Nourishment can be a pathway to finding an organic rhythm to life as a whole and an access point to deeper self-knowing.

Serving individuals in Massachusetts, California and Vermont, I specialize in helping clients explore more peace in their relationship to both food and body. The word “health” originates from a root meaning “wholeness,” and nutrition is ripe for pursuing a greater sense of wholeness and acceptance. My approach considers overall well-being and honors individuals’ lived body experiences. With great flexibility, our work might include: countering diet narratives, elements of intuitive eating, building self compassion, Health At Every Size (HAES) principles, clarifying your own health perspective/values, and acknowledging racism, colonialism and weight stigma in healthcare & culture. HAES is a non-diet, non-weight-based framework by the Association for Size Diversity and Health that emphasizes inclusivity, respect, social justice, body diversity, individual choice, and critical consideration of scientific evidence. Much of the process happens through me being a story listener - to understand and respect the circumstances of how your patterns/thoughts evolved, to explore the many potential influences (social, physical, mental). I steer away from a strictly prescriptive approach, to foster competence by honoring health as a dynamic and personal process. This redirects thought processes from self judgment and criticism (which stifle change) to flexibility and curiosity (where change can happen). After all, wellness is a practice in subtlety, but not precision.

What to expect:

• If you’re interested in working together, please reach out via this form on my Contact page.

• You will need to have an active Primary Care Doctor in place before we meet.

• Then, if appropriate we can schedule an initial consultation. Often individuals feel hesitant about this first session (what will happen? what do I say?). It’s a chance for us to meet, for you to share some of your story with me (however much you initially feel comfortable sharing), and to ask any questions you may have.

• If we move forward, anticipate that we will spend several sessions in assessment, so I can get to know you, for me to share a little bit of information, and to be sure I sense I will be the right guide to help with your goals around health and/or healing.

• Out of respect for your goals, I ask that we plan to meet weekly for at least a few months in order to establish a foundation and momentum, consistency, and durability. Less frequent sessions at the start can allow for some preliminary exploration, but otherwise risks frustration and prolonged/ineffective care.

• More details below.

Basics:

— Clients 18 years old & up.

— All bodies are welcome, come as you are.

— Insurance plans accepted: Blue Cross Blue Shield and Allways Health. Services may also be eligible for reimbursement through other health insurance plans with out-of-network benefits.

— California and Vermont clients & referrals are welcome.

— Office hours are on Mondays and Wednesdays (exclusively virtual via a secure telehealth portal).

— My pronouns are she/her; I have thin/white/straight/cis-gender privilege.

Specializations include:

— Eating disorders (member of the MEDA Provider Network)

— Disordered, dysregulated, and disorganized eating

— Health behavior change (from a weight-neutral / Health At Every Size® approach: guided by health behaviors, values & wellbeing, not your weight)

— Body image & embodiment

— Intuitive eating, non-diet approach to health (an alternative to traditional diet cycling and body shaming)

— Support navigating and mitigating weight bias/stigma in healthcare settings

— While weight and body may often be part of our discussions in the spirit of learning and healing, please understand that I do NOT provide weight-loss focused counseling.

Group Training & Education:

Sandy welcomes opportunities to gather together to teach on topics at the intersection of bodies, health, eating disorders, social justice, and spirituality. She does not speak on diet tips or weight loss, as those approaches are not supported by scientific literature and, in fact, are antithetical to wellness, behavior change, and social justice.

Contact here here to discuss.