Mind-Body RDs

Help us craft the group's mission, vision, and values within the larger mission of DIFM. This is a subcommittee, and all are welcome to join.

Who are the DIFM Mind-Body RDs?

  • We are a new and growing subgroup within DIFM.
  • We are composed of dietitians who integrate (or want to integrate) mind-body modalities with our work as RDs.
  • We meet quarterly to network and foster our own growth and the growth of this emerging area.


  • Friday
    23
    September

    Mind-Body RD Meetup

    Friday, September 23, 2022, 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM ET

    Meeting Notes, Upcoming Events & Next Steps

    Created by Pamela Malo, MHS, RDN

    Meeting Notes

    • Noon Grounding exercise [led by Annie Kay]

    • 12:05 Mind Body History & Goals RD group [Pamela Malo]

      • History:

        • Inspired by RDs pioneering in this area, A mind-body FB group was started around 2015 by Pamela Malo. A handful of meetings were held over the next few years. Around 2018 (??) DIFM established the position of Mind-Body Therapies Chair, and Anu Kaur stepped into the role. Pamela Malo joined as co-chair in 2020, and then Anu stepped down in 2022 to pursue her doctorate. Monique Richard, former DIFM Chair, has served as a regular support and collaborator. With the explosion in the research and DIFM’s support, this movement of dietitians integrating mind-body modalities is at an exciting threshold of possibility. 312 RDs filled out the mind-body RD survey launched in the summer of 2022.

    • Goals [Drafted by Pamela and Monique– input form all is welcome]

      1. Create a NETWORK of mind-body RD practitioners who are the leaders in the field

      2. Create a Mind-Body RD DIRECTORY

      3. Offer EVENTS to other RD professionals and the general public

      4. Hold quarterly meetings - for networking, development, etc

      5. Create RESOURCES - ie, toolkits & handouts (a few are in progress!)

      6. Utilize a SHARED LEADERSHIP model (vs. hierarchical) with rotating roles, (meeting leader, note taker, etc) and all able to ask/offer help

      7. Have FUN. This movement will not be sustainable if it is not enjoyable!

    • 12:15 Attendee introductions (name, location, current mind-body practices). 

      • 27 RDs attended this event, from over a dozen states across the US 

        • IN, VA, OK, MA. NY, WA, MN, NJ, NC, KS, AL, GA, CT

      • We had students, newly minted RDs, active RDs & two retired RDs in their 70s :)

      • There are several RDs with experience utilizing mind-body techniques, and others excited to learn

      • Several comments were made expressing gratitude and excitement for the group

    • 12:45: Mind-Body Event Announcements

    • 12:55: Brief discussion What is the best way to stay connected?

      • Email, Slack, and FB are possible…a survey was proposed.

    • 1:00 Closing with a few deep breaths!

    Needs & Next Steps

    • {All} Please reach out to Pamela (pamela@pamelamalo.com) if you have 30 minutes or more a month to help on the backend with things like

      • Developing the group’s mission/goals/vision/values

      • Writing/research: We are creating 1-page summaries of six mind-body modalities

      • Graphic design: Create a template for our mind-body handouts

      • Summarize the information from the mind-body survey

      • Creating a survey to determine the communication preference of the group (list serve, Slack, FB group, etc.)

    • {Pamela} Ask DIFM Chair about methods of communication- can we have our subgroup of the listserve?

      • ANSWER: YES. This is a formal process and will take time; until then, we can use the general discussion board and tag things with [MIND BODY RDs] in the subject line

    • {Pamela} Ask DIFM Chair if we can create and post our directory online, and if so, how that would work

    • {All} Join us at FNCE at DIFM events

      • DIFM Member Event - Sunday, October 7th, from 5-7 pm Hyatt Regency, Plaza E

      • Get your ‘I am a Mind-Body RDN’ sticker at FNCE!

  • Monday
    16
    January

    Mind-Body RD Meetup

    Monday, January 16, 2023, 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM ET

    Meeting Notes

    Created by DIFM’s Mind-Body Therapies Chair, Pamela Malo, MHS, RDN

    Summary:

    After our opening grounding exercise (thank you Kaitlyn!) we moved into breakout groups to discuss what mind-body practices RDs are currently using or want to use, and how this group can be most supportive for practitioners in this emerging area. Resources and volunteer opportunities listed and we closed with a visualization (thank you Christina!). Many attendees expressed how meaningful this was to connect with others and a desire to stay connected between meetings – see ‘NEXT STEPS’ below.

    Attendees: 24

    Registrants: 76

    (Note: Meetings are not recorded but all registrants receive an email with the meeting notes)

    Ways RDs are integrating mind-body therapies into dietetics

    • Offering yoga for women going through fertility treatment
    • Neuro-linguistic programming (similar to hypnosis) 
    • Reiki
    • TCM Herbal medicine and seasonal eating
    • Listening to brown noise to calm down when feeling anxious 
    • Teaching yoga
    • Teaching a wellness course 
    • Bring students to recreation center to practice, walk through a garden, connect
    • to nature, 
    • Practice box breathing and other breathing techniques 
    • Teaching a class on Ayurveda
    • Into Marma Therapy (which is like acupuncture)
    • Offering sound bath meditation classes in addition to seeing people in private practice
    • Incorporating breathing techniques, stress management, yoga stretches into women’s health, perinatal, postpartum, menopause

    How can this group be of most service to you?

    • Have a collection of reviewed handouts with RD-reviewed resources on different modalities
    • Receive CEs for trainings (**Check out 
    • Creating symposium that draws in all voices to contribute in new ways of thinking 
    • Creating toolkit for how to do this work as a biz 
    • Learning how exactly to connect the work in functional medicine with dietitians to utilize it in a more diverse and high-touch way
    • Being a part of the community
    • MindBody modalities for diabetes education
    • As a place for career ideas/direction
    • To be a resource center
    • Connection/networking 
    • How to integrate MindBody practices into a nutrition setting
    • Learning what everyone is doing in their practice
    • Connection between research/efficacy of things like yoga, breathe work on health, resources like yoga alliance, learning what the possibilities are in this field

    Resources

    Annie Kay’s Webinar: YOGA THERAPY FOR NUTRITION-RELATED CONDITIONS: MECHANISMS, EVIDENCE, PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS, AND CREDENTIALING

    Whole Health Library Tools: https://www.va.gov/WHOLEHEALTHLIBRARY/tools/index.asp

    Volunteer with us!

    • Developing group mission, vision & values
    • Writing or researching mind-body modalities to create handouts
    • Graphic design 
    • Misc backend admin

    Please email Pamela (pamela@pamelmaalo.com) if you have 30 minutes or more a month to volunteer, and we will find a role that is a great fit.

  • Thursday
    20
    July

    Mind-Body RD Meetup

    Thursday, July 20, 2023, 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM ET

    Meeting Agenda

    Our summer meeting will include learning about Ayurveda and casual networking in small groups.

    Note: Meetings are not recorded, but if you register,  you will receive the meeting notes.