How an ION bursary helped one student follow her calling into Nutritional Therapy 

When Mehgan Weatherley Waite first discovered the Institute for Optimum Nutrition, she immediately felt she had found the path she was meant to follow. The challenge was not passion or motivation, but figuring out how to make it financially possible. 

Today, thanks in part to the support of an ION bursary funded by Viridian Nutrition, Mehgan is studying nutritional therapy while balancing full-time work and building towards a future helping others through a whole person approach to health. 

Her story is one of determination, resilience and the transformative impact bursary support can have on students who might otherwise never take that first step. 

A journey that began with family illness  

Mehgan’s interest in nutrition and healing began nearly two decades ago after both of her parents were diagnosed with cancer. 

At the time, my mum asked the oncologist whether there was anything she could do with her diet to help. The oncologist said no. But I just knew in my soul that it could not be true.

That moment stayed with her. While preparing to begin university, she immersed herself in books about nutrition, healing and holistic wellbeing. Long before conversations around gut health and lifestyle medicine became mainstream, she was exploring the connections between nutrition, emotions, environment and health. 

At the same time, Mehgan was navigating her own health struggles. Severe acne from the age of 12 led to years on the contraceptive pill, which later triggered further health issues when she stopped taking it. 

“I always felt there had to be more than simply being given medication and ignoring everything else,” she says. “I wanted to understand the whole picture.” 

Searching for answers  

Over the years, Mehgan pursued qualifications in health coaching and hypnotherapy, driven by a growing fascination with the mind -body connection. Hypnotherapy, she explains, helped her personally with anxiety and panic attacks and deepened her understanding of how emotional wellbeing affects physical health. 

Yet despite gaining valuable experience supporting clients, she felt something was missing. 

“I realised I needed more science behind it all,” she explains. “I wanted to properly understand the mechanisms of the body so I could genuinely help people.” 

One experience in particular reinforced this for her. A hypnotherapy client struggling with anxiety revealed he was drinking eight cups of coffee a day alongside large amounts of sugary snacks. 

I remember thinking we could do endless hypnosis sessions, but if someone’s diet is fuelling their symptoms, you are missing a huge part of the picture. 

That realisation ultimately brought her back to ION. 

Taking the first step  

Although Mehgan had wanted to study nutritional therapy for years, self -doubt initially held her back. 

I did not have a science background, and I genuinely did not know if I was capable of it

To build her confidence, Meghan enrolled on ION’s Science Access Course. The experience proved life changing. 

“I found it challenging and I was terrified at first, especially when we started chemistry,” she laughs. “But when I submitted my first assignment and did really well, it completely changed how I saw myself.” 

The course helped her realise that previous struggles with science were not about ability, but about context and motivation. 

At school, I never understood why I was learning science. Now everything connects to real life and suddenly it makes sense.

The bursary that changed everything  

Even after completing the Science Access Course, financing the full nutritional therapy qualification remained a major concern. Mehgan began researching loans and alternative options before discovering the bursary opportunity. 

I knew I wanted to do the course no matter what, but the bursary made it possible. When I found out I had received it, I was over the moon. It felt like confirmation that I was on the right path.

The support from Viridian Nutrition has extended beyond financial assistance. Mehgan has visited the company’s headquarters and describes the encouragement she has received as “fantastic”. 

For students considering applying for bursary support, her advice is simple. 

“Just be honest about your story and your motivation. I think authenticity is the most important thing.” 

Learning that changes everyday life  

Now fully immersed in her studies at ION, Mehgan says the course has already transformed not only her career ambitions but also her personal life and family wellbeing. 

One topic that particularly captivated her was phytonutrients, naturally occurring compounds found in colourful plant foods. 

“I have become obsessed with them,” she says with a smile. “Now I am constantly adding foods like wild blueberries and black sesame seeds into my diet because I understand how powerful they can be for inflammation and health.” 

She has even started introducing nutritional changes within her own family, determined to support her parents and loved ones using the knowledge she is gaining through the course. 

Everything you learn can be applied immediately. It benefits you, your family and eventually your future clients too.

Looking ahead  

As Mehgan continues her studies, she hopes to combine nutritional therapy with her background in hypnotherapy and her passion for holistic healing. 

She is particularly interested in skin conditions, gut health and the relationship between emotional wellbeing and physical symptoms. 

“I believe you cannot separate nutrition from the emotional and psychological side of health,” she explains. “You can have the perfect diet, but if you are overwhelmed by stress or carrying unresolved emotional issues, that affects the body too.” 

Her future vision is rooted in supporting clients through a fully integrated approach to wellbeing that considers nutrition, mindset, lifestyle and emotional health together. 

Opening doors for future students  

Stories like Mehgan’s highlight why bursary programmes remain such an important part of widening access to education in nutritional therapy. 

For many aspiring practitioners, the biggest barrier is not passion or capability, but confidence and financial support. 

“The biggest thing is just taking the first step,” Mehgan says. “You do not have to know exactly how everything will work out. Just begin.” 

Thanks to the generosity of bursary partners like Viridian Nutrition, more students are being given the opportunity to do exactly that.