top of page
Kate Sweeney Nutrition Vineyard.jpg

Philosophy & Approach

My Philosophy

"Food is our common ground, a universal experience."

- James Beard
​
Food and Body are complex topics. Our bodies are our home, are us, the means to expression and being. Food sustains our bodies, and provide memories and experiences that tie us together socially and culturally. Food is a pathway to yourself, your body - through taste, smell, texture, cooking, and more. We need to eat for physical health, and for overall wellbeing. Food should not be a source of stress but rather one of embodiment, so that you can experience life. We all deserve to enjoy food and all that intersects with it- culture, religion, taste, travel, and more- while eating in a way that fits our unique needs.
Kate Sweeney Nutrition sushi.jpg
Kate Sweeney Nutrition Fish.jpg
Kate Sweeney Nutrition pasta.jpg

My Approach

Every client's story is unique. Food is one piece of that story. You are the expert, and I will partner with you to explore your relationship with food and movement while understanding you- sleep, stress, lifestyle, relationships, medical conditions, lived experience, and more. I aim to help clients eat with trust and choose food that meets their health, taste, sensory, medical, social, cultural, financial, and emotional needs.

 

With great interest and passion, I continue to read and explore the literature to help clients. I have a wealth of experience and knowledge on the topic of disordered eating. To me, recovery and the process of getting there is helping clients deal with the inherent uncertainty of life and remembering themselves- through choosing and doing the hard things and finding their definition of freedom and purpose. ​​

 

Foundations of my work include:

Providing the Best Care Possible

  • Listening to you actively.
  • Cultivating a supportive therapeutic relationship.
  • Meeting clients where they are at.
  • Firmly rooting my practice in Healthy at Every SizeTM principles. 
  • Being honest about when a higher level of care is needed (for eating disorders).
  • Truly believing that all foods fit- from pasta to spinach to granola bars to nuts to...
  • Bringing in Intuitive Eating® counseling & resources when appropriate.
  • Using my training in body image, Motivational Interviewing & counseling skills like CBT, DBT, Exposure and Response Prevention & ACT.
  • Providing trauma-informed care.
  • Providing clear, evidence-informed answers & debunking nutrition myths.
  • Using food & cooking in the work.
  • Partnering with you on your journey.

Continual Learning & Improvement

  • Staying up to date on nutrition science literature, as well as topics in psychology and medical science.
  • Building continued proficiency in counseling techniques like Motivational Interviewing, food exposure, CBT, etc.
  • Obtaining clinical supervision on eating disorders, OCD, GI diagnoses & other nutrition-related health concerns.
  • Attending continuing education opportunities regularly.
  • Reflecting on my biases and privileges, and acknowledging my blind spots.
  • Researching topics that I do not have lived experience in.
  • Collaborating  with other members of a client's treatment team (including coaches, family, peers, etc), and learning from them.
  • Obtaining the Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS) in 2023.
  • Learning from clients!
bottom of page