People enjoying coffee, a salad, a yogurt bowl with berries and kiwi, and a cup of tea or coffee at a round white table.
A woman with long wavy brown hair wearing a brown headband and navy top, sitting at a table with a white bowl in her hand, in a cozy cafe setting with plants and decor.

I’m Staci Villa

Hello!     

Trauma-informed, functional medicine dietitian specializing in mental health and psychiatric nutrition.

I worked as a clinical dietitian at a local hospital for 7 years before stepping away to stay home full-time with my kids.

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During my time as a clinical dietitian, I covered the surgical and cardiovascular units, the outpatient heart failure clinic, and the home health clinic where I cared for patients needing tube feeds or IV nutrition.

While I valued the work, I grew disillusioned with the conventional healthcare model—where nutrition was often seen as an afterthought. I was trained to help patients simply manage their disease with food but deep down, I knew nutrition was never meant to be reduced to restrictive diets, supplement shakes, or counting calories.

I’ve always believed nutrition has the power to truly heal. That belief is what ultimately led me to step away from conventional dietetics, knowing I couldn’t help people the way I felt called to within that system.

After spending a few years at home with my little ones, I pursued advanced training in integrative and functional nutrition and psychiatric nutrition. Alongside my own mental health journey, I’ve tasted and seen the profound ways nutrition can support true healing—mind, body, and soul.

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  • I am a wife and mother of four incredible kiddos

  • A neurodivergent pun enthusiast.

  • I’ll kale you with kindness. 

  • The highest compliment that never gets old is, “Mom, dinner tastes really good.”

  • I can write beautiful sentences at the same rate I verbally botch simple words.

  • A walking contradiction at times.

  • Humbly human and compassionately curious.

A woman sitting at a wooden table, flipping through a large open book, with a white coffee cup on a wooden coaster nearby.

I find

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A white geometric pattern of interlocking circles on a black background.

 Jesus Christ 

absolutely fascinating &

would not be a functional nor

resilient human today without Him.                             

resurrection story

Innermost was born out of a personal

A journey of transformation from a lifetime of unprocessed trauma, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, ADHD, and irritable gut issues into a pathway for healing heart, mind, soul, and body.

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For years, I struggled with symptoms that I was never curious about much less could connect

Chronic digestive issues, hormonal shifts, mood swings, persistent anxiety, and a brain that never felt regulated. I internalized the labels—too sensitive, too scattered, too distracted, too weird—and began to believe that I was fundamentally flawed.

WHAT I DIDN’T KNOW THEN WAS THAT THESE WEREN’T ISOLATED ISSUES —

They Were Deeply Interconnected

Person standing indoors holding a woven basket filled with vegetables including carrots, zucchini, leafy greens, tomatoes, and asparagus.

My mental health challenges were tied to unprocessed trauma, undiagnosed ADHD, and a dysregulated nervous system. My gut was inflamed, my nutrient status was depleted, and my brain was trying to function without the biochemical support it needed. It wasn’t a character flaw.

It was physiology.

I was given a new lens.

Studying nutrition and biochemistry in college and later

     through my integrative and functional training,     

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I began to understand how neurotransmitters are built, how the gut and brain communicate, and how chronic stress and nutritional imbalances create a feedback loop that reinforces mental dysfunction and overwhelm.

A basket of fresh vegetables including asparagus, carrots, apples, avocados, zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper, kale, and broccoli.

As I applied this to my own life—healing my gut, supporting my brain, addressing nutrient deficiencies, and unpacking my lived experiences—things began to change.

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It wasn’t quick or linear

Over time, things began to shift. I noticed I wasn’t stuck in my head anymore. The constant mental noise quieted, and managing my anxiety was no longer a full-time job. My focus and concentration improved immensely.

My nervous system could finally exhale and my gut stopped reacting to everything. I was having regular bowel movements. I finally broke free from stomach cramping and gas, embarrassing symptoms I had struggled with most of my life! My mood was steadier, not so fragile or easily thrown off.

My energy came back in a way I didn’t even remember was possible—even now, four kids deep! I can get through the day without crashing, without caffeine propping me up, and without feeling like I am running on fumes.

Today, when life throws the inevitable stressful event my way- I have the tools to rise above with clarity and resilience. Nutrition and supplementation gave me the raw materials my body needs to be able to fully presence myself to what is right in front of me.

Everyday that looks different. It’s my marriage. It’s my kids. It’s my walk with Jesus. It’s my own therapy and healing journey. It’s my friendships. It’s my extended family. It’s my business and private practice. It’s my innermost story- and all of it requires proper fuel.

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I help individuals with complex mental health and mood challenges break free from chronic symptoms by healing the gut, balancing brain chemistry, and regulating the nervous system.


So they can experience lasting transformation in their thoughts, mood, focus, digestion, and energy — and reclaim a deep sense of well being.


Unlike conventional psychiatric care that manages symptoms with medication alone, I use functional testing, precision nutrition, and whole-person coaching to address the innermost imbalances and hidden contributors often overlooked in mental health care.

At Innermost Nutrition

Wanting more information?

Book A Free Clarity Call With Staci For Yourself
Book A Free Clarity Call With Staci For Your Child
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Credentials

  • Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Northern Colorado


  • 1200-Hour Post-Baccalaureate Dietetic Internship Program
, University of Northern Colorado

  • Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Commission on Dietetic Registration

  • Specialty Training in Integrative and Functional Nutrition: Integrative and Functional Nutrition Academy


  • Integrative and Functional Nutrition Certified Practitioner (IFNCP)



  • Specialty Training in Psychiatric Nutrition and Functional Medicine: Psychiatry Redefined

  • Integrative and Functional Medicine Training for OCD Certified

  • Integrative and Functional Medicine Training for ADHD Certified