Book on Nourish People ask me what a first session is actually like, usually because they’re nervous. They’ve imagined a stern, clipboard-energy version of the meeting and want to know if that’s what’s coming.
It isn’t. The first session is mostly about getting to know each other. We spend time on your history, your real life, and what brought you here. There’s no food log review, no grading, no agenda I’m trying to push you into. By the end, we land on a few small, realistic goals to try before we meet again.
Here’s the full walk-through.
Before we meet: booking
Most clients book through Nourish, which is the platform I use to run sessions and bill insurance. Many insurance plans cover sessions in full, and there’s a quick eligibility check on the booking page that confirms your coverage before you commit to anything. If you’re in a state I don’t currently take insurance in, cash-pay is also an option.
You’ll fill out some basics ahead of time so I’m not asking you about your address while we’re trying to actually talk.
What the session itself looks like
Sessions are virtual. You can take the call from wherever you’ll be most comfortable: at home, in a parked car on your lunch break, with the dog on your lap. People sometimes apologize for that. They don’t need to.
The first part is just getting to know each other. I’ll ask what brought you here, what you’ve tried, what’s felt complicated about food, and what you actually want from working together. There’s space for any questions you have for me: about my approach, my background, whether this is going to be a fit.
The middle of the session is more focused. I’ll ask about your medical history, lifestyle, and goals. Not as a test. As context. It helps me understand what your day is actually asking of you, where the structure is supporting you, and where it isn’t.
What we won’t do
A few things that often surprise people:
- I won’t grade your food log. You don’t even need to bring one.
- I won’t hand you a meal plan you have to follow. Meal ideas can be part of the work; rigid plans usually aren’t.
- I won’t make weight loss the goal of the conversation. Weight loss is not required to work with me, and many clients come with no weight-related goals at all.
- I won’t push you somewhere you didn’t agree to go.
If you have a complicated history with food, whether restriction, eating disorder history, or years of dieting, that doesn’t make you a bad fit. The work is specifically designed for that. I worked at an eating disorder treatment center across all levels of care before moving into outpatient practice, and that informs how I hold the space.
How we end
The last few minutes are about deciding what to try next. Together we land on a few actionable and attainable goals: small enough to actually try, specific enough to know whether we tried them, and flexible enough to survive a normal week.
That’s the session.
What happens after
Most clients book a follow-up when they’re ready. There’s no pressure to commit to a long arc. You can come in for a single session, a few sessions, or a longer stretch. We figure out the cadence together based on what’s actually useful to you.
If you want a sense of whether this might fit, the easiest first step is booking through Nourish. Many first sessions are covered in full by insurance, so there’s a low bar to seeing what the work actually feels like.