Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General Questions
I'm both a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (AKA a "nutritionist" in many states) and a licensed mental health counselor in Utah, Idaho, and Arizona. I did this because I realized that true health needs to incorporate real-food nutrition, not just drugs, surgeries, and talk therapy. Our bodies (and brains) are made up entirely of nutrients. Nutrients help the brain (and gut) signal to the rest of the body how to function. If the brain isn't sending the right signals, then of course you'll have problems!
So yes, I offer psychotherapy (AKA "counseling" or " mental health therapy") as one service, and nutrition (also called "nutritional therapy") as a separate service. We can certainly talk about some nutrition in mental health therapy (many people want to do this!), but if you want a deeper dive, you'll need to book nutrition separately.
For many years, I offered free ones. Eventually, I was forced to change that because people were not respecting my time by not showing up. By paying a small amount for a consultation, I know you are committed to it, or at least I'll be covered for the time. I have still made it somewhat free in that I will put your consultation fee toward your next scheduled session or package if you choose to move forward with services. Please remind me if you want this credit to be applied.
Yes, you can! While a lot of knowledge is available online, there's also a lot of conflicting information. It can be difficult to find reliable information for your specific needs and to distinguish good information from bad. Even if you do find it, having an expert guide you can be very helpful, as doing research on your own can be very time-consuming. As a professional, I have years of experience and skills that you can't get just from reading or watching videos. Even with a degree, I felt like I didn't know how to be a therapist until I gained actual experience helping others. While I appreciate people who like to do things themselves (I am one too), sometimes it's better to hire a professional to save time.
And please don't use A.I. or Wikipedia to do health research! These methods are notorious for spreading misinformation.
Medications often just hide symptoms without addressing the real cause of the disease. This approach is called "allopathic" medicine. Suppressing symptoms often leads to new problems, like covering up a warning light on your car's dashboard just so you don't have to look at it anymore. Mental illness is often linked to lifestyle choices and not just genetic chemical imbalances. Your diet, lifestyle, and environment can have a big impact on your health. It's better to focus on these before turning to medication. Some medications can create new imbalances or deplete nutrients, leading to the need for more medication and supplements. It's actually a great business model to those who profit from it. Although sometimes medication is necessary, it's important to consider alternatives that may require lower dosages or not needing medication at all. Using medication as a last resort may be a more sustainable approach, both financially and for your health.
Like most healthcare providers, I don't. Once you schedule a session or buy a package, you are required to pay for whatever service you committed to, even if your insurance didn't cover as much as anticipated. I don't want you to end up with a surprise bill. Your best bet for an accurate quote of coverage is to contact your insurance company and ask them directly. They set their own rules and rates, which is unfortunately complicated.
Clinical results are not guaranteed because everyone is so unique that it takes different approaches for everyone, but most of it also depends on you and your willingness to open up and do the necessary work to feel better.
Mental Health Therapy/Counseling
I am also licensed in Idaho and Arizona, so I can see you online if you live there. If you live outside of these states, I may be able to see you depending on where you are. For example, I can practice in France as it doesn't regulate psychotherapy, and in Iceland, I basically have permission to practice. But each state in the USA has its own rules, so if I'm not licensed in your state, I can't be your therapist. However, I can provide nutritional services in most states. If you need conventional mental health therapy and you are in the US, you should find a therapist licensed in your state.
Whether you call it metabolic psychotherapy, nutritional psychotherapy, metabolic psychiatry, or something similar, these are all synonymous terms that describe a treatment specifically targeted to improve mitochondrial function and metabolic health through diet and lifestyle. Recent research suggests that mental illness (or perhaps nearly all illness) is really just a result of metabolic dysfunction. Metabolic psychotherapy is a great option to address nearly all mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and even autism. This is what you want if you are seeking support with following a ketogenic diet/lifestyle to improve metabolism for mental illness.
Therapists want to help as many people as possible, but charging lower fees is unsustainable. Our fees may seem high, but we have various business expenses like taxes, rent, supplies, billing, software (especially HIPAA-compliant tools), and marketing. It's also normal to charge more for specialized services. For example, interns charge less than experienced therapists. Many therapists have not increased their fees despite rising costs, and while I consider my rate to be pretty reasonable ($153 is the average for Utah), I do know therapists who charge $225 or even $300. I'm open to working with third-party payers (insurance, bishop/pastor, grants) to help you access our services.
Because each person has different issues and goals for counseling, it will be different depending on the individual. I tailor my therapeutic approach to your specific needs. What we do in sessions depends on the type of therapy we are engaging in. How much you choose to open up is entirely up to you, but most people who hold back tend to not progress in therapy as much. At the other extreme, those who come to therapy just to "vent" also tend to waste a lot of time and money. Find your "happy medium" that feels right to you.
I'm a therapist who gives homework because I believe in teaching self-reliance so you don't have to keep coming back to therapy. Just like how those who open up more in therapy do better, those who follow through with homework also do better.
If you want to do something like EMDR or other trauma work, it's contingent upon your willingness to open up about your trauma. Often, I'll get people who want trauma therapy, but they don't progress because they just want to talk about current events and deflect attempts to focus on trauma.
Unfortunately, this is not possible to say in a general FAQs page. Everyone’s circumstances are unique to them and the length of time counseling can take to allow you to accomplish your goals depends on your desire for personal development, your commitment, and the factors that are driving you to seek counseling in the first place.
I have seen people anywhere from one session to a few years.
If you want to do something like EMDR or other trauma work, it's contingent upon your willingness to open up about your trauma. Often, I'll get people who want trauma therapy, but they don't progress because they just want to talk about current events and deflect attempts to focus on trauma.
To add another term to the mix, there's also "psychotherapy," which is the longer version of "therapy." There is a slight difference between therapy and counseling that's really only acknowledged on clinical licensure exams for therapists. Most of us, however, use these terms interchangeably. Simply put, I am a "counselor" based on what my license says, but a "therapist" or "psychotherapist" is anyone who is a licensed mental health provider. Both terms are regulated in most states and it's perfectly acceptable for me to use either one. I will usually call myself a "therapist" because it's a little less vague than "counselor."
I've had many people ask for this, but I do not generally provide it. Considering the root cause rather than the symptoms, I've found that most relationship issues don't actually stem from simply saying the wrong words to a romantic partner, but they are stemming from personal issues such as trauma or organic mental conditions.
I recommend that anyone considering couples/marriage therapy gets individual therapy (or nutritional support) first to work out personal issues. Once you resolve personal problems, whether physical or mental, you will probably find that your relationship improves simply because you feel better and are more patient toward other people. After both of you have done individual work, it may still be appropriate to get couples therapy.
Of course, there is always the possibility of the other person refusing to get individual help. And if that's the case in your relationship and you are in a dangerous situation, it may be best to remove yourself from it. We can't control others, but we can control ourselves!
This really goes against what many conventional therapists believe, but no. I strive to be neutral in this case, rather than "affirming." And while that might sound objectionable, I have had several LGBT clients who have been satisfied with my approach.
LGBT-affirming therapists tend to be that way from a strong political bias, and that doesn't resonate with me. I'm more interested in root-cause treatments and epigenetics and seeing the person as a whole rather than as a trendy label.
Generation Z and others are jumping on popular AI models and developing personal relationships with them because a premium subscription is cheaper than therapy and it's more convenient than talking to a real person. I am concerned about the ethics involved in using AI. For one thing, therapy is all about thoughts and emotions. But a computer/machine can't understand or reason on it's own. It can only do according to how it was "trained" based on pre-existing information available online (often false or biased information, too!). Human intervention is absolutely necessary here. I also don't believe AI to be mentally healthy as it teaches you to become dependent on it; people are losing the ability to think for themselves. I think it's unwise to share personal information with AI bots, especially medical information. Apparently, some companies are actually using this data to train their systems! So a word of caution, never use AI for personal health-related issues. And if you are using it for anything, I recommend privacy-friendly options like Duck.ai and Lumo. Never just default to the most popular products as they are often the least respectful of privacy and ethics (they are only popular because of clever marketing, not necessarily because they are actually better). Always use critical thinking and fact-check by looking at actual websites and thinking for yourself.
Actually, most therapists do. If you've ever owned a service business, this will be easier to understand. But if you are used to being an employee who gets paid regardless, I can understand the confusion. The fee is because we don't get paid by the hour, and we aren't usually on salary. We get paid per-service. That means if someone cancels or doesn't show up, we wouldn't be getting paid at all unless we charge a fee. Imagine how frustrating this can be if I have a gap in the afternoon and I'm waiting a few hours for a 4:00 appointment that doesn't happen. I should get paid for that wasted time that I could've gone home.
Regarding the amount of the fee, it is common practice to charge the equal amount to the cost of the session. Some offices will charge a lower fee, like $35, but I feel that it only helps people justify not showing up and I'm still not getting paid the full amount for that hour. Technically, you are paying for my time and expertise, not necessarily for services rendered. So if you late-cancel or no-show, it leaves an empty slot on my calendar for which I should be fairly compensated. I don't want to be greedy about this, but I also don't want to be cheated.
Nutritional Therapy
Theoretically, you could do it on your own and many people try. Most people don't think they need a nutritionist until they have diabetes or a weight problem. But unfortunately, most Americans are misinformed and don't know where to find sound information; even some healthcare providers aren't properly educated in this area. I've had many clients who claimed to eat a "healthy" diet, but their health continues to decline. I believe most people could benefit from getting guidance from someone who has professional training in holistic nutrition, especially because there's a ton of misinformation out there, often even coming from universities and other authorities. It can be very difficult to discern good information from bad (and I mentioned this before, but PLEASE don't use AI or Wikipedia for health information!). While results are never guaranteed because each client has different needs and solutions, having someone guide you can make the journey so much smoother!
This is adding to the previous question, specifically for those with general science degrees and licensed healthcare professionals. Unfortunately, I've had a handful of patients with a scientific/medical background who push pack against my nutrition philosophy because they think they already know more than me based on a superficial credential. If you are going to do this, I respectfully request that you find a different therapist. I have a unique specialization and don't want to waste my time with someone who isn't going to value my approach.
But if you are still curious about the answer to the above question, and I suspect that you likely are if you are reading my website at all, I'll lay it out for you. While nutrition does stem from fields of science like biology, chemistry, and others, it's important to recognize that nutrition is its own science. Understanding metabolism does not automatically mean you'll understand nutrition. Many scientists and medical professionals appear to assume that they are the same. But this mentality is what leads people to think that the body is a simple furnace burning "fuel," causing us to believe in the erroneous calories-in, calories-out model of nutrition, which leads many people to chronic disease. This is a terrible misunderstanding because not all calories are created equal. For example, 100 calories of avocado will be taken very differently by the body than 100 calories of donut. Despite both being sources of fat and carbohydrates, the quality really matters here. Quality means not only selecting the right foods in general, but also making sure they are clean, nutrient-dense sources, properly prepared, and in the right proportions. We also need to understand how food affects the body as a whole beyond simple cellular energy, such as sensitivities, inflammation, digestion, and blood sugar response. These are principles not covered in biology or chemistry classes.
It is possible that you can get some coverage if you are seeing me for a mental health focus and you are in Utah or Idaho. If you don't have mental health goals, or if you don't live in Utah or Idaho, insurance won't cover it.
Please understand that insurance companies are biased to allopathic (not holistic) medicine and will typically only cover services with conventionally licensed providers. The loophole to that is if you find a provider who is licensed in a conventional field but who has chosen to be holistic on their own. A holistic perspective is not taught in most schools, so it requires additional training beyond medical/graduate school.
Not usually. The Mediterranean diet is commonly understood to be the best diet for everyone (thanks, Ancel Keys), but it is only best for those who are generally healthy and living in a Mediterranean country. But I'm not saying you won't benefit from it. Most people who find it helpful are those switching from a diet of highly processed foods. If this is the only move you'll make, it's still a good one because you'll at least be eating more whole foods.
But here's why it's not optimal. A study called "The SMILES Trial" found that 32% of participants were in remission from depression after following the diet for 12 weeks in addition to regular psychotherapy. Remission is good, and again, this is probably because most of that 32% were switching away from ultra-processed foods. But there was still 68% who didn't get into remission. Why? Nutrition is bioindividual. The Mediterranean diet isn't what their body (and brain) needed to heal. It is high-carb and doesn't exactly promote optimal metabolic health for everyone.
If someone has a compromised gut, grains (and perhaps nuts and seeds) are generally not ideal. They would also need to figure out if they have any food sensitivities and remove those from the diet. Even Mediterranean foods can cause inflammation, depending on a person's bioindividual needs.
I believe everyone should eat food that is local and in-season for where you live. And most of us don't live near the Mediterranean (like Italy). If you live in North America, especially if you are inland, the local and in-season diet shouldn't look like Mediterranean because we simply don't have those same foods here.
After you've submitted all your paperwork, your first visit will begin with reviewing your completed medical forms, current food intake, health concerns, medical history, dietary supplement use, and talking about what your desired outcomes are.
We will work together to create a nutritional plan and follow-up appointments will track your progress from a physical and emotional perspective to ensure that the individually-tailored nutritional plan is working properly for you, and adjusting as needed.
Be aware that to get the most out of this, you'll need to be ready to make dietary and/or lifestyle changes, although we will make every effort to make them small and doable. This isn't meant to be only an education program, although some have signed up for that purpose.
Yes! Depending on your needs, I can have you sign a release of information form and collaborate with other providers.
It's very common to confuse a dietitian with a nutritionist. While a dietitian is a nutritionist, a nutritionist isn't always a dietitian. They are not the same thing. "Nutritionist" refers to anyone who practices nutrition, whether clinically, in research, coaching, or in education, licensed or unlicensed. Because it's so generic, I don't think it should be regulated, but some states do, and restrict its use only to registered dietitians (RDs, a licensed profession).
My official title is "Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner" (FNTP), but I will simply call myself a nutritionist if it's legally permitted. As an FNTP, I am unlicensed. Unfortunately, many people assume that unlicensed professionals are unqualified. But because I am licensed as a healthcare provider in a different role (psychotherapy), I can say that a license is just legal permission to practice and to use certain titles and terms. While a license usually requires a university degree, it is not a guarantee of expertise or competence. I've known many licensed professionals (even those with doctorate degrees) who, frankly, don't seem to know what they are doing. On the contrary, I've also known unlicensed practitioners who are very skilled and really help people.
A registered dietitian is typically a licensed professional, depending on the state they live in. Their license supports the medical profession, which in itself poses quality and ethical concerns. While I am not a dietitian, I have done a lot of research and have talked to those who are licensed RDs and have learned a lot about what they do and how it differs from holistic nutritionists like me. I will try to be nice and concise here, but I want to lay out the facts clearly as well.
RDs are taught to have a one-size-fits-all approach to everyone, usually promoting the low-fat, high-carb ideal. They have certain adjustments they will make for specific conditions, such as restricting sugars for diabetes and restricting calories for obesity. They are largely quantity-over-quality in their philosophy, such as hyper-focusing on calories, macros, and body weight. Their conferences, trainings, and research are often funded by processed food and pharmaceutical companies, which is a major conflict of interest. They are not taught that food is medicine, but more of a way to manage symptoms in adjunct with drugs. All of this is in the general sense, though. Some dietitians are actually holistic by their own choice, and are very good practitioners. But the standardized, university education for dietitians is certainly short of good quality, despite the accreditations and path to licensure. I even know someone who is getting a master's degree in nutrition, but has chosen against becoming a dietitian because she recognizes that it's not a good education!
Holistic nutritionists can go by many titles because of local regulations. Certifying schools will often trademark their credentials to protect the integrity of their programs and allow legal use of the title, and that is the case for FNTPs/NTPs. But there are several other titles one could use and still have a good, holistic, unbiased, rigorous education. While a certification isn't a degree or a license, it is more of a document to show accomplishment. It proves that the practitioner isn't just making things up and that they actually did get trained. To be fair, some certification programs are very low quality. These are the ones that give certification and unlicensed professionals a bad name. But there are also very good ones. Mine took a year and a half and sort of felt like getting another master's degree. Unaccredited schools, especially if they are holistic, will sometimes purposely forego accreditation, not because they aren't good enough, but because they recognize that accreditation would compromise the quality of their curriculum. That is very respectable.
So what do FNTPs/NTPs do? In contrast to a dietitian who practices "Medical Nutrition Therapy" to "treat" a disease, FNTPs practice "Nutritional Therapy," which is a foundational approach to holistic health. We focus on quality over quantity, meaning that we care more about bioindividuality, bioavailability, toxic burden, and nutrient-density than we do about superficial numbers. Our education is not funded by processed food or pharmaceutical companies, but we still have the foundational training in biology and chemistry that a dietitian would. Our nutrition philosophy is more about ancestral, seasonal, local, properly prepared whole foods than shelf-stable factory foods and drugs. We want to address the root cause of a condition to support the body's ability to heal itself rather than merely managing symptoms.
Hopefully, if you are reading my website, you are already on-board with a holistic philosophy and I don't need to convince you. If I do, you probably need to seek services elsewhere because I am not really here to debate; I'm here to help people.
But if you want a bit of an explanation, "pseudoscience" is a term used by some to delegitimize the competition. Other options are "misinformation," "disinformation," and a more outdated one, "quackery." I've seen these used by RDs, MDs, RNs, therapists, and laypersons, and people seem to really love using these terms online (side note: please don't rely on Wikipedia, social media, or A.I. for health information). We've seen a lot of reactive and speculative name-calling like this in recent years as political and social issues become more heated (and it really is socially driven, not based on sound scientific arguments).
Natural (or holistic) health is legitimate and science-based as a whole, but I agree that there are some methods people are using that may very well be "quackery." I even used to persecute those who promoted holistic health. But as I humble myself and really look into things, I am often surprised how legitimate some seemingly outrageous claims are. As you look into things yourself, you might even find that some conventional treatments can be pretty ridiculous, but they do a very good job pretending that these practices are legitimate by hiding behind a façade of authority and establishment.
It's important to recognize that natural medicine is heavily under-funded compared to mainstream medicine because it's more focused on helping people heal rather than improving a business model like its conventional counterparts. This lack of funding leads to a lack of research and some people erroneously jump to the conclusion that a lack of research proves fallibility. But please don't assume that a lack of research proves anything. There's no other conclusion to draw here, good or bad. Science is perpetual and will always be incomplete--it's the very nature of research! If anyone claims that science is "settled," "absolute," or provides "proof," they are practicing true pseudoscience.
Only the best. I do not usually recommend retail brands as they are lower in quality and may not work very well, ultimately costing you more money and making you frustrated. Instead, I choose professional brands that are typically only available to healthcare practitioners. I choose brands that are certified (ISO, cGMP) to ensure proper production, testing, and storage. Being picky about quality is what gets you better results! But this doesn't necessarily mean you'll spend more money. It really just depends on the product you need. Sometimes, the price is about the same as what you'd get at a retail store. Sometimes, it's a little more. And some of the products aren't even available from retail brands at all.
For those still wondering what specific brands I use, I lean toward Biotics Research and Standard Process. I will sometimes recommend other brands like Cellcore, Integrative Therapeutics, Thorne, or something else, depending on your needs. See my dispensary if you want to buy supplements from a reputable source.