Counseling Sessions
Nutrition Therapy
In the past, seeing a registered dietitian for nutrition counseling traditionally involved a focus on food and body—what to eat and what not to eat, a meal plan, weight and height measurements, perhaps even calories and exchanges. Over the last number of years nutrition counseling has evolved into nutrition therapy—a process that is client-focused, process-oriented, and relationship-building. The main goal of this counseling is to address the thoughts and feelings that are connected to one’s relationship with food and body.
Challenging distorted myths about food, teaching the science behind how the body works, and how food can nourish both mind and body are all integral parts of this counseling paradigm, as is understanding the psychology behind eating, and, especially, Intuitive Eating. Helping people tune into their internal wisdom about eating through the process of Intuitive Eating is the focus of my counseling services. I mainly work with people to heal disordered eating and eating disorders. I am also focused on Health at Every Size and eliminating systemic fatphobic oppression.
Credentials
The credentials that follow my name are: MS, RDN, CEDS-S, F.iaedp, FADA, FAND. The MS stands for Master of Science degree. The RDN means Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, the CEDS means Certified Eating Disorder Specialist, the “-S” means that I am a CEDS supervisor for those seeking certification. The F.iaedp means Fellow of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals, the FADA means Fellow of The American Dietetic Association, and FAND is short for Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, (formerly, the American Dietetic Association ).
A registered dietitian must meet certain criteria determined by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, including prescribed coursework, a hospital-based traineeship or internship, and a qualifying exam. A Certified Eating Disorder Specialist must meet rigorous requirements for certification in the field of treating eating disorders. A Fellow of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals is a category of membership of this professional eating disorder organization, which is an honor available to highly committed and accomplished professionals. A Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (as well as the former American Dietetic Association) has completed advanced requirements, including a minimum of eight years of registration as a dietitian, a written publication, a national professional network of dietitians, service in the dietetic community, and a written exam, among other qualifications.
Individual, Family, and Group Counseling
I offer 45-minute counseling sessions for individuals and for family members. Most sessions are virtual at the moment, and telephone sessions are available when appropriate for those who prefer the telephone to the internet. I have conducted group-counseling sessions from time to time over the years.
Professional Supervision
Supervision sessions are available for health professionals who are interested in expanding their Intuitive Eating counseling skills, as well as those who are becoming certified as Certified Intuitive Eating Counselors and Lay Facilitators. You can find more information about Intuitive Eating Certification at this link on the Intuitive Eating website. https://www.intuitiveeating.org/about-us/how-tobecome- a-certified-intuitive-eating-counselor-or-lay-facilitator/#requirements. I also run a monthly supervision group for dietitians, psychotherapists, and other health professionals, as well as welcoming students into the group for learning opportunities that they may not find elsewhere.
Office Policy
I look forward to working with you in helping you achieve the goals which motivated you to find me. The following are guidelines which will clarify my office policies:
CONTACTING ME
I am available to assist you by telephone for a few minutes, if you need me between sessions during the week. You are also welcome to e-mail me with any thoughts or concerns. You may also text me, after I’ve given you my mobile number. I will print and read your e-mails but will not be able to respond by e-mail. We will discuss the content of your note at our next session. If you need to speak to me for longer than a few minutes, please consider setting up an extra session that week. When there is extensive consultation time necessary with one’s other health professionals, I will charge accordingly, depending on-how much time is needed. If there is an emergency after hours, please call 911 or the emergency room at your nearest hospital.
SESSION TIME
Regular sessions are 45 minutes in length. I make every attempt to begin sessions on time and appreciate your cooperation in ending them on time. It is essential to begin and end all sessions on time, as my clients are generally scheduled back-to-back, and I will not be able to make up any time that might be lost by beginning our session late.
FEES, BILLING, AND INSURANCE COVERAGE
It is preferable for me to receive payment prior to your session. You may make payment through Venmo (@Elyse-Resch) or via Zelle (Chase Bank, elyseresch@gmail.com). In some cases, I understand that it is necessary for me to bill you or another party for my services. I am happy to cooperate with you in that regard. I would appreciate payment as soon as possible upon receipt of the statement. Concerning insurance, some insurance companies cover nutrition counseling services; however, many do not. If you would like, I will have a separate superbill prepared for you so that you may submit it to your insurance company. Often, a letter from your doctor referring you to a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist will help in obtaining coverage.
If you do choose to submit an insurance claim, any reimbursement will go directly to you, as you will have already paid me directly for your session. As of January 1, 2022, all healthcare providers are required to provide estimates for the costs of your care. The Good Faith Estimate shows the cost of items and services that are reasonably expected for your healthcare needs and treatment. This will be provided by this office upon scheduling and/or as requested. This Good Faith Estimate does not include unexpected costs that could arise during treatment.
CANCELLATIONS
A 48-hour notice (i.e., two full business days) is required for all cancellations. With such notice, I am able to schedule someone else in your time slot. If your appointment is scheduled for a Monday, please contact me by Thursday of the previous week (or preferably sooner), if you need to cancel the appointment. If your appointment directly follows a holiday, any cancellations must be made two business days prior to the holiday (or, again, preferably sooner). If your appointment is scheduled for a Tuesday, please contact me by Friday of the previous week (or preferably sooner), if you need to cancel the appointment. If you are sick on the day of your appointment, we can conduct our session on the telephone. Unfortunately, I will have to charge you for any appointment which is canceled without sufficient notice. If, however, I am able to fill such an appointment, I will not charge you for the cancellation. Please text me (if you have my mobile number) or write me an e-mail to let me know that you are canceling. Also, please ask me to contact you confirming the cancellation. If you do cancel an appointment through e-mail, please know that my ability to check my e-mail throughout each day is variable, and I may not be able to read your note and get back to you that day. I appreciate your cooperation in these regards.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Our meetings are held in strict confidence. A release form will be used to obtain permission to speak to your physician or psychotherapist. When working with minors, I find that it is important to respect their right to privacy. Privacy allows for greater trust between the child or teenager and myself, as the dietitian, which enhances the effectiveness of the treatment. Privacy allows for a mutually respectful therapeutic relationship to be established.
My general policy regarding minors and confidentiality: During treatment, I will provide parents with only general information about the progress of the treatment. Any other communication requires the child’s authorization, unless I feel the child is in danger or is a danger to someone else, in which case, I will notify the parents of my concern.
Family sessions and parent coaching: If the minor and I both feel it would be helpful to discuss eating issues with the family or have a family session on occasion, I am willing to do this. I find that this kind of collaborative work with parents can be very helpful.
Additional treatment: If, in the course of treatment, it becomes clear that a child or teenager would benefit from more intensive treatment than we have originally agreed upon, some privacy may need to be surrendered to the parent in order to provide for the minor’s therapeutic needs. I will use my best clinical judgment in determining what information to share with parents and will only communicate information which will be most helpful for the health and well-being of the child. In addition, I will consult with the other professional team members to provide the best recommendations for the child. I will also discuss the matter with the child, if possible, and do my best to handle any objections they may have.
These guidelines have been established to facilitate our work together. Please feel free to comment on them or ask any questions that you may have. I am here to meet your needs and offer you optimal care. You have the right to end your treatment at any time, for whatever reason, without any moral, legal, or financial obligation, except for fees already incurred. You have the right to question any aspect of your treatment with me and to expect that I will work with you to meet your needs for adjunctive or alternative treatment. You also have the right to expect that I will maintain professional and ethical boundaries by not entering into other personal, financial, or professional relationships with you or any of your family members—all of which would compromise our work together.
