- What is your current job title? Founder & Registered Dietitian
- What are your current educational credentials? – MS in nutrition education, RDN, CDN (registered dietitian & certified in the state of CT), pending approval for CEDS application
- What inspired you to become a clinician in the field of eating disorder treatment? I discovered my interest in working in the field of eating disorders during my time in undergrad as a nutrition major. I quickly realized that the bulk of the information we were learning was aligned with diet culture, which was not in line with my values. I stumbled upon the field of eating disorder treatment after adding psychology as a second major and can say with certainty that I found my passion.
- Tell us about your journey as a clinician from your first role to your current role. After I discovered the field of eating disorder treatment, I took a position as a meal preparation assistant in an eating disorder treatment center. From there, I grew to take on positions as a recovery coach and meal coach at other treatment centers local to where I was in New York City. After completing my dietetic internship, I returned as a dietitian to the treatment center I had recovery coached at for several years and knew was aligned with my values as a clinician. I started my private practice part-time on the side, and have since made the transition to operating my practice full-time.
- What do you currently see as the greatest barriers to eating disorder treatment and recovery? I see access to care as the greatest barrier to eating disorder treatment. This includes both finding nearby treatment options, and poor insurance coverage for eating disorder treatment. Thankfully, as the world has moved to telehealth, we are able to treat folks who live further away from treatment centers who wouldn’t historically have been able to reach specialized care. ClearStep has helped immensely with this as our clients do not have to travel to have their vitals taken. We are grateful to organizations like Project HEAL who are working to improve treatment access to those who might not otherwise be able to receive care
- What is your proudest moment as an eating disorder clinician? My proudest moments come from seeing my clients “graduate” from needing regular weekly sessions. It is truly such a joy to watch clients grow into their authentic selves through the process of recovery.
- What do you or your clients love most about MyClearStep? I love how simple it is to use ClearStep as part of my clients’ treatment plans. My clients appreciate how easy it is to use and love that they don’t have to visit a doctor’s office every week to get a new weight taken.
- What has changed since adding MyClearStep to your practice? Since adding ClearStep to our practice, we can better monitor our clients’ treatment progress and outcomes in a way that was a challenge in the past. We have real-time data that doesn’t require our clients to make time to see a doctor each week for a new weight. As a result, our clients have been able to receive higher quality care.
- What advice would you give to those considering a career in eating disorder treatment? My advice would be to always engage in supervision and continuing education. There is so much to learn about this still very-young field. Getting support around challenging client cases is essential to both the client’s care and your wellbeing as a provider. This is such a rewarding field to work in.
- What are some of your passions and hobbies outside of work? I love to go for hikes, spend time with my cat Ella, and I’ve recently started expanding my baking repertoire!
