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I  have a profound understanding of my clients’ struggles and what it takes to heal because of my own recovery from an eating disorder.

I am a Registered Dietitian and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist with 10+ years of experience treating eating disorders in various levels of care.

 

I currently work 1:1 with clients in the outpatient setting through BeyondWell KC, a private eating disorder treatment clinic based in Kansas City, MO that I co-founded & co-own. 

 

I have been in recovery for almost 20 years and it is my own battle with an eating disorder and work with a remarkable dietitian that inspired me to help others navigate their own path to healing. 

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a little bit of my story...

How it Started vs How its Going

After high school - and still in my own eating disorder - I completed my undergraduate degree in Nutrition & Dietetics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and my Dietetic Internship & Master’s Degree at the University of Kansas Medical Center. 

 

After I completed graduate school, I worked for several years in weight management before I really realized that the systems I was trained in were riddled with weight bias and in helping people manage their health with black and white rules that I believe promote eating disorders.

 

I  was horrified to realize I was part of the problem with the way we approach nutrition and health in our culture.  So, I returned to my roots and made a shift into working with eating disorders, disordered eating, and exposing diet culture for what it is — an insidious, money-hungry system that capitalizes on our insecurities and perpetuates the faulty belief that health and happiness are size-dependent.

Now, I am a proud Health at Every Size (HAES®) practitioner, trained as a master’s level Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS) & am co-founder of BeyondWell KC, a private practice dedicated to the treatment of eating disorders and disordered eating in Kansas City.

  • "Would you refer someone to Jessica? Why?"
    "I would absolutely refer anyone to Jess! It would not be an exaggeration to say that working with Jessica has been life-changing for me." _______ "Absolutely! She is very easy to work with and one of the most helpful people in so many client's lives. Especially mine. She is a very empathetic person and cares so deeply - it shows in every interaction. She always sees the best in you no matter what you are coming to her for, and she believe in you even if you don't believe in yourself." _______ "I highly recommend Jessica and will continue to sing her praises!"
  • "How have you been positively impacted by your work together with Jessica?"
    "I hate talking about my feelings and issues, but with Jessica, everything felt so easy. Greeting me at the door with a smile and asking me questions related to my life always brightened my mood even on the hardest days. She listened to anything and everything I had to say and made me feel heard. I never felt alone because Jessica would bring up personal stories and events that related to what I was currently going through. Hearing that I am not the only one struggling or feeling this way helped me open up more than I would have ever imagined." _____ "If it weren't for Jessica or the help and guidance she gave me, I feel I would still be deep in my eating disorder. She educated me and listened to me even when I was "word vomiting" and didn't know what I was saying. She still was there for me even when I would lie to her... She was just the most helpful person for me when I was in treatment and I always looked forward to our sessions." _____ "Jess has transformed my life. I have been in treatment for ARFID for about five years and this is the first time I have hope of a normal life someday. I don't dread going to the dietitian anymore, either!"
  • "What was it like for you before and what has been like after working with Jessica?"
    "Before I met Jessica, I was very stubborn and did not want to recover in the slightest. I also had no faith that I would ever be able to recover. Although I may not be 100% recovered, I have proved my previous stubborn self wrong. I have made an extreme amount of progress in my recovery that was only possible with the help of Jessica. I never thought I could get to where I am today!" _______ "After struggling with food, exercise, and body image issues, adding Jessica to my treatment team has been a real lifesaver. Partnering with her on this journey has provided me with nutritional education, a listening ear for all my frustrations, and a swift kick of accountability when I need it most." _______ "Before I struggled with a lot of anxiety through dietitian appointments. While that anxiety isn't entirely gone, I can walk into the office knowing that I have support through Jess and we can get through anything together. It used to take me about three months to incorporate an exposure food into my diet, and now it only takes me about a month. I have improved vastly since beginning to work with Jess. I'm also more encouraging toward myself rather than beating myself up, because her attitude has rubbed off on me!" ______ "When I came to Jessica, every food was bad and not exercising induced anxiety. I thought about food and exercise all the time and agonized about my body. Now my relationships with food and exercise are positive, and I am mostly comfortable in my body." ______ "When I first approached her, I considered myself "healed" from disordered eating—I'd worked with a therapist for years to eliminate purging and restriction from my eating habits. Through working with Jessica, though, I realized how much of my brain space was still devoted to thoughts about food and body image. Through our sessions I started learning what a normal relationship with food and my body would look like, and realized I did not currently have that relationship in place. I had years of ingrained rules and restrictions that I considered normal, but were contributing to an exhausting state of never being fully at peace with food."
  • "What is it like working with Jessica? What was your experience working with her?"
    "It is apparent that Jessica cares about each of her clients as individuals and creates a welcoming, non judgmental environment within her office. She also includes the use of humor in sessions which make them enjoyable and provides comedic relief to some difficult discoveries and conversations." ______ "Jessica is super respectful and takes things at a pace that works best for each individual patient. Her goal is not to heal you as fast as she can, but to heal you the correct way that will be long-lasting. Jessica taught me skills that will not just help me during my worst days, but skills that I will carry with me for the rest of my life." ______ "Jessica would bring up personal stories and events that related to what I was currently going through. Hearing that I am not the only one struggling or feeling this way helped me open up more than I would have ever imagined." ______ "Jessica is kind but firm, which is exactly what I think many eating disorder patients need. Jess works holistically and truly cares about every aspect of her patients' lives, not just their eating." ______ "Jessica will always root for you no matter what you're there for. She will believe in you even when you can't see it getting better. You're never alone because Jessica will be in their corner rooting for you!" _______ "Jessica is is always honest about the journey you will go on and provides support in many ways including books, worksheets and sympathy. I have always felt like she is there for me and that my journey is important to her. Even now, when I only need to see her occasionally when I am triggered or struggling, she always fits me right in and supports me fully. She is gentle, patient, and cautious of overwhelming you, while still challenging you."

What It's Like Working with Me

from my previous clients
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FAV TV SHOW
OBSESSED WITH
LOVES

The Office

True Crime

A good pun, card/board games & 90s jams

FAV ANIMAL
FAV QUOTE
WILL WEAR

Elephant (they are intelligent, loyal, and compassionate!)

"Freedom is living between the black and white"

a good pair of sweatpants, holes and all (until my husband confiscates them)

A FEW                     
fun facts...
I look forward to getting to know you next!
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