Lisa van Leeuwen

About Lisa

Hi, I'm Lisa (she/her)! I am here today because my own unhealthy relationship with food, exercise and my body back in middle and high school made me very sick. A dietitian helped change my life. Since 2017 I have been pursuing this path of wanting to help others who are struggling. I know that dietitians are notorious for being the food police. We have the potential to further exacerbate guilt and shame with eating, exercise, weight and body image. It is my mission to create a safe space for you in every session where you feel a non-judgmental, compassionate, and empowering presence supporting and guiding you in your nutritional wellness journey.

Approach to care

I provide compassionate, trauma informed and evidence-based nutrition therapy dedicated to honoring your complex relationship with food, movement and your body. I will guide you through evidence based strategies to help you to access your own inner wisdom, and will provide assistance where you get stuck. You do not need to have eating disorder concerns in order to work with me. If you are underweight, in a larger body or anywhere in between I will welcome the opportunity to help you achieve your goals the best I can. When working with eating disorders, I use CBT-E as the most evidence based treatment for adults seeking outpatient eating disorder treatment. My counseling style is also inspired by Motivational Interviewing, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy.

Your first session with Lisa

The first session is about an hour where we do an in depth assessment to learn how I can best support you. We will go through your health related history, current nutrition context, goals and create a plan together of how to achieve your goals. You are welcome to ask any questions you may have about me and what is will be like to work together.

Education

I have a Masters degree in Nutrition and Health Promotion (Eating Disorder Concentration) and have completed a dietetic internship specialized in eating disorders. I also have a Bachelors degree in Food and Nutrition and have obtained special certification in CBT-E for eating disorders and certification in religious trauma studies.

Hobbies

Some things I enjoy are being outside, camping, traveling, cooking, baking, hanging out with my dog and learning Brazilian Portuguese.

Licenses and Certifications