Meet The Intern: Emily Mossey

September 29, 2023• byLeah Kern

For the next few month’s, Emily will be interning at Leah Kern Nutrition to gain experience in the private practice world and to learn more about being an Intuitive Eating Dietitian. This internship is part of her undergraduate practicum requirements for her dietetic program at The University of Vermont.

Over the next few months, Emily will be guest writing some blogposts and she’ll also be working on some other behind the scenes projects here at LKN.

Take it away, Emily!

Where are you from and where are you currently going to school?

Hi there! My name is Emily Mossey and I am currently in my fourth-year of studying dietetics at the University of Vermont. When I’m not in Vermont studying and skiing, you can find me trading the snow for sand in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where I live with my parents, brother and two puppies.

What inspired you to want to pursue a career path as a dietitian?

When applying to school, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, however, the summer before I left for school, I became very fascinated with wellness and nutrition. This led me to consume lots of nutrition content in the form of vlogs, social media, and books. As I dove into the nutrition world, I started questioning what was true and who I should listen to. I realized that nutrition is something so many people must have questions about and I wanted to help people sort through the confusion.

How did you get interested in intuitive eating and HAES?

Growing up, food was always positive for me, which I believe is connected to the way I was raised. For every meal eaten at home, we would have family dinners together, so food was always social and connected. As I got older, I realized that not everyone had the privilege of experiencing such an intuitive relationship with food. This made me upset– allowing our bodies to guide our food choices should be second nature and unfortunately it’s not. While I may follow an intuitive eating mindset myself, it’s important to me that more people have access to the frameworks that have been so fulfilling for me.

What do you see yourself doing in your future career as an RD?

Once I make it through schooling and finally get to turn in textbooks for my diploma, I have my sights set out to work in a school and help provide guidance for those who are struggling with their relationships with food. There’s such a lack of nutrition education, and much of the education that is available is weight-normative and out dated. Knowing that disordered relationships with food can start so early, I think it’s important for students to have exposure to education and support in school.

My dream goal however, would be to work side by side as a RD for a major league sport, but I still have time to figure it all out.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

In my free time, you can find me reading, dancing, exploring new restaurants, and attempting to travel as much of the world as I can. There’s a lot of the world I have explored so far, such as Australia, some parts of Europe and Asia, and of course the US, but there is still so much I haven’t seen. I would love to have been to every continent and travel to every state before I can’t anymore. The world is just so expansive and there’s so many stories to be told, and when I’m not reading any, I plan on making my own.

What are some things that make your heart happy?

When I’m not snuggled up with a cheesy rom com book and traveling to different corners of the world, you can typically find me hanging out with my friends. I have met so many incredible people at UVM during my time, and with only one year left I am making it count to really build and keep these relationships for the long run. Having such a core group of people that support me and can dance the night away in any setting is massive for me, and I am really fortunate to have met each and every one of them.There is so much in life that I find fulfilling, and connection is one of the staples of life I believe to be so important.

Your favorite part about the anti-diet/ intuitive eating approach to nutrition?

With so much pressure surrounding diet culture and the continued struggles that so many feel in regards to making their bodies a perfect size, intuitive eating breaks the mold and really puts pressure on the harmful culture that has caused immense harm. As someone who has always struggled with my body image, following the anti-diet approach has taken off a pressure I didn’t know was constantly weighing me down. So much of my time and energy was spent comparing myself and restricting the joys of food in order to feel a sense of control within the system. Once I really opened my eyes and saw the harm it was doing to both my mental and physical health, I followed a more intuitive eating approach and started experiencing the benefits. Enjoying the best food possible for each given day has now become my priority, and I have not looked back since.

Have you listened to Shoulders Down Podcast? Click here to check out our latest episode, “What about sugar addiction?”