Why I'm Leaving the Ordre des nutritionnistes du Québec

Spring is slowly beginning to appear… and with spring often comes a sense of renewal.

I'm writing to you from my balcony in Mexico, with the ocean in front of me. I take a deep breath in… followed by a longer exhale.

And today, I want to share an important update: as of April 1st, I will no longer be a registered dietitian and member of the Ordre des diététistes-nutritionnistes du Québec.

The past few weeks have been filled with meaningful life moments. I got married, surrounded by loved ones in a beautiful place. And at the same time, I was also moving through a deep internal reflection that had been present for several months.

Before March 16th, I had to make a decision: whether or not to renew my professional license with the Order. I had been hesitating for quite some time.

There was an internal tension I had pushed aside more than once. Looking back, I realize that what held me back for so long was largely my desire to please, the fear of judgment, and the discomfort of disappointing the expectations around me (family, colleagues, clients, collaborators, etc.). Through this process, I came to understand something very simple: the one person I could not allow myself to disappoint was me.

So I stepped back. I took the time to truly listen to myself.

As I looked honestly at the past year of my career, something became increasingly clear: the way I wanted to support people was evolving faster than the framework in which I was practicing.

Practicing within a professional order comes with important guidelines and these exist to protect the public. In my case, however, those guidelines were making it increasingly difficult to explore certain avenues I felt drawn to develop, including the way I structure my services, the types of collaborations I could pursue, and the freedom to create and communicate around topics related to the body, the nervous system, and the human experience.

Over time, I felt my vision of care expanding. I wanted to explore broader dimensions of well-being, deepen my understanding of the nervous system, and create projects that extended beyond the traditional framework of nutrition consultations.

At a certain point, I realized that the framework in which I was practicing no longer fully aligned with the evolution of my vision for this work. It felt a bit like a sweater I had worn for a long time, one that had served me well, but that I had simply outgrown.

So I made a choice.

I officially decided to leave the Ordre des diététistes-nutritionnistes du Québec.

Of course, this decision also comes with a form of grief. For several years, my professional identity was closely tied to this title. I am grateful for it, because it allowed me to learn, to grow, and to support hundreds of people along the way. But today, I also feel a great sense of pride and calm in opening a new path, one that feels even more aligned with who I am.

I am not leaving behind my knowledge, my experience, or my education. All of that remains with me and will continue to guide my work.

Scientific rigor, curiosity, and professionalism will always remain at the core of what I do.

What is changing is the framework.

Moving forward, I will continue working in the broader field of nutrition and well-being, with a more open and holistic approach. One that is deeply connected to listening to the body and understanding the human experience behind eating behaviors.

In this context, I am also beginning training in somatic approaches, in order to deepen my understanding of the nervous system and the connections between the body, emotions, and behavior.

I am now taking time to learn, integrate, and allow the next phase of my work to emerge with clarity and alignment.

The intention that guides my work remains the same: to support women in developing a more conscious relationship with food and with themselves.

And today, I feel ready and excited to move forward into this new chapter with greater freedom and coherence.

Stefania Vitale