Deanna Belleny Lewis is the co-founder and Director of Programs at Diversify Dietetics. She has worked for close to 10 years planning, implementing and evaluating programs that impact underrepresented groups. Additionally she has trained numerous allied health teams in leadership and both professional skill development with an equity, diversity, inclusion lens. She is passionate about equity and supporting students and professionals of color who wish to thrive in nutrition and dietetics.

Deanna discusses the lack of racial and ethnic diversity in the field of nutrition and dietetics. She shares personal experiences of isolation and microaggressions faced as a Black dietitian. Diversify Dietetics aims to address these issues by empowering nutrition leaders of color and increasing representation. Learn ways to help them achieve their goals.

Today’s episode includes a discussion of the following topics:

• Deanna Belleny Lewis's Background and Diversified Dietetics

• Fun Question and Personal Experiences

• Personal Experiences in Dietetics

• Barriers to Diversity in Dietetics

• Impact of Diversified Dietetics

• Future Goals and Initiatives

• Supporting Diversified Dietetics

• Deanna's Motherhood Journey

Episode Notes and Resources:

Diversify Dietetics

Deanna Belleny Lewis

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Avni Panchal’s mission is to help people overcome the feeling of being an “imposter,” in both their personal and professional lives. Avni wants to support people in breaking free from the limitations that prevent them from reaching their true potential.

Avni is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has worked in mental health as a social worker, therapist, trainer and coach. As an Empowerment Coach, Avni specializes in assisting South Asians, and other individuals, who find themselves navigating multiple cultures.

Together we discuss the external and internal pressures faced by youth in South Asian culture when choosing a professional path, particularly in engineering and medicine. We explore the stigmas surrounding mental health in various cultures, including South Asian culture, and emphasize the importance of de-stigmatizing mental health and normalizing conversations about it. Avni mentioned the importance of following one's interests and doing something well, rather than conforming to societal expectations. We also discuss the challenges of self-doubt and limiting beliefs faced by moms, and the importance of recognizing and validating these feelings.

Today’s episode includes a discussion of the following topics:

• Navigating cultural expectations in career choices.

• Immigrant pressure, identity, and career choices.

• Career choices, self-doubt, and trusting intuition.

• Mental health stigmas in different cultures, with a focus on de-stigmatization and normalization.

• Combating self-doubt and limiting beliefs for moms.

• Self-doubt and self-care for moms, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing oneself for the sake of resilience

• Motherhood, self-love, and unlearning for moms.

Episode Notes and Resources:

Avni Panchal’s Website: https://www.theindiancounselor.com/

Avni’s private practice for therapy: https://strengthandselflove.com/

Avni’s article for Medium titled, “Three Ways for BIPOC Individuals to Combat Self Doubt and Recognize Their Worth” https://medium.com/therapists-in-tech/three-ways-for-bipoc-individuals-to-combat-self-doubt-and-recognize-their-worth-b89bb04d815a

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This episode complements Ep.110 and is the second part of our Roundtable discussion with several of our experts from our Provider Directory. The experts are exploring how to deal with Learning, Social, and Behavioral Struggles of Children (from both a neurotypical and neurodiverse lens).

The speakers discuss collaborative care and working with professionals from different industries to provide a holistic model of care for neurodiverse children. They emphasize the importance of early evaluations and diagnoses for developmental delays and ADHD in preschool children, and highlight the role of private practitioners in providing clinical diagnoses and educational classifications. The speakers also discuss the importance of feeding therapy and early intervention, and emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach that considers various factors, including speech, language, and sensory needs.

This HER Health Collective Roundtable features the following HER Provider Directory Experts:

• Dr. Emily King, Learn with Dr. Emily - Child Psychologist

• Kelly Smedley, MSN, PMHCNS-BC, PMH-C, Waypoint Counseling - Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist

• Kerry Lett, MPH, RDN, LDN, CLC, Milestones Pediatric & Maternal Nutrition - Registered Dietitian

• Dr. Priscilla Hidalgo, Lux Psychiatry - Psychiatrist

• Rebecca Rowe, MA, CCC-SLP, ACT Therapy Services - Speech Language Pathologist

• Sarah Parise, CPT, Great Days by Sarah - Wellness Specialist

To connect with any of our experts, please go to our ⁠website directory⁠.

For more episodes on neurodiversity and/or supporting behavior struggles, please listen to the following episodes: 110, 108, 107, 102, 45, 33, 6.

Today’s episode includes a discussion of the following topics:

• Addressing social and behavioral struggles in children from neurotypical and neurodiverse perspectives.

• Wellness, mental health, and nutrition for moms and kids.

• Evaluations for autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities in children.

• Early childhood development and evaluation for ADHD.

• Child-led therapy and self-care for parents of neurodivergent children.

• Managing guilt and setting boundaries for moms of neurotypical and neurodivergent children.

Episode Resources:

• Dr. Emily King - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/

• Kelly Smedley - https://www.waypointcounselingnc.com/

• Kerry Lett - https://www.milestonesnutrition.com/

• Dr. Priscilla Hidalgo - https://www.luxpsychiatry.com/

• Rebecca Rowe- https://acttherapyservices.com/

• Sarah Parise - https://www.greatdaysbysarah.com/

Support Mama Needs a Moment! Become a patron through our Mama Needs a Moment ⁠Patreon⁠.

HER Circle by HER Health Collective