We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dianne Koehler from Nutrition Therapy Institute in Arvada CO. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dianne below.

Alright, Dianne thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

NTI’s mission is 3-pronged. First, the vast majority of people simply don’t understand the impact of their food choices on their health outcomes, both immediate and long-term. i.e. 90% of cancer risk comes from diet and lifestyle choices. So we work to provide education about the necessity for healthy eating. Second, for those who know about the importance of nutrition and love learning about it, they often want to share what they know with others; however, they don’t yet have the in depth knowledge necessary to do so, and they may not know that they can forge a new career path in this field. Third, for those wanting to turn their new-found passion into a career of counseling others, they need to go to a school which provides the education and credentials to substantiate their credibility to work as a holistic nutrition therapist. NTI exists to provide the comprehensive education needed to have the knowledge and credentials to practice as a holistic nutrition professional.

Dianne, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I became interested in nutrition shortly after my son was born (in 1999) and I suddenly realized that I was ill-equipped with the knowledge necessary to truly support his and our family’s health. I came to understand that I had been engaging in a pattern of eating that left me and my son in a nutrient deficient state, which began showing up as compromised health in both of us. Once I started learning about nutrient density and how nutrient deficient my previous way of eating had been, I immediately made changes in our diet and started seeing benefits. At the same time, I was fully hooked on getting as much information as I could about food and nutrition and had an overwhelming desire to go to school to immerse myself in the learning. I attended Nutrition Therapy Institute in Denver, which had been founded in 1999. At first, I went to school for myself – to get as much as I could to optimize my own family’s health. But after graduation, I soon started working and received many referrals to help others as well. After 3 years, I was asked to come back and become an instructor at the school. I then became the Academic Dean at NTI, responsible for updating and optimizing the curriculum for online learning. In 2019 I became the Owner/Director of the school upon the retirement of original founder. NTI provides a unique learning experience through our 500-hour, 18-month Nutrition Therapist Master Certification program – in depth, science-based education in holistic nutrition. Holistic nutrition first prioritizes nutrient density and food quality, while encompassing the complex interplay between food choices, personal needs and values, biochemical individuality, and whole-body health and wellness. Those who choose NTI do so because they want comprehensive education delivered from a reliable source that empowers them to confidently provide nutrition guidance to others. Students graduate with the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve whatever goals they have in this in-demand field of work. Our nutrition training curriculum delivery is flexible with formats that can be taken fully online or in-person in Arvada, CO.
Additionally, we offer professional culinary training in our Natural Foods Chef program. Students graduate with the skills needed to perform with cinfidence in a wide variety of cooking applications, including personal cheffing, catering, cooking for wellness and meditation retreats, in a restaurant, and of course in their own homes. This in-person only learning opportunity is 15 weeks long and occurs twice per year.
At NTI, we know without doubt that food choices matter and we want to help alter the trajectory of poor health outcomes due to poor food choices by spreading the message to as many people as we can. We are on a mission to change the world one student at a time.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

Our staff at NTI is amazing! They are here because they love the mission and message of the school and they want to be a part of it. I want them to feel empowered to make decisions and come up with ideas that support and propel our business. I encourage them to take initiative to solve problems even before they come up. I ask for input on most decisions because in many ways, they are more involved with the daily workings of the business and have more insight than I do. It’s critical that our students feel personally supported and not just like anonymous widgets – the staff at NTI knows our students and in many cases keeps up with their lives as they progress through our program. I feel lucky to have such a great staff; NTI would not be what it is without this skilled, competent, generous, cooperative and kind group of people.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Word of mouth referrals. Our graduates are our best advocates – as they interact with clients and others, those who want to learn more for themselves ask them where they went to school, and they happily recommend NTI. Also, those who work in the health and wellness field, like yoga teachers, massage therapists, chiropractors and medical doctors know the quality and caliber of NTI graduates, so when they interact with people who express an interest in learning about nutrition, they recommend NTI. We have had many people say that our students/grads know more about nutrition than anyone else they have ever met – and that’s high praise that results in referrals. Also, NTI is approved by the National Association of Nutrition Professionals (NANP). Being promoted on NANP’s website as an approved school elevates our reputation as a reliable source of credible nutrition education.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ntischool.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ntischool/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ntischool/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/school/nutritional-therapy-institute/

Image Credits: 

Kristin Rashid, Sage Social Branding