Today we’d like to introduce you to Jane Williams.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jane. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I currently have my own business as a nutrition counselor and health coach, but am retired from a 40+ year career in the nursing profession. I started as a hospital nurse caring for cancer patients, then with a master’s degree, worked as university faculty in both undergraduate and graduate nursing program., With another graduate degree I became a family nurse practitioner, and worked in management or lead positions in almost all areas in which I worked. My work was my passion. It also opened my world to people from all walks of life. I learned that we have more in common underneath our skin and in our core being than our outer appearance. The journey over those years 40+ years taught me much about myself, most importantly taught me compassion for myself and for others.
My journey in health care also sparked my interest in nutrition and other lifestyle behaviors, beginning when I worked as a nurse practitioner in the Department of Cancer Prevention at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center where promoting healthy lifestyle habits is essential. My desire to work more directly with those already diagnosed with cancer, also gave me the opportunity to teach patients and their family about nutrition and how it might help with symptoms as well as reduce their risk of, or prolong the time to, cancer recurrence. In addition, healthy lifestyles might reduce the risks of long-term consequences of cancer therapy.
While working full time at MDA and part time at the university as adjunct faculty, I attended the Institute for Integrative Nutrition at SUNY, finishing with a certificate as a Health Coach. I was asked to lead my department’s health initiative and took on the challenge with bi-weekly group seminars for changing or improving lifestyle habits. I acquired a few clients who wanted help for weight loss as well as for issues of diabetes and heart disease. I also offered group counseling on nutrition for weight loss to a neighborhood group.
Eventually I moved to the Department of Integrative Medicine which further strengthened my knowledge & skills in nutrition and lifestyle counseling. I taught my nurse practitioner (NP) and physician assistant (PA) colleagues about counseling patients on these lifestyle habits. Soon physicians, NPs, and PAs in other departments requested consultations from me for their patients. The mentorship of our Program Director, Lorenzo Cohen PhD, as well as other skilled and talented colleagues including a dietician, physical therapist, psychologist, and other mind-body practitioners was immeasurable.
Throughout my career and even after retirement I was frequently invited to speak on a variety of cancer-related topics, often nutrition related, at local, regional, and national nursing & medical conferences. I was also invited to speak at other lay audience events and to several local cancer support groups. I also published numerous journal articles and book chapters on various oncology topics, many of which focused on nutrition. Most recently I wrote a chapter on nutrition in “Your Guide to Cancer Prevention” published by the ONS (Oncology Nursing Society) publishing division and was recognized as the AJN’s 2018 Book of the Year in the Consumer Health category.
After retirement, I decided to start my own business in nutrition counseling. I saw a notice for office space to rent, and found it was in a remodeled house with 4 other female small business owners with a common goal of promoting wellness. I continue to volunteer by driving cancer patients to clinic or treatment appointments, and by visiting patients in hospice or memory-care facilities to give family members a break. I also volunteer at the Houston Food Bank. I love to garden, cook, being in nature and hiking. I also love to travel and to photograph people from other cultures around the world.
Has it been a smooth road?
Starting my own business has not been a smooth road. In the health care profession, I worked for health care institutions and universities. I was not taught business skills and was fortunate (at the time) to have others take care of scheduling, billing, forms, & patient education materials. In starting my own business, I had to learn how to advertise and promote the business, develop my own forms & client materials, set up a payment method and expense/revenue filing for tax purposes. I have also struggled with competitors who offer quick fixes and guaranteed results in as little as 2 weeks. Their prices are also lower as they are often national or world-wide corporations with resources I did not have as an individual business owner. Many of my competitors don’t provide personal individualized counselors.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
My business is a Nutrition and Health Coaching service. I offer private, individualized counseling for those wanting to:
- lose weight
- reduce the risk of common chronic illness (e.g. diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease)
- improve already existing conditions
- strengthen their immune system, especially during a viral pandemic
- learn when it might be appropriate or not appropriate to take supplements or herbal products
- increase energy and sense of well-being
I have a non-judgmental approach and can individualize my counseling to fit the needs and goals of the client. I usually recommend twice monthly sessions of approximately one hour, for 2-3 months. Especially during COVID-19 stay-at-home recommendations I offer Zoom counseling, and therefore can see clients outside the Houston area. I assist clients to set and accomplish goals, explore new foods, learn strategies to make better choices and reduce cravings, consider strategies for stress reduction, and learn to incorporate physical activity. I offer email support between sessions, and provide handouts, recipes, other informational materials, as well as other activities if desired e.g. pantry check or grocery store tour.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Assisting clients to achieve better life-long health & well-being through evidence-based nutritional guidelines, rather than quick solutions to weight loss that typically do not last, and in some cases fail to consider the nutritional quality of food being consumed. Evidence suggests that many “diet” programs do not improve health, are not sustainable, and therefore the weight is re-gained plus more. Evidence also shows that personalized coaching over several weeks yields better and more lasting results. I typically emphasize health issues rather than just weight loss. Also, industry needs to change the standard of food labeling & marketing. Example: many foods are labeled “healthy” or other such terms when the ingredients or nutritional content does not support that claim. Marketing to children is particularly misleading in terms of health claims. The industry also needs to rethink guidelines for school lunches.
Pricing:
- Initial introductory session – which includes reviewing health & diet histories – $55 per session
- Regular individual counseling sessions – $70 per session (national & local standard is $95-100)
- Family or couples’ sessions – $80 per session, per couple
- Group programs – determined by # of people attending (could be as low as $20 per person per week)
- Pantry clean-out or grocery store tour – $50
Contact Info:
- Address: 721 E. 14th street
Houston, TX 77008 - Website: Heightswellspace.com
- Phone: 713-858-8494
- Email: janetaylorwilliamshealth@gmail.com
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