MEET EMMA: ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETITIAN & NUTRITIONIST

Hello & Welcome

I’m Emma (she/her), an 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.

  • Food, nutrition, eating and health encompass so much more than calories, macronutrients, dieting, restrictions, structured meal plans, or supplements.

    They are deeply influenced by our upbringing, culture, income, access to food, societal norms, personal experiences, behaviours, emotions, celebrations, nutrition knowledge, practical skills, and the relationship we have with both food and our body.

    The following definitions offer a simple way to understand what health means and the different stages we may move through along on our individual health journeys:

    Health

    • a relative state in which one is able to function well physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually in order to express the full range of one's unique potentialities within the environment in which one is living

    Awareness:

    • the ability or quality to perceive, feel, or be conscious of something

    • knowledge and understanding that something is happening or exists

    Acknowledge:

    • to accept, admit or recognise something

    • the truth or existence of something

    Knowledge:

    • facts, information, and skills acquired through experience or education

    • awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation

    Change (or not):

    • an act or process through which something becomes different

    • replace something with something else, especially something of the same kind that is newer or better

    Acceptance:

    • the quality or state of being accepted or acceptable

    • general agreement that something is satisfactory or right, or that someone should be included in a group

  • 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

What is an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD)?

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.

Why Choose an Accredited Practising Dietitian for Your Nutrition Needs?

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.

What is Dietitians Australia (DA)?

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