Nutritional Therapy Association Review: My Honest Thoughts

Looking for an honest and unbiased review of the Nutritional Therapy Association? Here’s everything you need to know about the program, including program changes they made in 2023, and how I’ve made a career as a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner.

Since completing my training as a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner through the Nutritional Therapy Association (NTA), I’ve gotten a ton of questions about my education and why I chose the program over other courses.

Lucky for you, I am a very detail-oriented person and thoroughly researched all of my options. Before signing up for the Nutritional Therapy Practitioner course, I was feeling incredibly uninspired in my current marketing job. I was overwhelmed with the options for nutrition certifications, and had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do.

Two things I did know? I wanted a solid foundation in human physiology and holistic nutrition, and I wanted to use my education to help people. Looking back, I’m so happy I made the decision to become certified when I did. Now, I get to help people in so many ways I didn’t even expect, like with my podcast and online programs.

If you have a passion for nutrition and unsure of what to do next, you’re in the right place! Here’s my honest Nutritional Therapy Association review, plus information about the course and how I’ve made a career as a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner.

Note: The NTA just provided me with a discount code—something they’ve never done before! For 2024 programs: You will get a free $150 book sent to you required for the course with code COCONUTS. Just add the code when you fill out the student application.

What is the Nutritional Therapy Association?

The Nutritional Therapy Association (NTA) is a nutrition school for those seeking a foundational and holistic approach for assessing nutritional deficiencies in the body. The curriculum is evidence-based and backed by science, and honors the fact that each person has their own bioindividuality—that is, a unique set of needs based on factors such as genetics, ethnicity, and upbringing. The school has been around since 1997, and started offering courses in 2001.

The NTA believes there is no one perfect diet that works for everyone, and instead focuses on teaching students how to help clients restore balance through foundational principles. Today, the NTA has trained thousands of Nutritional Therapy Practitioners from all 50 states, several Canadian provinces, as well as Australia, Asia, and Europe.

Nutritional Therapy Practitioner

The NTA currently offers one comprehensive nutrition education course, the Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) program. In 2023, the program extended to a 12-month long program, and includes the flexibility of self-paced online study. In the program, students learn foundational principles of how nutrition impacts the body’s physiology, and necessary shifts that can be made to bring the body back into balance.

When I took the course, we met in person three separate times to take exams and do in-person training. Now, the course is fully online and instructed-led, which makes it much easier for students to receive a quality education.

What’s the NTP coursework like?

All of the videos, assignments, and homework is managed through an online learning platform. Each week, you log into the platform and complete reading assignments, watch videos, and attend live lecture. The program includes 20 separate modules, and you complete assessments and quizzes after each module is complete.

You will have instructors that will help you as you complete the coursework and modules, and you’ll have other students completing the course with you at the same time. As part of the online classes, you’ll be put into cohorts that allow you to network with other students and get the support you need from instructors. Instructors all hold weekly office hours so you can book 1:1 appointments.

Does the NTP course have exams?

Yep! You have a midterm exam, final exam, and a final clinical presentation. My final presentation was actually a free digital nutrition book for the military. I eventually made this available for download on my website! You will also have two practice clients that you’ll work with during the course. My practice clients were my chiropractor and a family member. I learned so much and received valuable feedback during that clinical work!

What’s in the NTP curriculum?

New for the 2023 program, the curriculum is divided into five foundational aspects of holistic nutrition. They include:

• Nutrient Dense Diet
• Sleep
• Stress
• Digestion
• Blood Sugar Regulation

These five foundations work synergistically to help the body function appropriately. Disease or dysfunction is often the result of one or multiple foundations being out of balance. Imbalances are the root cause of many modern health issues, including cardiovascular disease, autoimmune conditions, hormonal imbalances, infertility, and mental health issues.

There’s also additional information included in the course about how to work with clients, grow your business, and understand nutrition science and research.

To this day, I continue to tell myself “remember the foundations.” Nutrition and health conditions can be incredibly overwhelming and complex, but remembering the foundations brings your focus back to what the body needs to be in balance. In addition to reading this nutritional therapy association review, I highly recommend completing the virtual open house to get a general feel of the program and curriculum.

Can I complete the program at my own pace?

Yes and no. You can complete the coursework when it’s right for you, but you can’t move ahead if you finish early. The course is divided into 4 separate terms. Dates are given to help you stay on track, but if you get behind, you have time to make up past modules within in each term.

What’s the Nutritional Therapy Association Cost?

The cost of the Nutritional Therapy Practitioner program is currently $7200. (Use code coconuts on the student application to get a free $150 book required for the course when you register!) Sometimes the NTA does additional discount codes that offer $250+ off the program. Please comment below for the most current code as I usually keep track of this! You also have a registration fee, and will have to purchase textbooks as part of the course. I purchased most of my books used on Amazon.

Part of the reason I chose the NTA program was because other quality programs I was researching were double the cost. I felt like it was the best investment of my time and finances, and didn’t want to waste my time on other course that only provided surface education. I wanted a high quality education that would allow me to use my certification in the real world.

Is the Nutritional Therapy Association Legit?

Yes. The Nutritional Therapy Association is a private vocational school in Washington State, licensed by the Washington State Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board. Graduates are eligible to sit for the National Association of Nutrition Professionals Board Exam to become a Board Certified Holistic Nutritionist.

This isn’t some weekend course that gives you a certification and sends you on your merry way. The coursework is comprehensive, the instructors are experts, and you will put in quite a bit of time and work to become certified.

What’s the difference between the NTP and PHWC programs?

In 2023, the NTA launched the Professional Health and Wellness Coach program as health coaching program.

While the NTP program focuses on supporting a client’s bioindividuality with functional nutrition, the PHWC program focuses on the skills and techniques needed to help clients achieve sustainable behavior change. The PHWC program is also cheaper and only eight months long.

In short, an NTP is a nutritional expert for clients, a PHWC seeks to offer support and encouragement to empower clients as they make changes. Both pieces of the puzzle can work together to help clients on their wellness journey.

How much time will the NTP course take each week?

This was the biggest question I had at the time—and for good reason! Life is busy, and so many people have children, jobs, and responsibilities.

According to the NTA, the coursework will take you about 20 hours a week. Personally, it took me about 10-12 hours a week. I spent an hour or two each day during the week completing reading and quizzes, and 3-5 hours one day on the weekends.

I had a full-time job while completing the course, and chose to get my business and blog started at the same time. The course has “flex” weeks built in that allow you to catch up or take a break, so I often shifted the work to better fit my schedule. Some weeks, I didn’t work at all, and others I worked slightly more than normal.

While there is a ton of information in the course, the NTA does a great job of organizing the material. If you’re nervous about your ability to learn and understand all the information—don’t be. As long as you apply yourself and give the coursework the time it deserves, you’ll do great.

What can I do as a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner?

As a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, you can do so many things. Here’s a quick look at what some NTPs do:

• Work with clients 1-on-1 in person: You can rent out your own office space, team up with other health care providers (massage therapists, chiropractors, etc.), or work out of your local gym. To market yourself, you can set up at expos or fairs or perform free clinics or seminars at your local library, school, or running store. I also recommend visiting like-minded medical professionals such as chiropractors and physical therapists to build a relationship and ask for referrals.
• Work with clients 1-on-1 online: Running your business through an online platform allows you to work with people anywhere in the world using tools such as FaceTime or Zoom.
• Create group programs: Create online programs or courses where you you support people through emails, private forums, and videos.
• Create corporate wellness programs: Pitch your programs and services to local corporations.
• Start a blog or podcast: Write articles, share recipes, share content regularly on social media, or start a podcast! I make an income thanks to sponsors and affiliates, and I love working with Beautycounter and my team. Diversifying your income is key.
• Write a book: You can write digital or hard copy books on topics you are interested in. Here’s my book, Coconuts and Kettlebells!
• Speak at events: Once you build credibility, you might be asked to speak at online summits, appear on podcasts, or write guest blog posts.
• So much more!

Ultimately, what you do and how you do it depends on your strengths, what interests you, and the direction you’d like to take your business.

After your certification, I highly recommend doing additional education depending on your specialty. For example, if you’re really passionate about hormone balance or want to be able to analyze blood chemistry, you can learn through independent organizations like Restorative Wellness.

Note: Nutritional Therapy Practitioners do not diagnose or treat disease. Instead, they make nutritional recommendations for balancing the body and promoting optimal wellness. NTPs are approved by the NTA as a certifying organization, but are not licensed or certified by any state. Please check with your state for specific information on licensing requirements.

What did you do after becoming an Nutritional Therapy Practitioner?

While I was going through the program, I came up with my brand name, started a website, and began writing articles for my blog. To be clear, I had absolutely no following yet. I was simply building up my content, email list, and started posting on social media.

Over the course of 2-3 years, some of my articles and social media posts got more attention and I dialed in my niche. I started a podcast and began working 1-on-1 with clients who listened to my podcast and followed me on social media.

Overtime, I phased out 1-on-1 nutrition training, and began helping people through my programs, emails, podcasts, and online courses! It’s been incredibly fulfilling work and I love getting to work doing what I’m passionate about.

What is a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner?

You may have seen some people certified as a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioners (FNTP). The Nutritional Therapy Association used to have a FNTP program, which had additional coursework. Specifically, FNTPs are trained in something called the Functional Evaluation (FE), which teaches you how to implement Lingual-Neuro Testing to help clients assess nutrient deficiencies. Technically, I’m an FNTP, but I don’t practice Lingual-Neuro testing. I call myself an NTP and only discuss the NTP program in this review of the Nutritional Therapy Association.

How does the NTP program compare to other programs?

Because I haven’t been through other nutritional certification programs, I can’t speak to how they compare to the Nutritional Therapy Association. I can share why I chose the program.

When looking into nutrition education, I always had my end goal in mind. I wanted to build an online business and work with clients through online programs and resources. I also needed to maintain my full-time job while going through the program.

Early on, I ruled out getting a master’s in nutrition or going through a Registered Dietitian (RD) program. While these programs are comprehensive, they are costly and require a huge time commitment. A registered dietician must obtain an accredited master’s degree, complete a 16-month long internship, and pass the CDR exam. This is great it you want to be licensed to work one-on-one in a professional setting (hospitals) or start your own practice and take insurance. But for me, it was not what what I wanted for my career.

When researching online programs, I did a very in-depth assessment of the IIN nutrition program and the Bauman College program. I looked at the coursework, and researched and studied many of the graduates of each program.

While the Bauman college program seemed great, the NTA’s program seemed comparable in terms of the depth of nutrition education. The Nutritional Therapy Practitioner program was much more accessible and affordable, which made the decision an easy one.

In deciding between the IIN and NTA program, I found that the NTP course provided much more in-depth education about nutrition and physiology. The NTP certification also focused more on how to work with clients. In some states, NTPs are considered nutritionists. NTPs are able to sit for the NANP board certification, while IIN’s program does not qualify.

I’m ready to sign up. What’s my next step?

Enrolling in the Nutritional Therapy Practitioner program couldn’t be easier. Programs registration happens twice a year, and courses start in May and September. If you have any questions, just comment below or reach out to me in DMs on Instagram! I’m happy to help. And new for 2024 programs! Use code coconuts to get a free $150 book required for the course once you sign up! Just enter the code in your student application.

If you’re not ready to sign up yet, I highly recommend signing up for the virtual open house. It’s an excellent primer if you’re new to Nutritional Therapy, and it will give you a great idea of what the coursework will be like.

Nutritional Therapy Association Review: My Final Thoughts

The Nutritional Therapy Association’s NTP course is a fantastic option for people who want a comprehensive education in holistic nutrition. The 12-month course is fully online and instructor led. The program provides an in-depth knowledge of the body’s physiology, and prepares you to build a career in nutrition.

For more information about the coursework, I highly recommend doing the webinar virtual tour to learn more about the program.

Got any additional questions for me? Post them below and I’ll do my best to help!