Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General Questions
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.
I'm both! But it depends on the state you're in as to what I'd call myself (some states restrict the use of "nutritionist." I focus on mental health as a licensed counselor in Utah, but I also specifically sought out training in clinical nutrition to support physical health. I did this because I realized that true health/medicine needs to incorporate nutrition. Our bodies (and brains) are made up entirely of nutrients. Nutrients help the brain signal to the rest of the body how to function.
So yes, I offer psychotherapy (AKA "counseling" or "therapy") as one service, and clinical nutrition (also called "nutritional therapy") as a separate service.
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. 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 highly educated 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. 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.
Medicines for physical and mental conditions often just hide symptoms without addressing the real cause of the disease. This approach is called "allopathic" medicine. Suppressing symptoms can lead to new problems. Mental illness is often linked to lifestyle choices and not just 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, which can have negative side effects. Some medications can create new imbalances or deplete nutrients, leading to the need for more medication and supplements. Although sometimes medication is necessary, it's important to consider alternatives that may require lower dosages or not needing medication at all. While I can't prescribe medication, I can suggest homeopathic medicines, which are more holistic and generally have no side effects.
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 will do my best to let you know ahead of time how much you can expect to pay, but insurance quotes are sometimes wrong. When you pay cash, it's much more straightforward.
Results aren't 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, so I can see you online if you live there. If you live outside of Utah or Idaho, 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. 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 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 help 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 not sustainable. Our fees may seem high, but we have various business expenses like taxes, rent, supplies, 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. I'm open to working with third-party payers 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.
There is a slight difference 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. I will usually call myself a "therapist" because it's less vague than "counselor."
Many seem to assume that using insurance is better in every way. I assumed the same before I became a provider. I've since learned that insurance isn't always better. In many ways, it can cost more or even be unethical. Insurance is very difficult for providers, but they charge a lot to patients as well in the form of premiums, they have access to all of your confidential medical data, and they sometimes don't cover very much, leaving you responsible for the balance.
But I get it; people have hard expectations to use insurance, at least in Utah. So I am now taking it as an in-network provider with certain insurance companies.
If I am not in-network with your insurance, please know that your insurance may still cover therapy! I use a billing service that helps us submit for out-of-network benefits on your behalf, and they may get you covered up to 80%. Check with your insurance directly to see what your out-of-network benefits are.
I know therapy can still be expensive if your insurance doesn't cover anything, which is why I offer discounted monthly rates for those who need to save some money (talk to me to get a lower rate based on an honest need). By paying cash, you will have consistent rates (no surprises) and will understand what you'll need to pay. You will be notified of any rate changes.
This really goes against what many conventional therapists believe, but no. I strive to be neutral in this case, rather than "affirming." However, 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.
Nutritional Therapy
I am not a physician and can't claim to "treat" physical conditions. But I will say this: medication, while it's often derived from "natural" substances, is typically so strong that it's out of proportion with what Nature intended. It almost always creates unwanted side effects (a sign of toxicity) and has long-term consequences for your overall health, perpetuating a perceived need for further medication to mask additional symptoms. It's not designed to address root causes. It's also unnecessarily expensive and, let's be honest, it's a commercial product that companies are very successful at getting people to take through their exorbitant marketing budgets. They are incentivized to keep people sick. Otherwise, they'd stop making money.
I have a food-first approach and consider food to be medicine. Your body is designed to heal itself if given the right circumstances, meaning the right nutrients and the right environment. In contrast to medications, this is focused on addressing root causes rather than just symptoms.
But I encourage everyone to be wise with these things. There are some instances in which medication and surgeries make sense, like acute conditions. If you break an arm or have some other emergency that you aren't properly trained to handle yourself, definitely seek medical attention. And in rare circumstances, I will recommend seeking out conventional care.
Unfortunately, most Americans are misinformed. I've had many clients who claim to eat a "healthy diet," but then they tell me they are eating low-fat/low-calorie foods and most of those foods are ultra-processed, and 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 coming from schools and other authorities. It can be very difficult to discern good information from bad.
Not usually. The Mediterranean diet is commonly understood to be the best diet for everyone, 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 metabolic health. Participants also most likely needed to follow a gut-healing protocol and/or get more fats in their diet to nourish the brain.
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.
It depends on the state or country you live in. "Nutritionist" is technically an umbrella term for anyone who practices nutrition, although some states regulate the word (which I would argue is inappropriate due to its generic nature). A dietitian, specifically, is usually a licensed professional, but please note that being licensed isn't always better. Dietitians are typically taught to focus on quantity rather than quality. I strongly suggest you steer clear of this philosophy as they will promote the consumption of ultra-processed foods as long as they think the numbers look okay. Hopefully this narrative is changing, but they will also typically push a low-fat diet and counting calories, which we now know are unhealthy practices. Instead, you want to find a nutritionist who is holistic (regardless of license). That means they will not only consider quantity, but also be focused on helping you find quality. A holistic nutritionist will also take numbers into account to some degree, but more importantly, they look at the ingredients, question where the food came from, and how it was prepared. High-quality food is important because it will be more nutritious and bioavailable (absorbable). It will also be cleaner (minimal poisons added to the food).
A Registered Dietitian (RD) may have a license issued by their respective state. But not all states regulate this. Arizona, for instance, doesn't even license dietitians. Nutritionists are usually certified, but it also depends on the state where some might also have a license.
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 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.
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 I had to throw this in here because I live in a community that doesn't seem to appreciate wholesome approaches to health. "Quackery" is a term used by some to delegitimize the competition. Other common ones, especially since the recent pandemic, are "pseudoscience" and "misinformation." I've seen these used by RDs, MDs, RNs, therapists, and laypersons, and people seem to really love using these terms on Wikipedia (please don't rely on Wikipedia 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). I find it interesting how backwards it all is.
Natural 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 simply making a profit like it's conventional counterparts. This lack of funding leads to a perceived lack of research and some people erroneously jump to the conclusion that it proves fallibility. But please don't assume that a lack of research proves anything. 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.