Meet Emma: Accredited Practising Dietitian & Nutritionist

Emma Keenan Dietitian sitting in St Kilda office wearing a striped dress

Hello & Welcome

I’m Emma (she/her), a neurodivergent, weight-neutral, non-diet Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) & Nutritionist and member of Dietitians Australia.

I believe that everyone deserves the freedom to enjoy food and feel good in their body. I am committed to helping individuals improve their health and wellbeing while steering clear of nutrition myths and misconceptions.

In my approach, you won’t find restrictive diets, calorie counting, nutrition trends or rigid food rules, as these concepts are deeply rooted in diet culture and at odds with health and the scientific evidence. Instead, I recognise the importance of food in promoting health and its role in enriching meaningful moments in our lives. 

I offer evidence-based, weight-neutral healthcare, and am passionate about supporting people to break up with dieting and to create a healthier, more positive relationship with food. My philosophy promotes natural and intuitive eating, reconnecting you with your body and allowing you to savour all foods without guilt.

My areas of interest include gastrointestinal nutrition, gut health, disordered eating, and eating disorders. I’ve pursued additional training in these areas and am continuously updated with the latest scientific research. My ultimate goal is to empower clients to enjoy a diverse and delicious diet that nurtures their physical health, mental health, and social connections.

It’s never too late to find peace with food and your body. Healing takes time, with some unlearning and relearning along the way, which can feel daunting in a society where disordered eating has become normalised.

When I’m not practising as a dietitian, you’ll find me exploring the local markets, experimenting in the kitchen, making art, op shopping, altering clothes, visiting museums and galleries, dining with friends, strolling along the beach, dog sitting, paddleboarding, practising Pilates, or yoga, hiking, embarking on journeys or adventures in my van. I love to travel and one of my favourites things to do is to visit markets and grocery stores. It’s an excellent way to immerse myself in different cultures and explore the many weird and wonderful foods people eat around the world.

Living in Melbourne offers the incredible advantage of having diverse food experiences at our doorstep. We’re fortunate to reside in this vibrant city, where people from around the globe share their culinary traditions and delights with us.

Our Purpose

To support our clients to build a healthy relationship with food and their bodies through evidence-based, weight-inclusive nutrition care. Care that honours their biology, autonomy and unique life experiences, empowering them to care for their health and return to living their fullest lives

Our Hope for the Future

Our vision is a society that acknowledges health for its true complexity, rather than something defined by a single number on a scale or BMI chart. We are committed to shaping a future where dietitians' specialised expertise is truly recognised and appreciated, moving past the outdated notion that our role is limited to prescribing meal plans

Our Beliefs

Awareness

Awareness is like the sun. When it shines on things, they are transformed

- Thich Nhat Hanh

Acceptance

Begin where you are — accept that. Then change and growth become possible

- Nathaniel Branden

Collaboration

Collaboration allows us to know more than we are capable of knowing ourselves 

- Paul Solarz

Humility

True humility is staying teachable, regardless of how much you already know

- John Wooden

Curiosity

The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing

- Albert Einstein

Inclusivity

Strength lies in differences, not in similarities

- Stephen Covey

Integrity

Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one if watching

- C. S. Lewis

Courage

Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become

- Steve Jobs

Pioneering

Push the envelope, watch it bend

- Maynard James Keenan

  • You can delve into the why here:

    I work from a Weight-Inclusive, Health at Every Size® (HAES®), and Non-Diet Approach.

    The concepts of the Non-Diet Approach are accepting and embracing:

    • Body Cues (Appetite)

    • All Foods (Eating)

    • Body Shape (Body Image)

    • Joyful Movement (Fitness)

    • Non-Diet Nutrition (Food)

    The Health at Every Size® principles:

    1. Weight Inclusivity: Accept and respect the inherent diversity of body shapes and sizes and reject the idealising or pathologising of specific weights. 

    2. Health Enhancement: Support health policies that improve and equalise access to information and services, and personal practices that improve human well-being, including attention to individual physical, economic, social, spiritual, emotional, and other needs. 

    3. Respectful Care: Acknowledge our biases, and work to end weight discrimination, weight stigma, and weight bias. Provide information and services from an understanding that socio-economic status, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, and other identities impact weight stigma, and support environments that address these inequities.

    4. Eating for Well-being: Promote flexible, individualized eating based on hunger, satiety, nutritional needs, and pleasure, rather than any externally regulated eating plan focused on weight control.

    5. Life-Enhancing Movement: Support physical activities that allow people of all sizes, abilities, and interests to engage in enjoyable movement, to the degree that they choose.

  • Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD)

    Master of Dietetic Practice, La Trobe University

    Bachelor of Applied Science, La Trobe University

    • GLP-1s & Eating Disorders [ELL Education]

    • Compassionate Approaches to Eating Disorders in Higher Weight Bodies [ELL Education]

    • Eating Disorders for Dietitians [The Mindful Dietitian]

    • Nutrition and IBD for Dietitians [Gut Smart]

    • Supporting Safe and Effective Meals, NDIS Quality and Safety Commission

    • Supporting Effective Communication, NDIS Quality and Safety Commission

    • Introduction to Disability and Inclusion for Dietitians [DA CAL]

    • Low FODMAP Diet for IBS [Monash University]

    • Gastrointestinal Nutrition for Dietitians [DA]

    • The Essentials: Training Clinicians in Eating Disorders [InsideOut]

    • Dietitian Essentials: Treatment of Eating Disorders [InsideOut]

    • CDED Expert Training [Modulife]

    • Dietitians Australia, Accredited Practising Dietitian APD190848

    • Dietitians Crohn’s and Colitis Australian Network (DECCAN)

    • Crohn’s and Colitis Australia

    • St John’s Ambulance First Aid and CPR Training

    • Dietitians Australian Interest Group Member: Mental Health, Diabetes, Gastroenterology, and Eating Disorders

    • Dietitian Supervision Resources Australia (DSRA): Engaging in regular supervision

    • Australia and New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders

Inside Out Institute for Eating Disorders
Australia and New Zealand Eating Disorder Academy
Monash Low FODMAP Diet
Crohn's and Colitis Australia
Dietitians Supervision Resources Australia

Accredited Practising Dietitian: Personalised Food & Health Advice

  • An Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) is a university-qualified health professional who specialises in nutrition. In Australia, APDs are the only nutrition and dietetics professionals recognised by the Australian Government, Medicare, the Department of Veterans' Affairs, the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), and most private health funds.

  • An APD’s specialised knowledge and evidence-based approach can provide the best possible guidance.

    There are specific situations where seeking expert nutrition guidance is crucial. If you're dealing with a medical condition, a nutritional deficiency, or struggling to navigate conflicting nutrition advice, a dietitian can provide the support and guidance you need.

    1. Medical Nutrition Therapy: If you have a medical condition like diabetes, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), coeliac disease, diverticular disease, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure, and need support and advice about foods for these conditions.

    2. Vitamin or Mineral Deficiency: If you've been diagnosed with a nutritional deficiency or are worried, you're not getting enough nutrition from your diet.

    3. Deciphering Diet Information: Understanding and navigating nutrition information can be empowering, especially when you're overwhelmed by conflicting advice and seeking evidence-based guidance.

    4. Life-Stage Transitions: If you're undergoing life-stage changes like pregnancy, breastfeeding, or perimenopause and want nutrition support for your unique needs.

    5. Weight Neutral: A weight-neutral approach can provide the support and understanding you need if you're stuck in the diet cycle and seeking a health-focused solution. Emma is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian; you can read more about the health conditions she works with here.

  • Dietitians Australia (DA) is the regulatory body for dietitians in Australia.