If you have ever worried about your child’s health, eating habits, exercise regimen (or lack thereof), you’ve probably already combed the internet, looking for help. Perhaps you’ve worked with a healthcare professional to help your child get “healthier.”
Despite this, you may find yourself in the same spot as where you started. Or, perhaps a few things have changed, but not to the degree you were hoping for.
The information and advice are out there, but the hardest thing to do is implement it in a way that fits your family and your life.
To create real transformation while considering your unique situation.
Let me help your child gain and sustain health, inside and out.
Let me help you support your children (and family) to build healthy habits for life…while increasing their self-esteem and happiness every step of the way.
My Whole-Child Approach to Healthy Habits
Rather than focusing on changing your child’s weight or size, I focus on health gain through a whole-child approach that emphasizes and integrates your child’s physical health and emotional well-being.
After 30+ years as a pediatric dietitian, and having raised four children of my own, I know the risks to a child’s self-esteem and worthiness when they have a larger or smaller body. I also understand the potential for health conditions that arise from living a lifestyle of too much screen time, poor sleep and eating habits, and a lack of movement.
I take a whole-child approach, one that considers a child’s physical health, emotional well-being, and overall development.
When the focus is on a child’s physical health, it may compromise their emotional well-being, unintentionally creating other concerns like poor body image or disordered eating.
And when we only center their happiness and emotional security, we may ignore the risks that eating habits and other behaviors pose to their physical health.
Packages are for 6 or 12 months and start at $3k.
Let’s talk! Book a quick call with me.
Comprehensive Care for Children and Their Families
I understand the challenges children go through, especially if they’re growing too much or too little.
From societal norms to dealing with peer pressure and bullying, growing up in today’s world makes it very hard for children with bodies that fall outside of social “norms” to feel good about themselves.
When I work with you, I approach your children’s nutrition and lifestyle behaviors comprehensively.
If you are:
- Worried about your child’s size, because they’re smaller, larger, or growing too fast or too slow
- Frustrated with the eating habits you see your child developing, such as sneaking food, out-of-control eating, or picky eating and skipping meals
- Concerned that lifestyle habits, like screen use, sleep, and physical activity aren’t where they need to be for optimal health
- Dealing with health concerns like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or prediabetes
- Concerned about your child’s emotional health due to poor self-esteem, bullying, or other challenges related to their size
- Feeling alone, judged, and overwhelmed with helping your child holistically
Then, I can help.
I purposely run a small, high-touch, pediatric nutrition practice where I can show up fully for a limited number of families who want robust support. I engage the families I work with for an extended period so I effectively help them.
I’ve set up my pediatric nutrition practice to allow us more time together. So that I may support you when it gets hard and icky and keep you accountable to your goals, even when you want to give up.
Whether you engage me for 6 months or a year, we will get to know each other deeply and work together to create positive lifestyle changes that improve your children’s (and family’s) overall health and well-being.
If you want a real transformation and want to consider me as your pediatric dietitian and guide, set up a discovery call with me and let’s see if we’re a good match.
What it Looks Like to Work with Me
Once you become my client, we will set up a 90-120 minute intake call to review your child’s medical history, growth, development, current challenges, and the goals you want to achieve.
We will create your ‘working goals’ together and set a timeline to achieve them.
Of course, you can always add or modify these! Kids change and new things come up all the time – you’ll get flexibility and responsiveness from me to meet your needs.
After our first intake call, you will be free to schedule appointments during my office hours on Mondays and Wednesdays. These are available in 15- or 30-minute sessions.
You may book up to one session per week throughout our time together.
If you have a 6-month package, you can book up to 4 sessions a month, or 24 sessions in total with me. A 12-month package will allow up to 48 weekly sessions with me over the course of the year.
This allows us plenty of time to tackle all of your goals and truly transform the health and well-being of your child.
You can always renew or upgrade your package.
Let me help your child gain health, inside and out. Contact me today!
Frequently Asked Questions:
How much does it cost to work with you?
I offer a 6- or 12-month retainer to engage my services. You may pay in full at the start of our work together, or pay in monthly installments.
6-month retainer: $3000 (pay in full) or a monthly installment of $550/month x 6 months
12-month retainer: $5500 (pay in full) or a monthly installment of $500/month x 12 months
*Please note, once you commit to a retainer plan, you are committed to the full payment, even if you decide you’ve met your goals early.
Do you offer payment plans?
Yes, you can pay in 6 or 12 monthly installments.
Why do you require a long-term commitment?
I offer 6-month or 12-month packages because working with families who are concerned about their child’s size and health takes time. It’s not a one-and-done deal.
Also, I personally desire meaningful transformation for children and their families, and that comes from a place of trust and connection that’s built over time.
If you want to transform your child’s health habits, attitudes, and sense of self, you need an invested guide.
If you just want information, use the articles, resources and classes you can find here on this website.
Do I need to use all of the sessions?
You can use as many sessions as you feel you need. Some families will use all of them to ensure they’re on track with their goals, touching base each week to tweak or confirm everything is going as planned, or to get their questions answered.
Other families will transition to monthly or bi-weekly check-ins and intensify appointments when things veer off track, like after a vacation, for instance.
Although you have a maximum amount of sessions (based on the package you purchase), you are free to manage your time with me as you see fit.
Because I am only working with a limited number of families at a time, your package guarantees you have access to me when you need or want it and that you have my attention on your family, sharing insights and resources designed for your specific needs
Will my child lose (or gain) weight?
When we work together, our focus will be on helping your child create positive lifestyle habits, not gaining or losing weight. However, in working on these behaviors, you may in fact see physical and, likely, social-emotional changes.
Cultivating physical health and emotional well-being with positive lifestyle habits will help every child gain health, and that’s the goal.
What is your training?
I have a B.S. in nutrition science from Indiana University (Bloomington, 1988); and a Master’s degree in nutrition with a pediatric focus from the MGH Institute of Health Professions, 1995. I completed my dietetic internship at Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston) in 1990 and became a Registered Dietitian (RD) in 1991.
I am Licensed to practice in Massachusetts (license #LDN6803) and Connecticut (license #001203)
Are you a non-diet dietitian, HAES dietitian, or do you follow the medical treatment of “obesity?”
I am cognizant of the ins and outs of all these approaches and like to think I’m adept at garnering the best of each of these philosophies as I help kids and their families. I believe every child and family is unique and has different concerns and needs. I try to meet my clients exactly where they need me to be – protecting and optimizing both their children’s physical health and emotional well-being.
I’ve spent decades practicing a non-diet approach before the approach even had a name. I’ve never believed that weight loss diets for kids were effective long-term, and I’ve always feared the worst outcomes for families who pursue them – disordered eating or eating disorders.
And, I’ve cared for children whose health was impacted by their daily behaviors, resulting in significant medical conditions that required a medical management approach.
I do my best to take care of the whole child and avoid any judgment or specific agendas for the families with which I work. Rather, we work together to plan a pathway forward that reflects the realities and needs of the child and family for better health, inside and out.
Do you accept insurance?
My pediatric nutrition practice does not accept insurance. I accept payment via Paypal or credit card. I can provide a receipt for services should you want to submit it to your insurance company for reimbursement.
How do we meet and communicate?
We meet virtually on the computer via Practice Better, a secure healthcare platform, and we communicate via a secure digital platform.
Let me help your child gain health, inside and out. Contact me today for more information, or read more details about my work in private practice.
You can get nutrition and health information anywhere, but personalized support, an implementation plan, and dedicated time with an experienced pediatric dietitian is vital to creating real and lasting changes.