Metrowest Nutrition and Therapy

✨INTUITIVE EATING GROUP TESTIMONY ✨

Jennifer Ong participated in the last Intuitive Eating group and shared this amazing feedback! 😊✨🫶🏽

“When I joined the Intuitive Eating Group in May, I was at a point in my journey where I was seeking something different from all the diets, food obsession, and food preoccupation. I was exhausted. I wanted to quiet everything down. The Intuitive Eating Group gave me a way to achieve this. It was a complete mind shift on my relationship with food. I learned how to identify real hunger from boredom, emotional comfort using food, and more. I learned not to measure food (or restrict) and instead be in tune with my body and allow my body to tell me when I am satisfied and I have had enough. You learn about your own body cues to know when you are satisfied. It is internal work and a valuable life skill to eat intuitively. I learned not to label food as good or bad. For the first time in my life, I did not worry or get anxious about what to eat or how much I’ve eaten. It was liberating and calming. Laura and Samantha make a great team and communicate the concepts articulately in a gentle and easy to understand manner. I recommend this to anyone looking for something that is different and something that is sane. Thank you!” 🙏😊🫶🏽✨

This is just one of many great testimonials we received about Sam and Laura’s group! 🙌🏽

The next Intuitive Eating group starts in August. If you’re interested and want to learn more, complete this form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeERwx59fr5akT2hPSd-zSs9p4-IB1MjRXUyikEFHTdiR_qrw/viewform ✨💕

We are very EXCITED to share that we have an Intuitive Eating Group starting on 8/7!! 🎉

This is for any adults ages 30+ who are ready to ditch dieting and find food freedom!

This group is for you if you...

👉Avoid social situations involving food.
👉 Eat 'too much' and then feel guilty.
👉Feel out of control around food.
👉Are done going on and off diets.
👉 Often feel guilt over what you've eaten.
👉Lack a clear sense of hunger.
👉Don't know what to eat.
👉Want to think less about food
👉Want food to take up less space in life.
👉Would like to enjoy food without guilt.

Intuitive Eating offers an alternative, a completely different way of looking at food. The ten principles of intuitive eating offer a road map to move away from dieting and finally feel peace in your relationship with food.

This is HARD work. Doing it with others helps. Which is why we're offering this group. This is our second time offering this group and we received some great feedback from participants of the first group. Here's what a couple people shared:

"Sam and Laura were amazing, I learned so much from this group and it completely changed how I look at food!" - AR, group participant

"This group is exactly what I needed and I really enjoyed all the discussion, being able to go out and apply the principles in the real world and then talk about it. I also liked that we had an opportunity to eat together." - JO, group participant

If this is work you're interested in doing along with other adults, Laura and Sam invite you to join their group starting August 7th. The group will offer guidance and education on Intuitive Eating principles, a safe space for processing and support and experiential opportunities (i.e. eating together, movement).

Groups will take place virtually on Wednesday nights 7-8:30pm EST for 6 weeks.

Complete this form to express interest - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeERwx59fr5akT2hPSd-zSs9p4-IB1MjRXUyikEFHTdiR_qrw/viewform

Summer DBT Group for Teens 14+ starts July 1st! ☀️🙌🏽

School’s out, DBT is in!!! 😎

Is your teen needing some extra support around emotion regulation, relationship skills and mindfulness this summer? Have them join Brittany Brown, LMHC for our structured DBT group on Mondays 6-7pm in our Framingham office (Edgell RD/Rte 9). The group offers peer and professional support during a less structured time, offering an opportunity for teens to practice skills they can apply all year long. ✨😊

The group starts July 1st and extends through the summer (excluding 7/15). You can find details and sign up for a screening on the link below. We hope your teen joins us! 🤗

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1qIWTk80h64_S_yUReWlt6nwBSyUE4sR9kh03umRnqs0/edit?usp=sharing_eil_m&ts=664f4271

Team retreat success!! 🙌🏽😊🎉

We had an amazing time connecting and learning together on Friday at our annual retreat! 🫶🏽

It’s always energizing and heartening when we all get together in the same physical space. ✨

Thank you to Emily Gordon, PsyD for a wonderful presentation on eating disorders and adolescents and to Jenn Drohan, MEd, RD and our own Myrese Nochomowitz, MPH, RD for opening our minds to more inclusive care for neurodivergent individuals. 👏👏👏

As we were getting the office ready for this event, I stumbled across the notes from our retreat 5 years ago when we brainstormed around our mission statement and philosophy. We’d also generated a list of descriptive words for the practice. It was a moment of pride and gratitude as I recognized we have fully embraced this mission and are living it!!! 💚💛🧡

I’m so unbelievably grateful for this team, their passion and commitment to this work and the practice and our collective impact on the community. ✨

I appreciate you so much!! 🙏

✔️

Join us in welcoming our new therapist, Nicole Rivers! 🤗🎉

Nicole joins us after working with adolescents and adults at residential and partial levels of care. She has experience in family work and orients from a trauma-informed lens. In addition to working with eating disorders, she has experience with anxiety, depression, mood disorders and self injury. She is HAES-aligned and utilizes DBT, CBT training in a person-centered counseling approach. 🫶🏽

Insurances accepted: BCBS, HPHC, United, MGBWH, Tufts

Nicole will be seeing clients in Framingham and via telehealth. She has immediate availability although, we want to note that we working our way through our waiting list at the moment. If you’d like to set up an intake call, complete the form below. You will get an email after with an invitation to set up an intake call with our Client Care Coordinator, Alexa. 😊

https://metrowestnutrition.com/contact-us/

Proud to Partner with Fenway Health! Plus, final details on our Summer DBT Skills group for teens. Learn more in our latest newsletter - https://mailchi.mp/f3ece9f14c50/summer-dbt-group-for-teens-and-new-dietitian-13811252

Feelings are guests not permanent residents.

When you're going through a tough time and feeling difficult emotions, it can feel like it's ALWAYS been this way. This is because of a concept a wise therapist once shared with me called 'state dependent memory'. For example, if you're feeling depressed, it's natural for your mind to reflect on ALL and ONLY the times you've felt this way before.

It can help to find a mantra to remind yourself that it, in fact, hasn't always felt this way and it will pass. 💚

"This is just right now" is one mantra that some have found helpful. ✨

What are some you've used? Or, can you think of one that you might use? Feel free to drop it in the comments to share with others who might need it! 😊 🙌 ❤️

The most colorful and joyous month of the year has begun! 🌈✨

Let’s embrace all people and all LOVE! ❤️

✨SHOW YOUR TRUE COLORS✨

How will you be celebrating PRIDE and honoring those in the LGBTQIA+ community this month?!!🌈🎉😊

Have a local event to share? Post it in the comments and we’ll add it to our newsletter!

🌈 🌈❤️💛💚💙💜

In addition to being Mental Health Awareness Month, May is AAPI Heritage Month. 🫶🏽

To honor both, we want to highlight a few (of many) unique mental health issues faced by this group. And also share resources for any AAPI individuals who may be looking for support. 😊

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. 💚

1 in 5 US adults experience mental illness each year yet only have of them receive treatment. 46.4% (almost 1/2) of US adults will experience mental illness in their lifetime.

One of the main barriers to treatment is stigma and shame. Let's all work together to normalize mental illness and encourage loved ones to get the help they need! ✨

ANNOUNCEMENT! NEW GROUP!! We're offering a DBT skills group this summer for teens ages 14 or older. The group will either be in our Newton or Framingham office depending on the need. You can find all the details about the group and complete survey to share your interest and preferred days/times/location.

Summer DBT Skills Group for Teens 14+ Help your teenager manage emotions and build healthy relationships with DBT. Join our summer group designed for teens 14+. Take the survey now!

INTRODUCING.... Katie Epstein!! 🤗🎉

We are thrilled to welcome this experienced eating disorder dietitian to the Metrowest Nutrition and Therapy Team! 👏👏👏

Katie has been working in inpatient eating disorder care for three years with adults, adolescents and their families. Treating severe eating disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions in an acute setting provides her with exceptional clinical knowledge and skill that she looks forward to applying in the outpatient setting. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Having worked with so many individuals with eating disorders has showed Katie that every individual struggling with an ED is just that – an individual. No one person has the same history, needs, or goals as another, and this is how Katie approaches every new client interaction. She is human-centered and compassionate.😊

Katie prioritizes collaboration with clients, team and family members to find attainable goals, and offers a warm, supportive environment for them to work towards meeting them. 🫶🏼

Katie is licensed in MA and will be seeing clients in our Framingham office an via telehealth. She accepts the following insurance plans:

Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare
Tufts (Commercial plans)
Aetna
Cigna
MGBH/ AllWays

Learn more about Katie on the link to her bio below.

If you're searching for an amazing dietitian to add to your team, I encourage you to reach out soon because she's filling up quickly!! 😉

https://metrowestnutrition.com/our-team/katie-epstein/

The MEDA conference was incredible as always! Unfortunately, I was hit with a stomach virus and couldn’t make it on Friday but learned so much from all the amazing speakers on Thursday. I always leave this conference feeling inspired and recharged. This is amazing work we do!! The icing on the cake is getting to connect with colleagues near and far. I wish I’d been able to make it Friday and taken more photos. Thanks for a wonderful conference!

Are you running the Boston marathon next week? 🏃🏽‍♀️💙💛

CONGRATULATIONS!! 👏👏

Have you thought about your fueling and hydration plan leading up to and during the race? If not, sports dietitian, Heather offers some guidance in our recent blog entry below. 🍔🍌🥛🌯 🍫💦

Want a customized plan and tips? Set up an appointment with Heather using fhr ‘Contact Us’ form on our website. Bonus - she accepts insurance! 😊

https://metrowestnutrition.com/blog

Join us in welcoming our two new Dietitians, Carolyn and Heather! Learn more about them here.- https://mailchi.mp/8c3091f8ef2c/meet-our-new-dietitians

Megan and Alexa attended the Parent Awareness Conference in Waltham on Saturday and shared resources for paren
ts on raising diet proof kids! 🙌🏽🧡

They brought along some of the books they recommend to parents. 📚

✔️Raising an Intuitive Eater
✔️Celebrate Your Body
✔️Fat Talk
✔️Starfish

Thank you for inviting us and elevating this important topic for parents. Kids don’t have to be indoctrinated into diet culture! We can help shape a better world and help them build resilience to it!! 💚

We had a great time connecting with some of our favorite people last night to celebrate Eating Disorder Awareness Week. So grateful for this amazing community here in Boston/ MetroWest!! Thank you and .hope for co-hosting. And thank you to everyone that joined us for a delicious meal. It was great to catch up! ❤️😊🙌🏼

More ideas to up-purpose your scale! OR, better yet, destroy it! 🙌🏽

A number on a scale doesn’t measure…

✔️Your value
✔️How lovable you are
✔️Your success in life
✔️What kind of human you are

Weighing yourself leads to more focus on weight, food and negative body image. Most of our clients share that whether the number goes up, down or stays the same, there is a negative emotional reaction. There may be a momentary sense of relief if the result is desirable but that soon lends to fear and worry and as a result the need to weigh oneself more often. 😏

How has weighing yourself made you feel? Has it led to more focus on your body or what you choose to eat? 🤔

If you’re ready to give up the scale, how might you dispose of it in a way that gives you a sense of power over it?? 💪🏽

We’d love to hear your ideas! 💡😊

Today marks the start of Eating Disorder Awareness Week (EDAW) 2024! 🎉

EDAW is a week dedicated to increasing awareness of eating disorders – to provide information, support, visibility, and hope to everyone affected by eating disorders. This year, EDAW runs from Feb. 25th through Mar. 2nd with a theme celebrating the healing in community. 💜

Eating disorders thrive in isolation. Community is the antidote. 🙌

Whether you are in recovery, know someone who is or simply want to better understand this illness that effects 9% of the US population, there are a number of ways you can honor and celebrate EDAW. 🫶🏽🫶🏻🫶🏾🫶🏿

Here are a few ideas:

1. Smash your scale! Our collective preoccupation with thinness and fixation on weight fuels eating disorders. Making the bold decision to stop weighing yourself and letting the number on the scale determine your worth is liberating! 🔨😊🙌🏽

Note: To ensure safety, place your scale on a flat surface in an open area with a drop cloth underneath and make sure to wear eye protection. 😎

2. Clean up your news feed. Unfollow accounts that reinforce the thin ideal and make you feel bad about your body. Add accounts that celebrate body diversity and promote body acceptance. 🧹

3. Clean out your closet. Get rid of clothes that don't fit. Bodies change. Holding onto clothes that fit a different version of your body reinforces negative body image beliefs. 👖👗

4. Watch a body-liberating TV show or movie. There are a number of streamable shows and movies that counter mainstream body narratives. Here are a few - Shrill, Little Miss Sunshine, Gilrs, The Mindy Project, Dietland, Thunder Force. Or, watch the documentary Fattitude. 📽️🍿

5. Follow accounts for learning and awareness. Here are a few we suggest-
MEDA (Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association)
NAED - National Alliance for Eating Disorders
Center for Body Trust
ANAD - ANAD - National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders
NEDA - National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)

✨Feel free to share other ideas and tag other organizations below! ✨

The journey from dieting and restricting to Intuitive Eating isn’t easy. 🫶🏽

In fact, it’s pretty HARD. You will experience ups and downs and A LOT of mixed emotions along the way. 🧡

We want to normalize all the emotions that come up along the way - fear, confusion, frustration, grief, joy, anger, empowerment and more. 😩😵‍💫🥵😊😡💪🏽

You may wonder, is it worth it? What's at the end of this journey? 🤔

While we certainly cannot promise you will suddenly be free of any negative emotions... because, well... LIFE 😏🤷‍♀️

BUT, the root of these emotions will less likely be related to food. AND, you will feel more confident, competent and empowered in your eating! 💯

It helps to do this work in community as opposed to going it alone. We'd love the opportunity to support you in our upcoming group starting on 2/13. You can find more information and apply using the link below 💚

https://metrowestnutrition.com/intuitive-eating-group-for-adults/

Lots of laughter and great conversation at our (post) holiday gathering tonight! So grateful for this crew and the community we have!! 🫶🏽

Missing a few but we have surprises for you that I’ll deliver to the office or mail! 😉🤗

Are you done with diets but your relationship with food is a mess? 🥴

Want to work on your food “stuff” but not sure where to start? 💚

Sick and tired of the ‘on and off’ dieting cycle?

Looking for a way out of diet culture but everyone you know is on a diet? 😮‍💨

It can feel like swimming upstream to counter diet culture, particularly this time of year! 🏊🏻‍♀️

Perhaps you’ve started your intuitive eating journey and are looking for more support. Your own little diet-free bubble. 😊🙌🏽

Dieting (or any efforts to change your body) is life-sucking and frustrating. It wears you down. You may be left thinking it’s you… your (lack of) will power or some character flaw… IT IS NOT!! It’s 💯 the dieting cycle. Restrict —> Binge —> Feel like a failure. And sooo many humans repeat this cycle over and over.

You can choose to STOP ✋🏽

Intuitive Eating offers a roadmap to a completely different relationship with food. It’s 10 principles offer some guidance as you step off the dieting bandwagon. 🫶🏽

This is HARD work. Doing it in a group helps.

If this is work you’d like to do, Laura and Sam invite you to join their group starting Feb 13th. This dietitian/ therapist team will provide guidance and education on Intuitive Eating, provide a safe space for processing and offer some experiential opportunities. This group is for adults 30+. 🤗

This group is for you IF YOU:

1. Don’t trust your body to guide food choices
2. Feel defeated over failed diets
3. Experience shame or guilt around food
4. Feel out of control with food
5. Are uncomfortable in situations around food
6. Have discomfort with/in your body
7. Feel isolated in your intuitive eating journey
8. Are limiting activities/ putting life off because you/ your body isn’t deserving
9. Feel preoccupied with food, weight, diet
10. Are over diets and done feeling this way!

If this sounds like a fit, complete the form below and Laura or Sam will reach out! 💛

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1rRv2WZFiTYjyoDh-F-OsvFlTrafMkSSyn4fwExgN1rE/edit?usp=drivesdk

This time of year, the siren song of diet culture is loud... 🧜‍♀️

It is very seductive. 😉

People often exit the winter holiday fog with a desire for structure, routine and more energy.

Maybe you’re feeling a little blah. 😕

If you have a challenging relationship with food and your body, perhaps you're feeling a lot of emotions relating to your eating over the holidays. Maybe you feel like you need to "make-up" for food you ate. Or "get back on track"

This is very natural. The "all or nothing" thinking that comes along with the diet/ restriction cycle lends to the pendulum swinging from one extreme to the next. You're either feeling out of control with food or restricting.

Diets (or lifestyle plans as they are commonly marketed) appear to offer exactly what you're craving right now....

Structure ✅

Routine ✅

Increased energy ✅

Feeling better about yourself ✅

However, it’s SO important you know that promises are empty and short-term. There’s a reason the diet industry rakes in 70 billion dollars a year!💰

While you may feel on top of the world for a couple weeks while you're following the diet, the other shoe will inevitably drop. You fall off the diet once again and feel like a failure...

(More on the dieting cycle soon!)

What if this year you opt out of diet culture and try something new? What if you do a deep dive into your relationship with food and your body and learn how to listen to hunger and fullness cues? 🤔

What if you could actually TRUST your body to do the work of managing food? 🫶🏽

Intuitive eating is an alternative to dieting that moves you off the disregulating and soul crushing dieting pendulum. It allows you to move into a rhythm with food that is entirely driven from within the body.... instead of directed towards it from an external source. 🙌🏼

Wherever you are on your journey with intuitive eating, we invite you to join our Intuitive Eating group starting February 13th! Details in our links. We hope you’ll join us! 😊

Sending you a gentle reminder that self-care can be simple! 🫶🏽

This time of year, self-care is essential. Darker days coupled with the aftermath of holiday stress and/or increased emotions or isolation can lead to symptoms of depression and anxiety. Simple, intentional acts can offer some relief. 😮‍💨

It doesn’t need to cost a lot of money or take a lot of effort. Sometimes self-care is simply “not doing”. 🙌🏼

Here are some simple, accessible ways you can care for yourself that cost little to nothing and take very little effort. 😌

Take a bath (maybe add bubbles) 🛁
Buy yourself flowers 💐
Wrap yourself in a cozy blanket 🥰
Wear soft socks or slippers (aloe socks 👌🏽)
Take a nap 😴
Get a good night’s sleep 🛌
Drink a glass of ice water
Invest in a new water bottle 🥤
Make a warm beverage 🍵
Wash your face ☺️
Put on lotion 🧴
Add lavender or citrus oil to shower/bath 🍋
Do something creative 🎨
Organize a drawer, cabinet or closet 🧹
Watch a funny movie 🍿
Go for a walk (pets encouraged) 🐶
Have a meal on a beautifully set table 🍽️
Take an extra long shower 🚿
Stay in PJs all day (or dress up) 👗
Call a friend 📲
Listen to music 🎶
Dance around your room 💃
Light a candle 🕯️

These are some suggestions. There are many other simple ways to care for yourself.

What are some simple acts of self-care you do or could do for yourself? Feel free to share in the comments. We’d love to get some more ideas! 🤗

Thinking of making a resolution for 2024? 🎉

If so, you are in good company! 👋🏽

According to a recent Forbes survey of 1000 US adults, 62% feel pressure to set a new years resolution.

34% of Americans resolve to lose weight (shocking!). Another 32% resolve to improve diet. 48% resolve to improve fitness (gym goers beware!).

Yet, only 1% of people report sticking to their resolution through the year. 1 in 10 people say their resolutions last a month. 😏

Reasons cited for this lack of success include (1) following tradition versus actual need for change, (2) underestimating obstacles, (3) failure to break larger goals into smaller, more measurable ones and (4) lack of accountability.

I would bet that diet failure rates coupled with so many people resolving to lose wt is another reason! 💯

One thing we see with our clients is that change rarely happens without first changing some fundamental things. This could mean a new job, letting go of toxic relationships, changing beliefs or changing how they show up in life and relationships.

In order to prioritize yourself and commit to self-care, you need to identify and remove what's blocking you from doing it. This is not an easy feat! 🙃

A LOT of self-compassion and support is necessary to change deeply rooted lifestyle patterns that aren't aligned with self-care. ❤️

What if instead of making a resolution around changing how your body looks, you resolve to take better care of yourself with one simple action step? 🤔

Perhaps, instead of trying to change your body through deprivation, you chose to nourish and care for it just as it is? 🤗

Radical thought, huh?

It certainly can feel that way amidst the dominant diet culture messaging we're immersed in this time of year.

Above, we list some ways you may consider caring for yourself in the new year that have nothing to do with changing your body. Any one of these alone may prove challenging.

Are there any that resonate with you?

Are you setting a resolution?
Drop an emoji in the comments to give us a clue as to what it is! 😘

#2024

On the eve of 2024, we want to take a moment to recognize a few more or our team members! 🎉

Perry Smizer, MS, RD is an amazing pediatric and adult dietitian passionate about helping parents feel confident and empowered in their feeding practices. She also works with individuals of all ages who are healing from disordered eating and eating disorders. She has been with our practice for almost 3 years and sees clients in Framingham and virtually.

Laura Foresta, RD, LDN brings over 30 years of clinical experience to the practice and is exceptional with motivational interviewing and behavioral change. She works with adults who struggle with disordered eating and eating disorders and has a particular niche for binge eating and compulsive eating. Laura is knowledgeable about endocrinology and diabetes as well as cardiovascular and gastrointestinal health. She has experience in immunology and infectious disease having worked inpatient with individuals with acute and long covid. Her clinical knowledge is a great asset to our whole team! Laura sees clients in our Newton and Framingham offices as well as offering telehealth.

Bella Mortenson, MS, RD has been with us since she completed her graduate work and received her RD in 2021. She is a voracious learner, taking advantage of every opportunity to shadow other clinicians and receive supervision . This has led to her becoming a strong clinician rooted in weight-inclusive care and intuitive eating principles. She works with individuals of all ages who want to heal from disordered eating and eating disorders.

Finally, we want to celebrate one of our senior dietitians, Kate Giles, MS, RD. Kate has been with us for five years and is an exceptional clinicians who we readily receive positive feedback about. Her passion for eating disorder work and commitment to her patients is incomparable. Kate works with older adolescents and adults virtually in MA and PA.

We are looking forward to a wonderful 2024 with all of our amazing team members and clients!

#2024

Happy Friday! And last day of school before break for many! 😊

Today, we want to express our gratitude for these three clinicians! Our two newest clinicians, Nick and Sam and Enjie who’s been with us since her internship days. 🫶🏽

Nick Hamdi, PhD, RD, LDN joined us in August and sees clients in Westborough and virtually. Nick is a doctorate level registered dietitian who works with adult clients of all genders. He specializes in weight-inclusive nutrition counseling for eating disorders and other health concerns with a specific interest in working with the LGBTQIA+ community. Nick particularly likes working with male identifying individuals struggling with binge eating. He understands that males with eating disorders may experience greater stigma and/or go under the radar. He’s accepting new clients! 🌈

Sam Millette, LICSW is an experienced eating disorder therapist who has worked at all levels of treatment with adolescents and adults. Samantha is passionate about challenging oppressive influences of fatphobia and diet culture across the healthcare system. As a fat provider, she hopes to provide space for clients to explore the impact of these cultural messages and experiences on self-worth and the role they play in eating disorders. Samantha’s therapeutic approach combines CBT, DBT, ACT, Expressive Arts Therapy, and Internal Family Systems. She is also very passionate about the treatment of trauma. She sees clients in Newton and virtually. 💫

Enjely(Enjie) Mora, MS, RD, LDN is a dietitian who specializes in eating disorders and sports nutrition. She also enjoys helping individuals move away from diets and into an intuitive eating mindset. She is fluent in Spanish and her background in the military and as a competitive aerialist provide rich experience for her to draw from in her clinical work. Enjie’s passion is sports nutrition and she was recently hired as a team dietitian for a Major League Baseball team! ⚾️🎉

Learn more about these clinicians and others on our website https://metrowestnutrition.com/team-partners/ ✨