FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about our personalized CNS mentorship program, CNS exam prep course, SPE requirements, and more.

How can I get hours for the CNS Supervised Practice Experience?

1. Clinical work: both direct and indirect, client prep & research, charting and documentation, strategy session, meal plan development, client management, client education and communication

2. Group clinical work: Small group programs, weight loss groups, detox groups etc.

3. Partnering with fellow colleagues, graduates on clinical work or educational projects in the community. This counts towards observational hours.

4. Hands-on nutrition education for targeted populations: cooking classes, grocery store tours, pantry rehabs

5. Educational programs for targeted populations @ schools, gyms, farms, corporations, to professionals i.e. lunch and learn at doctor’s office, webinars; this includes development and delivery of programs.

6. Consulting as a nutrition professional to help an organization work with a targeted population, this could include working with doctors, gyms, pharmacies, farms/CSA’s, grocery stores, corporations, restaurants, other nonprofit or government agencies

7. Corporate wellness programing that includes nutrition therapy

8. Observation of nutrition professionals or health care professionals who focus on nutrition.  This counts towards observational hours.

9. Written educational content to a targeted population

How many supervised hours can I acquire in any given month?

You can gain hours as quickly or slowly as you desire!  We want you to meet with your supervisors 1 hour for every 40 hours worked.  We provide 6.5 supervisor contact hours each month through the Facebook forum, group meetings and individual meetings.  Using the 1:40 ratio ratio, that translates to 240+ hours you can accumulate each month when you attend all our group and 1:1 meetings.   But honestly, that is just not humanly possible.  

While our minimum commitment is 8 months, most people wrap up their hours in 1 year’s time.  Do the math.  If you need 1,000 hours and you want to finish in 8 months, that is 29 trackable hours per week.  If you need 700 hours and you want to finish in 1 year, that is 13.5 hours per week.

Can I obtain all 1,000 hours through your program?

Yes you can!  We have helped many many CNS candidates get their CNS credential through our program..  We provide over 300-400 hours through our programming and support you to run a private or group practice as well to achieve all 1000 hours!

What hours does TNHC provide?

We offer direct and observational hours through our program.  

1. The Internship Onboarding course offers 30 direct hours for full participation. 

2. The Seasoned Practitioner course offers up to 160 hours based on the intern’s participation in the course. The 160 hours can be a combination of direct or observation hours depending on how the intern engages with the course. 
   

3. Group meetings - We have 4 group meetings a month and 2 x 1:1 meetings a month for a total of 6.5 hours monthly.  That is 52 direct hours of supervisor contact time in 8 months if you attend all the meetings.

4. Recorded Client Interviews - In addition to the group meetings above, We have a library of recorded past Live Client Interviews in our Google Drive Mentorship Shared Resources folder which provides 55 observational hours.  

If an intern engages in all our provided opportunities in 8 months they can achieve 315 hours + the hours they achieve from their work with clients and group work.  This number (315) does not include additional research time applied to the live or recorded client interviews, research on cases from the clinical working group or time participating in our discussion forum.  

Does TNHC provide clients?

No, we do not provide clients for our interns.  Most of our interns want to start a clinical practice in a group or in private practice.  We think that it is important to start flexing networking and business building muscles upon graduation or or before graduation!  We provide practice-building support.  One of our main goals is to help you build your business alongside getting your hours completed.

How long will it take me to complete the internship?

It varies!  The fastest we have seen someone finish their hours is 6 months!  This was an intern that already had a bustling full time practice.  On average it takes folks about a year. 

Are meetings recorded?

Yes, all our group meetings are recorded.

Where (what states & territories) can CNS candidates practice as an intern with the Nutrition and Herbal Collective?

(this was posted July 7, 2025, keep in mind the state laws are always changing, check with us for most up to date laws)

Interns can provide Medical Nutritional Therapy to clients residing in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Interns can provide Non-Medical Nutritional Services to clients residing in Arkansas, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Rhode Island, and West Virginia.

We can not supervise interns in the following states and territories: Alabama, Guam, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, and Tennessee.

Can I join the Mentorship Program or CNS Test Prep Course even though I’m not located in the U.S.?

Yes, we work with folks internationally.  To date, we have had interns in India, Singapore, Spain, Germany, Japan, Puerto Rico, Australia, and Mexico.

Can you mentor me if I’m located in North Carolina?

Yes, we have a mentor, Kate Costello, who is licensed in North Carolina.  We have successfully supported CNS candidates to be licensed in North Carolina.

Where can I set up a call to learn more?

You can set up a strategy call with Rebecca at this link.

When should I apply for the program?

We recommend applying 2-3 months prior to your preferred start date.  We enroll students January, March, May, July, September and November each year.  Apply for the program here.

What is the best time to start my internship? Can I start your program if I haven’t finished my degree yet?

The best time for most CNS candidates is after graduation or when the clinical portion of your MS degree is complete.  However, we have folks that are health coaches or practitioners from another field that already have clinical practices.  CNS candidates and interns that have clinical practice experience may start our mentorship program while they are in school.  Book a strategy call with Rebecca to discuss options.

Is there an opportunity for a “mini-mentorship” without joining the whole program? Can I do any of the courses individually without joining the Mentorship Program?

We don’t offer a mini mentorship program. We want to dive deep with our interns and CNS candidates so that we can support folks in growing and developing amazing skills and practices.  We don’t offer the Nutritionist’s Playbook or the Seasoned Practitioner Course separately.  We do offer the CNS test prep course as a separate course.

Can I get a refund for the CNS Prep Course once I start the Mentorship Program because it is included?

No, the CNS Test Prep Course is nonrefundable.  If someone wants to take the CNS test prior to doing their CNS SPE or CNS internship, we recommend purchasing this course separately.  It saves you money.  Because there is no sense paying $375 a month for 3 months of mentorship if you are not accumulating hours and you are only studying for the exam.  The CNS test prep course costs $247 and is a 3 month course.  

Why is supervision & mentorship important?

Supervision is required to become a CNS.  But supervision does not  = mentorship.  

"A mentor is someone who sees more talent and ability within you, than you see in yourself, and helps bring it out of you." — Bob Proctor

At TNHC, we believe in Personalized Mentorship:  Each intern is unique and has unique needs.  We want this time of accumulating hours to be a win-win-win for you.  #1 attain your hours & CNS #2 grow in leaps and bounds as a clinician & business owner #3 deepen and strengthen your knowledge and confidence in the field of nutrition.

The Nutrition & Herbal Collective is a nurturing community offering personalized mentorship and CNS supervision for nutrition graduates. We train nutritionists in evidence-based and functional nutrition practice, building the skills towards successfully starting a nutrition private practice. We help the nutrition student meet their SPE requirements, pass the CNS exam and earn the Certified Nutrition Specialist credential. Read more about all our program has to offer.