What should I expect when working with a Summerfield dietitian?
Your first appointment will likely be between 60-90 minutes, based on your preference and insurance coverage. The first session is the intake appointment, where we learn a lot about you and your health so we can best help you reach your goals. This includes what brings you to work with us, your medical and family history, your medication or supplements, and an exploration of your current diet and lifestyle. We use these details to determine the nutrition education that is most relevant for you and to offer a follow-up schedule that sets you up for success.
In future visits, we will work together to explore additional lifestyle factors, including stress, sleep, and physical activity. These pillars of wellness serve as a foundation of health and are interconnected in many ways. We blend nutrition education, coaching, counseling, and principles of behavior change to empower you to learn, implement changes, overcome barriers, plan your meals, set actionable goals, and persist toward your vision of health. We focus our attention on what you find most beneficial, session by session. And if you aren’t quite sure which direction to go, we can guide you through that discovery process, too.
Most follow-up appointments are 60 minutes, though some patients prefer to meet for 30 or 45 minutes. During these sessions, we check in on your progress and continue to discuss food and nutrition-related topics, the other pillars of wellness, such as stress, exercise, and sleep, and how these lifestyle factors impact your overall health and well-being.
Do you accept health insurance?
Yes, we are in-network providers with Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, NC State Health Plan, and UnitedHealthcare. Most of these plans cover nutrition services at 100% as a preventive service for their members.
Our office will gladly check into your coverage for you to determine your nutrition benefits. Contact us with your insurance information, and we will provide you with your coverage details.
Unfortunately, we are not in-network with Medicare, Humana, or Tricare, as there are limitations related to nutrition services for members.
Who benefits from nutrition counseling?
Anyone interested in personalized support with managing a health condition, reducing symptoms, improving their health, reaching a goal, or changing behavior could benefit from nutrition counseling. Nutrition counseling and Medical Nutrition Therapy are terms that are often used interchangeably.
Some of the common conditions, concerns, or goals that we help clients with include:
- Acid Reflux
- Anti-Inflammatory Diets
- Autoimmune Diseases
- Crohn’s Disease
- Diabetes and Prediabetes
- Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis
- Food Allergies and Intolerances (gluten-free, dairy-free, etc.)
- Gut Health and Digestive Concerns
- High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
- High Cholesterol (Hyperlipidemia)
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Metabolic Syndrome
- Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
- Preconception, Pregnancy, and Postpartum
- Relationship with Food
- Ulcerative Colitis (UC)
- Thyroid Disorders
- Vegetarian and Vegan Diets
- Weight Loss
- Weight Gain
- Women’s Health, Hormones, and Menopause