Nutrition & Dietary faq's
Faq's about Nutrition & Dietary support
Our Practice's Nutrition & Dietary FAQ's
- We use a team-based, collaborative approach. We have a team of skilled registered dietitians who regularly meet to learn from one another, get the latest information on eating disorder treatment, and collaborate with other therapists and experts in our field.
- We honor each person’s unique background, story, and relationship to food with highly individualized care. Our staff is trained in LGBTQIA-affirming care, participates in antiracism training, and is Health at Every Size (HAES) aligned. Our office is designed with weight-inclusivity in mind.
- No, you do not need a formal diagnosis to work with one of our dietitians. We see patients all along the disordered eating spectrum (i.e. restricting, emotional eating, chronic dieting) in addition to seeing patients with diagnosed eating disorders.
- Yes, in addition to working with clients from Illinois, we can also see patients in Iowa, Michigan, and Texas.
- We don’t have therapists at our practice, but do a lot of collaboration with therapists and we’re happy to provide recommendations.
Billing and Insurance FAQ's
- We are here to help you through that process. We provide you with the exact billing codes we use so you can get a quote from your insurance provider on what the coverage will be.
- What do I need to verify coverage? Click Here
- What Health Plans Do You Accept? Click Here
- We ask all patients to provide at least 24 hours notices when canceling or rescheduling an appointment. Failure to comply with the cancellation policy may result in a cancellation or “no-show” fee.
Nutrition Counseling Sessions FAQ's
- You can give us a call at (630) 474-5321 or fill out the contact form on our “Contact” page. We’ll give you a call to get a better understanding of what you are looking for and make sure our services align before scheduling your initial assessment with one of our dietitians.
- We ask you to complete your intake paperwork at least 48 hours prior to your initial assessment to allow ample time for your dietitian to review before your session. Otherwise come to your first session with an open mind and a willingness to share your story so our dietitians can best support you.
- During this 60-minute initial assessment, we ask questions about your medical and social history that may inform our work together. This is our time to look into your background, discover anything that may affect your relationship with food and for us to get to know and understand you and your needs better. We will then take time to set your intentions for our work together.
- During your initial assessment, your dietitian will gather information to help them understand your history with disordered eating, current behaviors and your concerns to make a plan for areas of focus in outpatient nutrition counseling.
- Our work together is highly individualized as the 55-minute follow-up sessions will vary in discussion and frequency depending on your needs. We will work on food and mood connections, and discover the function of eating disorder behaviors. We will strategize a means for coping with grocery shopping, food preparation, and/or the meal itself that may be causing anxiety and stress. We will continually work to uncover ingrained food thoughts and judgments and work towards neutralization.
- The initial assessment lasts 60 minutes with subsequent sessions lasting approximately 55 minutes.
- Patients normally meet with their dietitian weekly; however, session frequency can change depending on each patient’s individual needs.
- This can take many forms but could include recommendations on individual meals, identification of eating disorder patterns and coping strategies, and modifications to meal plans given changes in your needs.
- While our approach to every patient is unique, our dietitians help challenge disordered eating behaviors and thoughts about food, including any food-related rules or judgements, and break down barriers. We guide our patients toward intuitive eating, where they allow all foods into their life and have a more attuned relationship with food.
General FAQ's
- CEDS stands for Certified Eating Disorder Specialist and is certified by the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP). This certification requires 2500 hours of eating disorder experience under an IAEDP-approved supervisor along with multiple examinations.
- In the United States, the “nutritionist” title is not regulated by law and essentially, anyone can label themself as a “nutritionist”. The Registered Dietitian (RD) credential requires clinicians to become credentialed with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) and meet licensing requirements in their state. RDs are required to have completed at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited program and have at least 1200 hours of supervised practice experience.
- We work with each individual’s therapist and doctor to make sure they are getting comprehensive care. Treating disordered eating takes collaboration over multiple clinicians and expertise.
i. Frequent dieting
ii. Feeling anxiety or guilt about eating certain foods
iii. Rigid food rules
iv. Ignoring hunger cues or going for longer periods without eating
v. Compensating for eating with restriction, exercise, or other measures
Our mission is to listen
Free 15-minute call to determine if we are a good fit for you, discuss services and answer any questions. Please submit your information and we’ll reach out to you shortly.
