FAQ

Nutrition therapy is not just about learning what to eat or how to exercise. It’s a collaborative, healing relationship between you and your dietitian—one that supports you in changing how you relate to food, your body, and yourself.

Together, we work to untangle old patterns and gently shift the beliefs that have kept you stuck. Over time, eating begins to feel less chaotic and more natural—guided by hunger, fullness, and satisfaction instead of guilt or fear. Food becomes a way to care for yourself, not control yourself.

This work isn’t about perfection. It’s about reconnecting—with your body, your needs, and your ability to nourish yourself with kindness. It’s about creating a way of living that includes joyful movement, pleasurable eating, and genuine trust in your body’s wisdom.

To read more about what this process looks like and how it unfolds, click here.

You don’t have to do this alone. And you don’t have to keep struggling. There’s a way through—and we’re here to walk it with you.

If concerns about food, eating, or weight are getting in the way of living fully—and you’re ready for meaningful change—nutrition therapy may be the next step.

Healing disordered eating takes commitment, support, and a willingness to explore what’s beneath the surface. It’s not always easy, but you don’t have to do it alone. We’ll walk with you through the process—one step at a time—until food is no longer a daily struggle, and you feel more at home in your body and your life.

Not sure if it’s the right fit?
We offer a free 20-minute consultation call to talk about your goals, answer your questions, and help you decide if nutrition therapy makes sense for you right now. We’d be honored to connect with you.

Call us at 352-371-8181), text or email.

Nutrition therapy and psychotherapy offer different, but deeply complementary, paths to healing.

In nutrition therapy, we focus on your relationship with food, your body, weight concerns, movement, and the thought patterns that keep you stuck in cycles of overeating, deprivation, guilt, and fear. We help you move away from the diet mindset and toward a way of eating that honors your internal cues, physical needs, and emotional well-being.

Psychotherapy often focuses on the deeper roots—exploring relationships (past and present), emotions, trauma, and the internal stories that shape how you see yourself and the world.

Many of our clients work with both a therapist and a nutritionist, and we often explain it this way:
Therapists help you heal your relationships—with others and with yourself. We help you heal your relationship with food.

We come at the eating disorder from different angles, but we’re working toward the same center: where nourishment and connection meet. Where food is no longer tangled up in emotional pain or relationship patterns—and where both eating and relationships become ways of caring for yourself, not controlling yourself.

Healing happens in that overlap. And we’re here to walk with you toward it.

That depends on your goals and how deeply rooted the disordered eating patterns are.

Some people come in once and feel ready to move forward on their own—though that’s rare. For most, healing takes time. With disordered eating and eating disorders, the process can take anywhere from a few months to several years. It’s not about doing it perfectly—it’s about giving yourself the space and support to truly shift what’s been keeping you stuck.

We’ll get a general sense of what’s needed during your free consultation call, and a clearer picture after your initial nutrition assessment.

If you’re working with a therapist or treatment team, your nutrition therapist will collaborate closely with them. Together, we’ll help you untangle patterns that may have taken years to form—at a pace that honors your readiness and respects your process.

Yes. We believe full recovery is possible—because we’ve seen it.

Many people speak of “being in recovery,” and that language may feel true and supportive for a time. But it’s also important to know that you don’t have to live in recovery forever. It’s possible to move beyond constant food thoughts, body distress, and the daily negotiations around eating.

That said, full recovery takes time, commitment, and often deep, uncomfortable work. Not everyone chooses to go that far—and that’s okay. There is no one right way to heal. But we want you to know that complete freedom is possible.

Over the years, we’ve received letters from former clients—months or even years later—sharing their joy, their peace, and the surprising ease they’ve found with food, movement, and their bodies. It’s not just wishful thinking. It’s real.

And that’s something truly hopeful to hold onto—something to look forward to as you take each step.

Your first session is a nutrition assessment and typically lasts 50 to 60 minutes. In a supportive, non-judgmental space, we’ll begin exploring—at your pace—things like your eating patterns, weight history, symptoms or concerns, activity level, and overall relationship with food and your body.

Together, we’ll talk through your goals and begin identifying what support you need to move toward them. By the end of the session, you’ll have a clearer sense of your next steps and a plan to get started.

Want a more detailed look at what the first appointment involves? [Click here to learn more.]

Yes. Once your nutrition assessment is scheduled, you’ll receive a separate email with a link to your intake forms. The paperwork takes about 20 minutes to complete and can be filled out securely online—no printing or scanning needed.

Completing it ahead of time helps us make the most of your first session together.

Nutrition therapy is highly individualized—there’s no one-size-fits-all plan. After your initial session, your dietitian will help you determine how often to meet based on your goals, needs, and what feels manageable for you.

Follow-up sessions are typically 50 or 25 minutes, depending on what’s most supportive for you at each stage of the process.

We offer both in-person sessions at our Northwest Gainesville office and telehealth sessions for your convenience.

To view availability or schedule an appointment, click the Schedule button under Services at the top of this page.

Yes. We continue to take precautions to help keep everyone safe.

• If you have a fever, symptoms, or recent exposure to someone who tested positive for COVID-19, we ask that you meet via telehealth instead of coming in person.

• Hand sanitizer is available in the office.

• You’re welcome to pay online to avoid using a credit card in person.

Our goal is to provide a safe, comfortable space for healing—whether that’s in person or online.

Weighing is a deeply personal decision, and we respect your right to choose what feels best for you. For many clients, stepping on a scale can bring up anxiety, fear, or old belief systems—and we take that seriously.

In some cases, particularly when someone is at a very low weight, we may need to weigh for medical or therapeutic reasons. When that happens, we do it with care and intention. We always take time before and after to talk through the experience, process what comes up, and support your healing—not just your weight.

Many clients choose not to know their weight as part of their recovery. In those cases, we offer what’s called a “blind weight,” where the number is not shared with you, but is tracked by your nutrition therapist. And we offer several ways to do a blind weight if you are doing telehealth sessions.

We often encourage clients not to weigh themselves elsewhere—including at the doctor’s office. There are many reasons for this (we’re happy to talk them through with you). If your physician or another provider needs your weight, we’re glad to send it to them directly. Just a heads-up: there are rare situations—like anesthesia or certain medications—where weighing in a medical setting may be required.

No matter what, your autonomy and safety come first. We’re here to support you in making choices that align with your recovery.

A missed or last-minute cancellation doesn’t just delay your progress—it also prevents someone else from using that time. That’s why we keep a clear and consistent cancellation policy.

• We ask for at least one week’s notice if you need to cancel an appointment.

• If you’re unable to give at least 48 hours’ notice (not counting weekends), you’ll be charged for the time that was reserved for you—unless we’re able to reschedule you within the same week or fill the spot with another client. (In most cases, it takes 3–4 days to fill a cancelled session, so the more advance notice you can give, the better.)

• Fees are waived in the case of unexpected serious illness, contagious conditions, or personal emergencies. And if you’re sick but still want to meet, we’re happy to offer a telehealth session instead.

We understand that life gets busy. We truly appreciate early notice when something comes up—and we also affirm your right to care for yourself. If that means you choose to rest, study, or finish a project instead of attending your session, we respect that choice. We just ask that you honor the policy and understand that fees still apply in these cases.

Just as we ask you to value and respect our time, we hold ourselves to the same standard. If we make a scheduling error or miss an appointment, you’ll receive a financial credit to make it right.

Payment is due at the time of service. We accept cash, checks, and all major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express). You’ll receive a payment form with your initial paperwork to make things easier.

If you need to arrange for billing, please let us know in advance. Any balance not paid within 30 days of the billing date may be subject to monthly late fees.

There is a $20 fee for any returned checks.

Our fees vary depending on the clinician you see. The easiest way to view current rates is to start the scheduling process—you’ll see each provider’s fee before making any commitments. You’re welcome to exit the process at any time.

To check rates, just go to Services at the top of this page and click Schedule Appointment.

Reduced rates are occasionally available, depending on current caseload and client need. If cost is a concern, feel free to reach out—we’ll do our best to help or refer you to additional options.

Good Faith Estimate

Effective January 1, 2022 you have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” (GFE) explaining how much your medical care will cost. Nutrition Therapy Associates has always provided transparency in our billing practices by displaying our fee schedule online, as a part of our onboarding process for new clients, and each time you make an appointment online (where are fees are displayed again). Please know that the Good Faith Estimate does not change any agreements you have already made with us with regard to self pay. Under the law, health care providers need to give clients who don’t have insurance or who are not using their insurance an estimate of the bill for medical services.

You have the right to receive a GFE for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services.

If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your GFE, then you can dispute the bill.

Make sure to save a copy or picture of your GFE (a copy will be in your client portal for you to review)

For questions or more information about the GFE, go to www.cms.gov/nosurprise. or call 1-800-985-3059.

We are out-of-network providers for FEP Blue (Blue Cross and Blue Shield Federal Employee Program) which provides benefits to federal employees, retirees, and their eligible family members.

We expect to be accepting insurances in July 2025. Meanwhile, we provide clients with Superbills (receipt with insurance codes) so they can receive reimbursement directly.

Reimbursement is dependent on your specific plan, which you can determine by contacting your insurance provider (number on the back of your card)

Codes we are are 97802, 97803, 97804).

Ask if they cover “Medical Nutrition Therapy.” Remember to note if you have a deductible and/or a co-pay, as well as the level of coverage (100%, 90% etc.).

We do not participate in Medicare or Medicaid programs.

We’re happy to collaborate with family members and healthcare providers—with your written permission. You can provide that consent by completing our Informed Consent form. (If you’re under 18, a parent or guardian gives this permission.)

We do not charge for:

• Brief weekly updates to the treatment team (email or phone, with your consent)
• Occasional family consultations.

When more time is needed, we charge our standard hourly rate in 15-minute increments. This includes extended phone calls, emails, or text correspondence beyond the time outlined above.

For treatment team meetings, we also charge our hourly rate—but we’re sometimes able to waive or reduce this fee. If the meeting is in person, we charge half our hourly rate for travel time to and from the location.

If you have questions about what’s covered or want to talk through your options, just ask. We’re always open to creating a plan that feels right for you.

We make every effort to keep your personal health information confidential. That said, it’s important to know that email and text are not secure forms of communication.

While it’s unlikely, messages you send via email could potentially be intercepted or accessed by someone other than the intended recipient. For that reason, we ask that you avoid including personal details—like your birth date or medical information—when emailing us.

If you’d like to communicate more securely, we invite you to use our Messaging Portal, which allows for confidential, encrypted communication between you and your provider.

If you’re not sure whether to send something by email or portal message, feel free to ask—we’re here to help you stay both connected and protected.

Yes. A partner, parent, or friend is welcome to join your nutrition therapy session if it supports your healing. We simply ask that you talk it over with your dietitian ahead of time, so we can make sure it’s the right fit for the work you’re doing.

We do not sell nutritional supplements.

We don’t order lab work or medical procedures directly. If needed, we recommend a thorough physical exam with your primary care physician, including lab tests, blood pressure, and other relevant screenings.

If you have recent results, feel free to bring them to your session—your dietitian can review them with you and help integrate the information into your care.

All staff, consultants, and associates at Nutrition Therapy Associates are committed to protecting your personal health information in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and its related federal regulations.

You can download our full HIPAA notice here.

If you have any questions about how your information is handled or what your rights are, we’re always happy to talk it through with you.