My favorite part about working as a dietitian is making nutrition feel accessible to any person. I see nutrition as self care, because nourishing our bodies is one of the kindest things we can do for ourselves. I love being able to support individuals and their families in finding accessible and enjoyable ways to nourish their bodies. For me, all foods fit, all bodies are good bodies, and I want to help change the idea that food and movement should be punishing, rather than joyful. Food plays many roles for us; it’s energy, it’s enjoyment, it’s cultural, it’s what we use to celebrate and spend time together. But food is never a tool of morality, where we are good or bad for what we choose to eat. It was early in my education that I recognized the potential harm that can come from strict rules around food, and I knew I wanted my career to be focused on eliminating, not increasing, fear and shame around food.
I work with teens and adults who are recovering from eating disorders, as well as those looking for a weight neutral, non-restrictive way to manage chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and gastrointestinal disorders. I’ve had the privilege of working in nonprofit primary care as a dietitian for the last few years, where I saw a wide array of needs every day. I believe this has made me a better dietitian, as nutrition is very much about the individual, and what works for one person may not work for another. The work challenged me to ensure I was taking into consideration all aspects of the client’s needs, to make a plan that felt sustainable and was supporting them in their goals.
Outside of work, I love to read, draw, and play cozy video games while hanging out with my two pet birds. And in true Portland fashion, I love bicycling to get around and appreciating the beautiful area we live in.
Approach and Philosophy
I always want to empower those that I work with to feel involved in their care, and know that I am there to support them, not to dictate what happens. Nutrition is unique to each person, and I want to help everyone find what works for them. I strive to make a space where clients feel that they can give me feedback, and tell me if something is or isn’t working for them. I love learning from my clients, and it is the people I work with that help me become a better dietitian. As a dietitian, it is my role to provide a safe, welcoming space for everyone. Seeing a dietitian and talking about food can be intimidating, and I see it as a privilege that people share this aspect of their lives with me. What is shared with me will not be met with judgement, but with compassion and understanding. As we work together, I am a cheerleader on your team, and someone to help you navigate the challenges along the way. My approach is individualized to each person, but it is rooted in the ideas of Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size. I believe strongly in providing inclusive care for all individuals to assist them in taking back their relationship with food and their bodies.
Education and Training
I received my Bachelors of Science in Nutrition from Oregon State University, and stayed in Oregon to complete my dietetic internship. My internship program allowed me to choose my own rotation sites, and I sought out a rotation with an eating disorder specialist at her private practice. This allowed hands-on training in working with clients in eating disorder recovery. Most of my career has been working in nonprofit primary care in Portland, where I was the first and only dietitian in the clinic. I worked extensively with various disease states and conditions, with an emphasis in mental health and how it affects nutrition. In addition to seeing individual clients, I also started cooking classes and disease management classes, to offer more rounded support for our client population.
Shelby is open to take new clients starting June 30th in our Portland office and virtual. You can schedule a discovery call with her here to see if she would be a good fit for you. Click Here To Schedule.