Frequently Asked Questions

I don’t live in london, can I still see you?

Yes, absolutely! I carry out most of my sessions via Zoom.

How do I know which service I need?

You might not know and that’s ok. I’d recommend booking in for a free 15-minute discovery call so we can discuss your current situation and what you are looking for. It’s also a great chance for you to know me a bit better and how I work as a practitioner as you need to feel 100% comfortable and confident with your nutritional therapist before starting work.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I NEED HELP?

If you find that you are unable to have a normal / relaxed relationship with food, if food occupies the majority of your thoughts, if you are counting calories, macros and/or steps, and food is starting to affect your day to day life then it is time to look for help. If you feel confused or overwhelmed, that’s ok, asking for help is a huge step.

Please feel free to get in touch and we can have a free 15-minute chat to discuss your situation and see if some nutritional therapy might be beneficial for you.

What is disordered eating?

Disordered eating is when food and dietary choices feel confusing and out of control. You may start to skip meals, follow new diets, cut out certain foods even whole food groups. This restriction and external dietary guidance can leave you feeling at war with yourself and out of control as your internal hunger cues conflict with what you are being told. As a result of this restriction you may find yourself overeating or bingeing, perhaps even purging.

Disordered eating behaviours and dieting are big risk factors for eating disorders developing, serious mental health conditions which need professional help and the attention they deserve.

Disordered eating can leave you feeling a sense of guilt and shame around your food choices and fearful of eating.

I HAVE AN EATING DISORDER, CAN I SEE YOU?

Yes! I work as a nutritional therapist within a multi-factorial outpatient eating disorder clinic, meaning that I have constant ‘on-site’ training. If I deem you ‘well-enough’, i.e. you are not a risk to me, yourself, or others, then I will happily work with you. Please note, you must be working with a psychotherapist who can support you as we start to challenge your food thoughts. I am more than happy to recommend some fantastic therapists who I work with frequently, should you need help finding one. I will also need to be in regular contact with your GP to ensure that you are safe.

Why would I see you and not a doctor?

You wouldn’t! Nutritional therapy should never be seen as something to replace medical advice. As a nutritional therapist I like to work in conjunction with a clients other primary healthcare practitioners as I strongly believe that a joined up treatment plan is going to be far more effective for the individual. I will always refer clients to a medical professional should I believe that they are a risk to themselves, or others.

Remember it is not within the remit of a nutritional therapist to ‘diagnose’, ‘treat’ or ‘cure’ medical conditions and you should always seek medical advice when appropriate.

Why would I see a nutritional therapist and not a dietician or nutritionist?

A Nutritional Therapist tends to work in a private 1:1 setting whereas a dietician may be more likely to work within the NHS. However, this is not always the case and of course you can chose to see whoever you would like. Unfortunately the titles Nutritional Therapist and Nutritionist are not protected in the UK which means it can be difficult to know who to trust. It is essential that whoever you chose to work with is properly qualified to work with eating disorders. This means, Nutritional Therapists and most Nutritionists MUST have undergone further training in order to work with eating disorder clients. Personal recovery does not qualify someone to work within this field!

What’s Your availability?

I‘m flexible with my time and aim to help as many people as possible so it is best to get in touch so we can work something out.

What happens AT OUR FIRST SESSION?

Our first few sessions will be spent going through your health history in depth. I will also ask about your current health, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment up until now, family history, lifestyle, levels of physical activity, use of medication and supplements and diet. From this information, I am able to assess and evaluate your individual needs and develop a personalised, safe and effective nutrition and lifestyle programme.

I think my CHILD has an eating disorder. Can you help?

Yes! I am here to help. If your child is under 16 years old then I will require parental consent to work with them and I will require you (the parent) or parental consent for another responsible adult to attend sessions with them.

Children 16 or over are considered, by law, adults and therefore able to represent themselves however, if, for any reason, I believe the individual does not have the mental capacity to act in their best interest, I will advise that parents are involved with the therapeutic process.