Nutrition therapy and Counseling

Offering individual sessions that are

  • Personalized

    During an initial consult, we discuss your current status and collaborate on a personalized plan to fit your needs and goals.

    Follow-up consults serve as a check-in to celebrate progress and discuss challenges.

    The frequency of follow-up appointments depends on your needs and availability, but generally ranges from every 2-4 weeks with private messaging in between sessions for guidance and support.

  • supportive

    Change is not easy and progress is seldom linear. We can be hard on ourselves when we struggle with sticking to plans. The shame that results keeps us feeling stuck or hopeless.

    Counseling is not about “doing the task”, but rather cultivating curiosity around the challenges and a willingness to try something new (this is where somatic work can be most helpful).

    Rey’s role is to offer perspective, support, and guidance through the hard times so that we build confidence and competence to meet your goals.

  • integrative

    Nutrition goes beyond a “calories-in-calories-out” model, or one that relies on the morality of “good” versus “bad” foods.

    Instead, we need a broader framework that encompasses and examines our relationship with food and our bodies, social relationships, environment we live and work in, culture, and more.

    In some cases, it may be necessary to involve other healthcare practitioners for support to tie everything together.

 

On Cultural Relativism and the diet

As an AfroIndigenous dietitian working in a predominately White Eurocentric medical field, I recognize that many of our ancestral foods and dishes have been misrepresented as “unhealthy” in the scope of “a healthy diet”. Our foodways are a deep part of our ancestral heritage and identity as they are born out of stewardship of the land. Undoubtedly, colonialism has negatively altered many of those traditions and dishes over time into what I call a “memory” of what they used to be.

I am committed to reframing the narrative and practice around our cultural foods by upholding their nutritional and medicinal values. Whereas I am particularly well versed in West African and Latin American foodways as a member of those diasporas, I have some experience and can provide resources for folks of First Nations, Middle Eastern, and Asian heritage.

Frequently Asked Questions - FAQs

  • I work with adults (18+) in a one-on-one setting.

    If you are a couple seeking nutrition counseling, please note that I meet with you individually first to distinguish your unique needs from your partner’s before we can begin to meet as a group.

  • At your initial consult, I listen to your health story and goals, analyze any nutrition-related lab work, and review your food journal. Then I’ll provide you with an overview of how I can help. At the end of the first session, you’ll have a few action steps to get you started.

    During follow-up sessions, we’ll review the action steps and make adjustments that work for you. If you struggle with completing the action steps, then can pivot into more counseling to identify any roadblocks, before we resume the action plan.

    At a minimum, some folks need 4-5 visits to get into a good rhythm. Some people may require more or less time - it all depends on your situation.

    Typically I start meeting with clients every 2-4 weeks and then eventually check in monthly to monitor your growth until we both feel you have graduated from my services.

  • Yes, I discuss supplements with clients when indicated. It is important to keep in mind that supplements is an unregulated industry, and there is no mandate for testing for quality or accuracy. For this reason, I strongly advise against purchasing from places like Amazon.

    Most supplements that I recommend come from FullScript, a dispensary that regularly tests their inventory for accuracy and quality. In full transparency, I do receive a small commission from products ordered through FullScript, but it is a small amount compared to how much you save when you order on FullScript with my provider discount.

    I may also recommend supplements from reputable brands (i.e FullWell) or local apothecaries - for these, I do not receive any commission.

  • Monday: 1pm-7pm EST

    Tuesday: 10am-7pm EST

    Wednesday: 1pm-7pm EST

    Thursday: OFF

    Friday: 9am-4pm EST

    Saturdays: 10am-3pm EST

    • Digestive issues: IBS, Crohn’s, Celiac disease, SIBO, SIFO/candida, GERD or heartburn, LPR, parasite overgrowth, gastroparesis, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, food allergies and/or sensitivities

    • Ovarian conditions: PMS, PMDD, PMOS, endometriosis, cysts, fibroids

    • Adrenal insufficiency or fatigue

    • Hypothyroidism, including autoimmune ( Hashimoto’s)

    • Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes

    • Perimenopause

    • Headaches or Migraines

    • Brain Fog

    • Fatigue

    • Anemia caused by iron, ferritin, and/or vitamin deficiency

    • High Cholesterol and NonAlcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)

    • Histamine Intolerance, MCAS, and mold exposure

  • Yes. Please click the “Work with Me” button and select a time using the Appointlet feature.

    If you do not see any times listed, my schedule may be full. Please check back periodically as the calendar updates in real time based on my availability.

  • Yes, as long as your insurance plan includes coverage for nutrition services. I am in-network with most major providers.

    After you’ve completed your new client forms, a member of my staff will contact your insurance provider to verify your benefits before we meet.

  • I am in-network with the following insurance companies:

    • Aetna

    • Anthem Blue Cross

    • Blue Cross Blue Shield

    • BCBS Federal FEP

    • Care First BCBS

    • Cigna

    • Fallon Health (prior authorization required)

    • Harvard Pilgrim

    • Health Plans Inc

    • Imagine 360

    • Mass General Brigham (formerly AllWays)

    • Meritain Health

    • Oxford

    • Partners Direct Health

    • Tufts Health (commercial only - no self-funded or state public plans)

    • United HealthCare

    • UMR

    • WellPoint Plus (MA only)

  • I am in-network with Medicare in the state of Massachusetts, only. However coverage for nutrition is extremely limited, so we will need to check your secondary insurance policy (ex: BCBS) for adequate coverage.

  • I am not contracted with any public health plans. As an out-of network provider, there are two options for insurance coverage:

    1) If you have a PPO or POS plan that allows you to obtain services from non-participating providers, then your visits may be covered with a Prior Authorization obtained through your Primary Care Physician. Call the Member Services number on the back of your insurance card to verify.

    2) If you cannot obtain covered services through Prior Authorization, please contact me. Under the Good Faith Estimate provision of the No Surprises Act, I will provide you with my rates per service.

  • If you do not have insurance or adequate coverage through your insurance provider, please contact me. Under the Good Faith Estimate provision of the No Surprises Act, I will provide you with my rates per service.

    If I am not in network with your insurance and you have a PPO or POS plan that allows you to obtain services from non-participating providers, then your visits may be covered with a Prior Authorization obtained through your Primary Care Physician. Call the Member Services number on the back of your insurance card to verify.

  • In our first session, I review your intake forms and may ask you additional questions to get a thorough baseline for our work. Then I will provide an overview of services based on your needs and offer you a few action steps to get you started.

    At follow-ups, we check in on your progress with the previously discussed action steps. If you find yourself struggling to make changes, that’s OK! It oftentimes means that there is a roadblock that we didn’t account for and we need to restrategize (this is common- not every thing works for every person). If we are waiting on test results, we’ll review the findings and talk about diet, lifestyle, botanicals, and supplements (if needed).