hello!

Glad you’re here. My name is Meng and I’m a Registered Dietitian (DI 61310308) and certified yoga teacher. At Cared For Nutrition, I offer one-on-one nutrition counseling for adults 18+. To book a free discovery call, send me a message through the “Contact” tab. Read on to learn more!

why nutrition counseling?

Nutrition counseling is a lot less like telling you what to eat and a lot more like exploring and understanding your relationship with food.

Whether you like it or not, everyone has a body, and everyBODY needs to eat. But with the messaging about food and bodies engrained into our culture, our relationships to them understandably become complex and even strained over time.

I have years of experience in providing therapeutic nutrition counseling; from schools to corporate wellness programs, from hospitals to mental health settings. Wherever you are on your eating journey, my job is to come by your side in guiding your relationship with food and eating to a more peaceful, settled place.

A not-all-encompassing list of reasons why nutrition counseling sessions may be a good fit for you:

  • You are planning a discharge from an eating disorder treatment program and would like to find a dietitian to establish long-term outpatient care with

  • You have tried every diet out there but have never felt at peace with your eating and/or relationship with your body

  • Food and eating times feel stressful, out of control, or both; might be missing time with family/friends, avoidant of situations that involve eating, or eating induces intense shame and/or guilt

  • You have always been a “picky eater,” you experience sensory/textural issues with many foods that gets in the way of nourishing yourself or living life fully

  • You feel overwhelmed with the tasks associated with eating (meal planning, purchasing food, food preparation, etc.)

  • You have been diagnosed with a chronic condition that affects eating and would like more support with nutrition that is specific to your condition

my approach

Rather than taking a defined set of approaches, there is a multitude of learning that guides my work.

Eating disorder training:
I currently work in a higher level of care treatment setting that includes extensive experience with acute complications seen in those struggling with eating disorders. It is humbling to witness the healing that happens in recovery. In this work, I have been trained in RO-DBT (Radically Open Dialectical Behavioral Therapy), and commonly see clients who have co-occurring psychological symptoms such as OCD, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. I also lead a weekly yoga group that applies trauma-informed and body inclusivity principles.

HAES® (Health At Every Size®)-informed:
Health At Every Size® is a weight-neutral framework that emphasizes life-enhancing behaviors without intentional weight loss as a goal. This approach works to reduce the harm of anti-fat bias and discriminatory practices within a weight-centric healthcare system, instead focusing on the multitude of other factors that contribute to overall well-being. To learn more, visit https://asdah.org/haes/

Being a first-generation immigrant and “third-culture kid”:
I was born in China, came to the US when I was 4, then moved back and forth between the US and Hong Kong after that. If you’re also a TCK, you’d know both the upsides and downfall of this type of upbringing. While I’ve always had difficulty with belonging, it also brings a strong sense of empathy, sensitivity and cultural humility to the relational aspects of this work.

Neurodivergence:
I was diagnosed with ADHD in my 30’s. Just having the diagnosis alone was helpful and healing. I can finally combat the feeling of always thinking there was something “wrong” with me. I am still very much on a journey of understanding my brain, fighting internalized denial, and generally trying to get my sh*t together.

Individualized approach:
The interesting thing about this work is that it is so individualized. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution that is helpful to everyone (and if anyone says there is…run!). My approach is one that meets you where you are and tailored to your needs. In working with me, you can expect the different parts of my work history and lived experiences and lots of humor infused into our time together.

specialties

I love working with adults of all walks of life, the following are intersecting populations and themes that I have particular interest and experience in working with:

Eating disorders/disordered eating
BIPOC folks and culturally-informed care
ADHD, autism and other types of neurodivergence
Gender-affirming care
Athletes and sports nutrition