Meet the Mindful Eats Nutrition Team

Nikki Estep

Practice Owner

MPH, RDN, LD, CDE, 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.

Allison Boyd

RDN, LD

Currently seeing clients virtually, in Memorial office, and in Montrose office

Allison is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and earned her Bachelor’s in Dietetics from Texas A&M University. She then went on to complete her dietetic internship with the University of Houston. She discovered her passion for working with eating disorders at Center for Discovery’s Houston Outpatient Program, where she treated a variety of eating disorders in the intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization levels of care. Allison specializes in treating teens with anorexia and bulimia as well as anyone who wants to heal or explore their relationship with food from a non-diet approach.

Allison currently lives in Houston with her roommate and their two dogs, Wally and Luna, and two cats, Ruby and June. She grew up in Pearland and is loving getting to know the city in a new way. Allison enjoys game nights, restaurants with outdoor patios, and fitting in as many concerts into a year as she can.

Rachel Cohen

MCN, RDN, LD

Currently seeing clients virtually

Rachel earned a BS in Education with a degree in Community Health from the University of Kansas and a Master’s degree in Clinical Nutrition from UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas.  At UT Southwestern, Rachel’s final research project focused on developing profession-wide guidelines with respect to when dietitians working with eating disorder patients should refer their patient to a Mental Health Professional.

Rachel specializes in eating disorders, disordered eating and a non-diet approach weight management. She has experience at the Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient levels of care as well as in the outpatient setting. Rachel would love to help you break free from food rules and enjoy food again. She is passionate about the principles of intuitive eating and supporting her clients on the journey to food freedom. Her goal is to help you build a healthy relationship with food, exercise and your body. Rachel lives in the Houston area with her husband and two kids.

Holly Cokinos

RDN, LD

Currently seeing clients virtually

Holly attended the University of Texas at Austin and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition after completing the Coordinated Program in Dietetics. She has been a Registered Dietitian since 2004 and has worked in various healthcare settings, helping people of all ages with a wide range of health conditions and nutrition concerns. She previously worked as a consultant dietitian in long-term care and as the outpatient dietitian in a large acute-care hospital in the Medical Center in Houston, Texas.

Through her experience as a dietitian, Holly learned that restrictive diets are not sustainable long-term and often cause harm. After discovering Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size™️, she now practices from a non-diet, weight-inclusive perspective. She has experience working with eating disorders, disordered eating, feeding difficulties, pregnancy, PCOS, and parents looking for a better approach to feeding their families. She loves helping people learn to reject the diet mentality and heal their relationships with food and their bodies to improve their lives and overall well-being. Holly lives in the Houston area with her husband and son. 

What is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist?

An RDN has received specialized training and license to give you personalized nutrition advice regarding disease or condition management, meal planning, cooking, wellness, and eating behaviors. An RDN has a degree in a health related field, completes a dietetic internship with over 1200 hours of supervised practice, and passes a Board Qualifying Exam from the Commission on Dietetic Registration. 

How can we help you achieve your goals?

Mindful Eats Nutrition Counseling is here to provide you with the tools, resources, and skills needed to live a healthful life.  We believe in a Health at Every Size (HAES) non-diet approach and an all-foods-fit nutrition philosophy.  We are here to help you (and your family) reconnect with food in a way that promotes both your physical and emotional health.