No-judgement zone.

Food issues. 

Allergies, aversions, addictions, obsessions, habits.  

Who doesn’t have something? We all do.

Sometimes it starts as a physical issue, but ultimately these things become something with “feelings”around it. 

It is my life’s passion to help children and teens manage these feelings into productive and healthy eating habits, for life.  I believe that a family that models healthy behaviors together allows for better habits down the road as children and teens embark on independent journeys into adulthood.  

I ask my teenage clients to think about it this way: We all have a mind, a belly, a digestive system, a heart, a soul, bones, nerves, muscles. A whole entire body! Ok – now every food choice you make comes from where? The brain (and sometimes the gut who likes to be heard sometimes). Most of the eating habits (good & bad) are rooted in some sort of habit created at home (don’t worry mom & dad not blaming you, I did/do it too!). But if we could train our brain to be in touch with our whole body, including the heart, and feelings, it enables us to make different choices. Choices that benefit our physical body.

After years of professional concierge-level nutritional counseling, I have developed an approach that:

—honors and empowers the child / teen (“my client”)

—taps into and acknowledges the underlying issues in order to create an opening for results

—includes the family as a support system, eliminating the ‘blame game’

—all with a clinical approach for sustainable results

As a mom of six (three girls & three boys), my work is rooted from compassion.

No one chooses to have food, body image or dietary challenges.

Yet we ALL have a relationship with food. See, that word? Relationship? (defined as: the way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected, or the state of being connected).

It is an emotional connection.

It is you in love with food, you against food, food disagreeing with you, you using food to soothe, etc. So, when things go wrong, it is up to the human to repair that very complicated relationship. We simply need support.

Even when the literal challenges with food stem from chemical, environmental, circumstantial influences and sources, the mind ultimately gets involved and of course, the heart (feelings) follow. In all cases, it is hard. If we do not approach our children with compassion, we can inadvertently spur feelings of resentment, anger and rebellion. After years of work with young children to young adults, I can confidently say that my program works when the client is approached with compassion, a clear plan, a supportive family and the tools/knowledge to succeed.

One of my most effective tools has been a service that began organically out of compassion, TextSupport.

One of my teenage clients asked if she could text me before she ate to make sure she was choosing the right foods for herself while in college.

What began as an occasional text, evolved into a daily support system that children and teens love. It offers them control, yields accountability and keeps the line of compassion and communication open. It also allows for your child or team to know that have someone 24/7 to ask their questions to advocate for them and to dispel the myths and confusion that often stem from conversations with peers or social media. Additionally, it allows for you the parent to stay in your role as parent, allowing me to step in and help navigate the food aspect.

I have found this allows for children/teens and parents to have a better relationship with each other rather than one focused and enmeshed around food habits.

This service is included for the first week for all clients.

Foodittude: A positive, healthy and hopeful state of mind about food, mood and attitude.

Food: What you understand about food itself in terms of nutrition and how it works for your body.

Mood: How food is connected to how we feel emotionally and mentally. Understanding which foods physiologically are attached to true emotions and mental capacity, and which are unhealthy attachments created by an individual.

Attitude: Learning to have a healthier relationship with food, recognizing there is no such things as good foods and bad foods.)

My clients who have achieved good Foodittude have learned to expect the best possible outcome in by the food choices he/she makes.

Once a person's feelings and values towards eating, food and nutrition shift from failure and frustration to clear logic and optimism, a new food behavior sets in and a Foodittude for Life can be achieved.

Achieving a positive “Foodittude” allows for a positive relationship with food and leads to a healthier and happier life.