What does working with you individually entail?
In our first conversation together through call/text/email, we determine if we are a good fit. You can ask me any questions and we address any concerns that you may have about the process. In our first session, we will dig a little deeper into your Getting Started Packet (packet that you fill out before our first session). This packet includes information about family history, eating habits, food preferences, short term and long term goals, etc. We do a lot of getting-to-know-each-other in the first session as well as the couple of sessions following the initial. After each session, I will send you an email with a summary of what we talked about along with any handouts that would be helpful.
Most sessions, we will collaborate and choose a focus for you to be thinking about and working on that week. I like to call these things experiments- they are not mandatory, it is not homework. I do not expect you to be perfect, in fact, most people I work with have some perfectionist tendencies and it can be exhausting to have such a standard to live up to. This is something that we can talk about during session as we collaborate on an appropriate experiment for you. As our counseling relationship progresses, we will continue to work on the things you need help with at a rate that you feel comfortable with. This work can be very slow and that can be frustrating for people, but it takes time to rewrite your thoughts and beliefs about food and body. The journey to food and body peace is an up and down one. It is not a linear path, and we will do our best to make those “down” moments feel more like learning experiences and not failures. In fact, those “down” moments are vital to growth.
What is your food philosophy?
There are many uncertain things in life, but of this I know: I know that God did not put us on this earth to diet, to feel shame/guilt while eating, or to spend our years weight-focused. Life is too short to waste away like that.
I believe that there are no good/bad, healthy/unhealthy foods. All foods belong in a healthy and nutritious diet from the broccoli to the chocolate chip cookies. Nutrition is just part of the picture when we’re talking about health. My definition of health includes physical, mental, and emotional health. And sometimes, I need a brownie for my mental health. When you let go of your food rules, eating finally becomes enjoyable and satisfying.
I take a non-diet, body positive, weight-neutral, Intuitive Eating, and Health At Every Size (HAES) approach to counseling. To learn more about Intuitive Eating, go HERE. To learn more about HAES, go HERE.
Do you talk about God in your sessions?
Not typically! I will only talk about God if you talk about God first. Some client’s find that God’s role in their recovery is significant and want to bring up what they are finding in session with me.
What are your thoughts on weight and weight loss?
I do not believe in dieting (restriction, shame, and guilt) to lose weight, but that doesn’t mean that I think losing weight is a negative thing. If you are nourishing your body with foods that feel good to you, moving your body in joyful ways, getting enough sleep, and managing your stress well, and you lose weight? Then it would seem that your body was ready to lose weight. Sometimes when we do those things, we gain weight or maintain our weight, and that’s okay too. I believe in nourishing our bodies the best way we can (all foods fit) and trusting our bodies to decide what weight they want to be. Even though I don’t believe in dieting to lose weight, I also grew up in this culture and understand why you would want to lose weight. The shame and guilt that surrounds weight is heavy. We can explore your reasons why, what losing weight would mean for you, and talk about your grief. My highest priority in private practice is to be a safe place for you to voice some of these hard things.
Now if you are allergic, have ethical or religious beliefs, or have a medical condition that necessitates restriction of certain foods and/or food groups, that is an entirely different matter and I support the need to restrict those foods.
Do you accept my health insurance?
Be Nutrition does not accept insurance. However, I can provide superbills (medical receipt) that can be submitted to your insurance provider for possible reimbursement. Please note, I am an out-of-network provider for all insurance companies. If your insurance covers nutrition sessions, it is important to ask if they cover out-of-network providers to see if submitting superbills for reimbursement would be possible.
Some questions to ask your insurance:
- Do you cover nutrition sessions? If so, do you cover out-of-network dietitians?
- If you cover nutrition sessions and out-of-network providers, how many sessions are covered per year?
- If you do cover nutrition sessions and out-of-network providers, are there any medical diseases you cover?
- What percentage of my nutrition bill is covered by insurance?
- Do I need approval from my Primary Care Physician in order to receive nutrition coverage?
What forms of payment does BE Nutrition take?
Payment is due at the time of our session. All major credit/debit cards/cash are accepted. Payments are processed through PayPal.
Where would we have our sessions?
I am a virtual private practice, which means that you don’t have to travel to come see me! We will meet over FaceTime, Google Hangouts, or another video conferencing app. I find that this is helpful in having less missed appointments, because it can be so convenient. Please note, that FaceTime and Google Hangouts are not confidential through HIPAA regulations.
Would you consider a sliding scale?
Of course!! Please contact me and we can come up with a price that feels good for both of us.
What is your cancellation policy?
All cancellations must be completed 24 hours in advance. Failure to cancel within 24 hours will still require full payment for the cost of the scheduled appointment. However, I do understand that emergencies and sicknesses happen.
I already know a lot about nutrition so why do I need to see you?
You may know a lot about the amount of nutrients/calories in foods and what they do for your body. My job is to help you increase your understanding of nutrition and health to aid you in making peace with your food and body. Most times that means that we work together to let go of any food rules that you have. Letting go of restriction, shame, and guilt when eating is, as you can imagine, a big deal that actually allows you to have a positive relationship with yourself, maybe for the first time in a long time. That’s what it’s all about.
Do you provide meal plans?
I tend to shy away from meal plans, because they are often not followed for long and therefore not very helpful. Instead of telling you exactly what to eat, let’s spend time working on your relationship with your food and body. Focusing on this will empower you to trust yourself and your wisdom to eat the foods/meals that nourish and satisfy you and your body. Having said that, there are times when a structured plan would be helpful, and in that case, we will work on it together.
How long should I expect to work with you?
I never want you to feel like you have to continue seeing me. As we work together, we can talk about appropriate time frames. Some clients need/want to see me weekly, others monthly, and some on an as-needed basis. That’s the beauty of this work, you get to choose.
What is the difference between a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and a Nutritionist?
All RDN’s are Nutritionists, but not all Nutritionists are RDNs. A RDN must complete a bachelor’s degree (and soon to be a master’s degree), a 1200 hour dietetic internship, pass a national exam, and have continuing education requirements to keep their license. Nutritionist is not a protected term, meaning that a Nutritionist could have as little training as a weekend certification or they may have a PhD in nutrition.