Health at Every Size® Healthcare Provider Listing
Emilee Young, RDN, LD
(she/her)
Registered Dietitian
Courage to Nourish, LLC
Alexandria,
Virginia,
United States
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Make an Appointment:
Special Instructions: Please call our office directly or email to schedule a free discovery call and initial appointment!
Sliding Scale Available
Waitlist Available
Specialties & Areas of Focus:
- Eating Disorders
- Intuitive Eating
- Disordered Eating
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Binge Eating Disorder
- Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
- Chronic Dieting
- Bulimia Nervosa
- Body Image Concerns
- Chronic Illness
Modalities & Theoretical Lenses:
- Health At Every Size
- Intuitive Eating
- Fat liberation
Age Groups Served:
- Children (birth through 12 years)
- Children (birth through 12 years)
Additional Populations Served & Allied Groups:
- All genders
- LGBTQIA+
- Transgender and Nonbinary folks
- BIPOC folks
- College students
Languages Services Offered In:
- English
- English
My Philosophy of Care
My goal through our work together is for my clients to feel empowered by their relationship with food and their body. I take time to listen and learn from the experiences that I have not had so I can best support them.
I value a gentle approach that prioritizes the safety of my clients- emotionally, medically, etc. Clients need a safe place where they know they are heard and seen. My approach does not center myself or my own ideals of what my clients may "need" or "not need" to be doing. Being a HAES provider, in my opinion, means the obvious of providing a weight-neutral space. But it also means being an advocate and activist for my clients. As a white and thin dietitian, it is my job to listen and learn as well as advocate for my clients. Some days that is listening and some days that is speaking out. For example, calling my client's doctor to discuss what my client needs for their upcoming appointment and gaining insight into the doctor's ability to provide a safe environment for them.
Other ways I provide honor HAES in my practice is by not taking my client's weights in my office (unless thoroughly discussed and medically appropriate), not centering eurocentric meal plans (or any meal plans unless thoroughly discussed), and also regularly having discussions about the barriers to health at every size and intuitive eating during sessions (which include but are not limited to racism, socioeconomics, food deserts, medical fatphobia)
About Me & My Practice
My decision to pursue being a dietitian comes from healing my own relationship with food and movement. I will not say through recovery or even after I was HAES aligned until I started to truly do my own work. Growing up with a fat body was incredibly challenging and I acknowledge the privilege I have now as a thin white clinician. This experience has given me the opportunity to provide others with a safe and supportive space to heal.
I have sought out paid supervision from those with marginalized identities to help me learn and unpack some of this as well as my own therapy. I have been a HAES provider for over 3 years now and continue my own work with multiple supervision each week.
I am still learning each day however I am confident in my ability to provide care and a safe space for all of my clients.
Accessibility Considerations
I primarily work in a virtual setting which allows my clients to sit comfortably in their own environment. I do see clients in person one day per week where there is access to a scale and blood pressure cuffs. The scale, if used, has a weight limit of 500 lbs. We have a range of blood pressure cuff sizes. Seating in the office does not have arms rests or sides for size inclusivity. We also have various forms of air conditioning and heating to accommodate temperature preferences.
Unfortunately, the bathrooms are not gender-affirming and do not uphold the values of my practice. There is an acknowledgment of this above the bathroom keys in our waiting area.
Our building is wheelchair accessible.