Nutrition Therapy Services

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist
Mindfulness-Based Eating (MB-EAT) Qualified Instructor

“Mindful eating is a way to become reacquainted with the guidance of our internal nutritionist.”

-Jan Chozen Bays, MD

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Hi! I’m Joy (She/Her)...

 

I have been practicing as a registered dietitian and

certified diabetes care and education specialist since 2006.

My philosophy encompasses the belief that a trauma-informed, non-diet approach paired with mindfulness and intuitive eating is the most successful strategy to establish a healthy sustainable relationship with food that is non-restrictive, nourishes your body and spirit, and feels good.

Over the years, I have worked with countless individuals who have all put forth great effort to lose weight to improve their health. They courageously followed all the diet and lifestyle changes recommended by the latest diet plan out there – with most losing and then overtime regaining the weight they had lost. They blamed themselves for failing and not being able to sustain the weight loss, and in time most moved on to the next diet only to repeat the cycle.

I do not believe the diet approach is valid or sustainable. I believe the issue is not with

the individual but with our society’s focus on the equation “Diets = Weight Loss = Health.”  
Research continues to show that dieting not only contributes to weight gain, but also shows that weight loss does not necessarily equate to good health.

Perhaps there is another way to think about eating that allows us to make

peace with food, while letting go of the diet mentality.

My intention is to guide you to establish a positive relationship with food, and your body,

whatever that means for you. In our work together you will:

Become aware of your personal eating patterns and food preferences
Learn mindful eating strategies to enjoy, taste, and savor your food without guilt
Feel good in your body before, during, and after eating
Make conscience decisions around eating with self-compassion and without judgement
Eat intuitively, no longer needing a diet to guide you to make food choices
No longer eat to “be good” but rather eat to “feel good”
Make flexible food choices that align with what you need in the moment
Develop a rewarding relationship with food that is sustainable
Recognize awareness brings choice, and choice brings freedom

I look forward to working alongside you on your unique and revelatory journey.

I hold a BA from Colby College, and a BS and MS from Rochester Institute of Technology, and

completed my dietetic internship with Iowa State University. I am a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) and Mindfulness-Based Eating (MB-EAT) Qualified Instructor.

I am an avid runner and enjoy being in nature. It’s also not unusual to find me in the kitchen;

I have a love of cooking and baking for others passed on from my mom and grandmother who

were very intentional about sharing their love with food.