From Health Coach to Holistic Doctor: My $900/hr Practice Wasn’t Built Overnight — But It Was Worth It.

I worked corporate in a diagnostics lab, but I craved the freedom of working for myself. After using nutrition to reverse my children’s tic disorder symptoms, I researched becoming a registered dietitian and other clinical nutrition programs — but none were thorough enough or up-to-date. 💡 I didn’t need another degree. I needed a real education in root cause medicine — and Rockwell gave me that.

When I found Rockwell in 2017 — through a referral from another practitioner — I knew it was different. I had reviewed every RD and clinical nutrition program available, and Rockwell was by far the strongest. Their holistic doctorate for Nutritional Medicine™ was more comprehensive than conventional RD or nutritionist curricula — truly cutting-edge, constantly updated, free from outdated food pyramids and biased, ineffective protocols.

I went on to earn some of their additional holistic doctorates in natural, botanical, and functional medicine. Each one took between 6 months to a year, depending on my availability to work through the program. They took time, energy, and money, but I started practicing the day I finished my first doctorate — and it paid for itself within months. At first, I did it all — client intakes, marketing, and web design.

But within 18 months, referrals were steady, and I’d built a team with systems in place. Now someone handles client intakes on commission and covers basic nutritional education. I work directly with each client for about 2 hours total, focusing on what I do best: reading labs and figuring out what's wrong so we can fix it.

I started out at $200/hour, then gradually raised my prices annually, a little at a time. I'm now charging over $900/hour. It still feels surreal, but that's the truth. My work gives me purpose and I truly love my career now — all thanks to the credentials and education Rockwell provided and the commitment I brought to it. They opened the door, and I walked through it.

I didn't want to be a physician, or treat, diagnose, or prescribe. I wanted to be a licensed, board-certified holistic doctor and target, reverse, and eliminate root causes with a focus on prevention. After graduating, client after client came to me after spending thousands on conventional medicine with no results. Conventional medicine couldn't help them. Natural medicine could — and I did.

In just a few years, I went from corporate employee to bestselling author, top podcast host, and go-to expert for parents navigating pediatric tic disorders. The diagnostics lab I used to work at for years now creates custom tests and panels specifically for my practice.

It's incredible how far I've come — from part-time corporate employee to full-time practice owner with a team, my own supplement line, and premium rates. Most importantly, my work has changed lives for the better. Dozens of people have pursued this path because of my story — because they saw what a holistic doctorate makes possible.

If this helps another provider step into their full potential and authority, it's worth sharing. If you're wondering whether you can make this kind of difference — I did, and you can too.

— Sarah Mitchell, DHN

Doctor of Advanced Holistic Nutrition |  Portland, Oregon