Nikki Estep
Practice Owner | MPH, RDN, LD, CEDS
Currently seeing clients virtually, in Montrose office, and in Memorial office.
I'm Nikki Estep, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS) and owner of Mindful Eats Nutrition. I (and everyone at Mindful Eats Nutrition!) practice from a Health at Every Size (HAES) lens. I have expertise in eating disorders, pediatric nutrition and feeding issues, diabetes, pregnancy, PCOS, and intuitive eating. It is my greatest joy to help people make peace with food and their body.
I grew up in Louisiana and moved to Texas when I attended Baylor University for my undergraduate education. I received my Bachelor's of Business Administration from Baylor University, my Bachelor's of Science in Nutrition from Sam Houston State University, and my Master's of Public Health in Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, TX. I completed my training to become a dietitian through UTSPH and also had the opportunity through UTSPH to complete the LEAH Fellowship, receiving specialized training in treating eating disorders and adolescents.
I use a relational, humanistic, embodiment, and emotion-focused approach to my work with my clients. I help clients explore their inner landscape around food and body and establish first safety and then peace with both. I am advanced trained in Emotion-Focused Family Therapy and also offer parent coaching using the EFFT model for parents and any caregivers supporting loved ones with an eating disorder. My work is trauma-informed. Mindfulness is also at the center of my work and is a daily practice I engage in myself.
I’m also a mom to 3 kiddos and live in the Houston area. I’m forever curious and always learning, personally and professionally.
Specialties: Eating disorders, disordered eating, intuitive eating, EFFT parent coaching for eating disorders, FBT, pregnancy/postpartum, diabetes, PCOS
Client Age Range: Child/family, adolescents, adults
What Clients Have to Say…
“After cycling through therapists and dietitians for years, I honestly had close to zero hope that recovery was possible, nor was I open to the idea of changing any of my behaviors. I remember driving to my first appointment with Nikki and almost turning around, but I’m so glad I didn’t. Nikki met me where I was at while providing the perfect mix of compassion and being pushed outside my comfort zone.
Nikki is brilliant and was able to explain so many of the scientific concepts around food and weight in a way that was easy to understand. Unlike some clinicians, Nikki truly listened to me and individualized my experience to what was best for my recovery. Even though meal support and restaurant outings were extremely anxiety provoking, they were one of the most important steps of my recovery journey and were successful because of Nikki’s support. As cliche as it sounds, Nikki was the first person that planted a seed of hope that recovery is possible and saw me through from the first session of arguing against everything she said, to full recovery. Eight years later and I’ve been able to meet my niece and nephews, travel, adopt another puppy, and get my dream job - none of which would be possible without Nikki.”
- Amy S.