customized plan for each person based on their health history, symptoms, lifestyle, goals, and relevant lab data.
Another unique highlight of the care I provide is offering ongoing support to my clients throughout their healing process. This way they never feel alone and we are able to make the proper adjustments/layer things in as we go. I have found that the best way to do this is to offer my services in programs that are either 12 or 20 weeks long depending on their needs.
One thing I found during my own health journey was the lack of dedicated support from a practitioner who was truly invested in my success. Even in the holistic/functional medicine space, I found that many of the services offered relied on making individual appointments as needed, instead of offering a comprehensive experience that guided you from beginning to end. I truly believe that the success I have seen with my clients comes down to the ongoing support they receive throughout their journey. As a holistic health practitioner, my goal is to help each of my clients build the tools to reach optimal wellness, not just manage symptoms or use band aid solutions. This takes time and I want each of my clients to have that.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
One thing I love about this field of work is that there is always new data, approaches, and science to discover. I do love to listen to podcasts and webinars from respected practitioners in their fields. This usually leads me to books I can delve deeper into.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.soundbodynutrition.com
- Instagram: sound_body_nutrition
