Welcome!
Welcome!
Welcome!
I’m Erin. I’m a registered dietitian/nutritionist on a mission to help you find your “healthy”. I can help you improve your relationship with food so that you can get back to what’s important to you.
What does that mean?
I believe that health is subjective. It is not defined by what you eat, the size of your body, or the medications that you take. Health is up to and determined by you.
The food that we eat can have a powerful impact on our physical health. When taken to the extreme, it can also negatively impact our emotional health and wellbeing.
And you know what?
Emotional and physical health are intricately connected.
How Can I Help You?
In a nutshell, I can help you quit stressing about food and get back to what’s important to you.
There is no perfect diet or one-size-fits all. I can help you identify what health means to you, what your lifestyle goals are, and help you cut through the noise in the nutrition world to find what is true for you.
My Approach
I am a weight inclusive practitioner. This means that I celebrate and honor body diversity. I do not prescribe restrictive diets or lists of foods to avoid. I use the principles of Intuitive Eating to support the work that I do with my clients.
I am sensitive to the culture that we live in that upholds the thin ideal. While I don’t prescribe or support restrictive diets myself, I can support you in your journey towards body acceptance wherever you are at.
My Vision
I envision a world where we can all reach our potential. I believe diet culture serves as a distraction. How much time do you spend thinking about changing your body? About the foods that you’re eating?
I am honored to play a role in the lives of the clients that I work with.
My Values
I believe that our values are what drive us in life. If the track we are on does not align with our values, it can cause a lot of distress! Because of this, my personal values are also my business values. I strive to incorporate them in my practice daily.
- Authenticity
- Accountability
- Autonomy
- Compassion
- Growth
- Meaningful Work
- Determination
- Humility
My Story
Like a lot of dietitians, I love food. I started reading food blogs back in the early days of blogging and fell in love with nutrition and cooking.
I also remember there being a lot of fear surrounding food. If you’ve ever tried to follow a diet, you know what I mean. Lots of “good food, bad food” lists, eat this, not that, calorie counts, etc. I learned the “calories in, calories out” method; pros and cons of low fat versus low carb; you name it.
For a few years, this approach worked. I got my dream job counseling patients in a collaborative care environment and loved being able to build lasting relationships with the patients and providers. But the “weight loss” dogma never felt right. I hated telling people to eat less, especially when it didn’t always translate to the results they were hoping for.
It was around this time I came across the concepts of intuitive eating and Health at Every Size ®. In a nutshell, these theories suggest that if we listen to our bodies, they will find their natural size. It also suggests that we can’t tell anything about a person’s health simply by looking at their body size.
That being said, sometimes our body’s natural size is not what we, our doctors, or society want it to be, and that really stinks. So I am here to be one part of your journey to making peace with this.
Whether it is managing a medical condition, promoting overall health and wellness, or overcoming a disordered relationship with food, I can help you navigate the “food part”.
Professional Bio
Erin is a Raleigh-based dietitian with experience working with a variety of medical conditions. She has worked in geriatrics, oncology, and most recently, diabetes care. She holds a master of science degrees in nutrition and has also been a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist since 2019..
After working in primary care for several years, she opened her private practice in January 2021 with the goal of bringing weight-inclusive care to more people in her community and to open up some space to focus on one of her own passions, writing.
What is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist?
A registered dietitian/nutritionist (“RD”, “RDN”) is a nutrition professional who has done the following:
- Received at least a Bachelor’s degree in a related nutrition field from an accredited university (many dietitians also have master’s degrees)
- Completed 1200 hours of supervised practice
- Passed a nationally recognized exam
- Maintains continuing education on an ongoing basis
Historically, RDNs went solely by the name of “registered dietitian”. The “/Nutritionist” was added in effort to help the public have a better understanding of what we do. However, you may hear of some individuals calling themselves a “nutritionist” without the RD credential preceding it. They are not necessarily registered dietitians.
What is the Difference Between a Dietitian and a Nutritionist?
All dietitians are nutritionists, but not all nutritionists are dietitians!
What does that mean? Well, a registered dietitian is a legally protected title. One can only call themselves a registered dietitian if they complete the steps outline above.
The title “nutritionist”, however, is not regulated unless it has the “RD” in front of it. This means that anyone can call themselves a nutritionist. They may or may not have the educational background to justify the title. So, in essence, “buyer beware”. Many dietitians will use the title nutritionist in addition to their registered dietitian title to help the public better understand what they do. The word “nutritionist” is nothing to be afraid of, but do your due diligence and ask questions!
What is a Diabetes Care and Education Specialist?
A diabetes care and education specialist (“CDCES”), formerly known as a Certified Diabetes Educator (“CDE”), is a health professional with specialized practice and study in diabetes care. They have met the following qualifications:
• Been in their practice at least 2 years
• Completed at least 1000 hours of diabetes education
• Passed a nationally recognized exam
• Completed at least 15 hours of diabetes-related continuing education each year
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