Carrie Dennett, MPH, RDN
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Nutrition Writer, Author and Speaker
Hi! I’m Carrie
I’m a registered dietitian nutritionist, nutrition therapist and body image counselor. I help adults of all ages, shapes, sizes and gender orientations who are struggling to find a clear answer to the question, “What should I be eating?” for their individual stage of life, health condition, or wellness goals.
I also help people address any obstacles to a calm, balanced mindset about food and eating, because nutrition isn’t just about what you eat, it’s about why you eat. My approach is both holistic and grounded in science, and considers you as a unique, multi-faceted human.
Carrie Dennett, MPH, RDN
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Nutrition Writer, Author and Speaker
I’m a registered dietitian nutritionist, nutrition therapist and body image counselor. I help adults of all ages, shapes, sizes and gender orientations who are struggling to find a clear answer to the question, “What should I be eating?” for their individual stage of life, health condition, or wellness goals.
I also help people address any obstacles to a calm, balanced mindset about food and eating, because nutrition isn’t just about what you eat, it’s about why you eat. My approach is both holistic and grounded in science, and considers you as a unique, multi-faceted human.
We all eat, so eating ‘should’ be the most natural thing in the world.
But the reality is that there’s a lot of conflicting information, misinformation and just plain bad information out there about the “right” way to eat. Part of the problem is while there are certain nutrition common denominators (like, we should all eat vegetables…but you already knew that), there’s no one right way to eat for everyone.
Even if you feel like you knew how to eat five years ago, 10 years ago, 20 years ago (or more), our bodies are ever changing, so what worked then might not work now. So if you’re confused, it’s not your fault!
Part of my work with clients is developing a personalized, flexible, framework for eating that takes into account their unique nutritional needs, their food likes and dislikes, their bandwidth (time and energy) for planning and cooking, and their budget.
Another part is exploring beliefs about food and body. This often goes beyond “good” foods and “bad” foods” to “I’m good when I eat ‘good’ foods and bad when I eat ‘bad’ foods” or “I need to eat perfectly to be a ‘healthy’ eater.” There can be a lot of shame tangled up in these beliefs, and sometimes the roots go quite deep. That’s OK…I’m good at helping people dig deep with kindness, compassion, curiosity and non-judgement. Shame hides in secrecy and shadows, and together we can shine a light.
Carrie Dennett, MPH, RDN
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Nutrition Writer, Author and Speaker
I’m a registered dietitian nutritionist, nutrition therapist and body image counselor. I help adults of all ages, shapes, sizes and gender orientations who are struggling to find a clear answer to the question, “What should I be eating?” for their individual stage of life, health condition, or wellness goals.
I also help people address any obstacles to a calm, balanced mindset about food and eating, because nutrition isn’t just about what you eat, it’s about why you eat. My approach is both holistic and grounded in science, and considers you as a unique, multi-faceted human.
We all eat, so eating ‘should’ be the most natural thing in the world.
But the reality is that there’s a lot of conflicting information, misinformation and just plain bad information out there about the “right” way to eat. Part of the problem is while there are certain nutrition common denominators (like, we should all eat vegetables…but you already knew that), there’s no one right way to eat for everyone.
Even if you feel like you knew how to eat five years ago, 10 years ago, 20 years ago (or more), our bodies are ever changing, so what worked then might not work now. So if you’re confused, it’s not your fault!
Part of my work with clients is developing a personalized, flexible, framework for eating that takes into account their unique nutritional needs, their food likes and dislikes, their bandwidth (time and energy) for planning and cooking, and their budget.
Another part is exploring beliefs about food and body. This often goes beyond “good” foods and “bad” foods” to “I’m good when I eat ‘good’ foods and bad when I eat ‘bad’ foods” or “I need to eat perfectly to be a ‘healthy’ eater.” There can be a lot of shame tangled up in these beliefs, and sometimes the roots go quite deep. That’s OK…I’m good at helping people dig deep with kindness, compassion, curiosity and non-judgement. Shame hides in secrecy and shadows, and together we can shine a light.
Before I became a registered dietitian nutritionist, I was a journalist (well, I’m still that, too, and I write a weekly nutrition column for The Seattle Times).
I made the big leap because I realized that while offering quality, evidence-based nutrition information through my writing was (and is) great, what most people need isn’t just information.
Information, even when it’s accurate, is by itself impersonal. What’s important is how that information applies to you, and whether it applies as-is or needs some tailoring for your stage of life, your health status, your values and priorities.
What kind of help can you expect from me?
In our 1-on-1 video sessions via my secure client portal, we’ll explore your current concerns and the history of what led up to them. We’ll decide what session frequency is the best fit, and you’ll have access to me between sessions via chat message if you have a quick question or just want to let me know something. You’ll leave each session with some mutually agreed upon action items to work on, as well as any handouts or other materials (links to articles, podcast episodes, etc.) that might be helpful to you.
My approach is therapeutic (because, again, I don’t believe in just tossing information at someone) and weight-inclusive, which means I don’t prescribe weight loss and I support adults in caring for their here-and now bodies and exploring the many facets and factors that contribute to health (hint: it’s not just about nutrition and physical activity).
Note: I do help individuals who have chosen to take one of the new weight loss medications, because I support body autonomy and because eating to support muscle and bone health and reduce digestive side effects is really, really important.
I help my clients practice self-compassion, curiosity and non-judgement as they build their awareness of their thoughts, feelings and behaviors (because when we know what we’re thinking, feeling and doing, that gives us good stuff to work with), and I bring those values into the provider-client relationship as well. I’m a straight shooter (I’ll call it like I see it), but I’m always supportive and never judgmental!
Join me. Let’s do this together.
Get started today by booking a free 20-minute Introductory Call so you can ask me any questions you have. We’ll also talk about what you need help with and whether we’re a good fit for each other.
I’m in-network with Regence in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Utah. If I’m out of network with your insurance, I can provide you with information you can use to seek partial reimbursement on your own.
My credentials (in case you’re curious)
I earned my Master of Public Health degree in nutritional sciences from the University of Washington. I also completed 1,000 hours of supervised practice, and passed a national exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN).
I’m nationally registered, as well as being licensed in Oregon and certified in Washington State. Not all states license or certify dietitians (being nationally registered is enough), so I’m able to see clients in many other states (see the Service Area map for specifics).
Because learning never stops, I’ve invested in additional training in IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) management, binge eating disorder, healing negative body image, mindfulness (including mindful eating and mindful self-compassion), intuitive eating (I’m a certified intuitive eating counselor), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).*
*Note that because I am not a mental health counselor, I don’t fully “do” ACT or DBT, but I do have training in those areas and am skilled in using ACT and DBT skills, as appropriate, within my scope of practice as a registered dietitian nutritionist.
I’ve done all of this because I love helping people. I have my own complicated food and body story, so I know how powerful it is to come out the other side and be confident and clear-eyed about how to best nourish and care for yourself. Here’s what some of my current and past clients have to say about our work together…
“Thanks to Carrie’s educational resources and gentle input, my understanding of whole body, whole person health has evolved to a place where I feel more at peace with myself. Now I know how to eat well for me. Harsh judgements are infrequent, and embracing my physical self is the new norm. I like this evolved version of myself because I spend far less time focusing on rigid food and exercise requirements. Instead, I invest my energy in being present, enjoying time with my family, and connecting with my friends.”
“Before working with Carrie, I felt like a failure because I was unable to do the one task I needed to do for my health, lose weight. For years I bounced between losing weight and gaining it all back. From my work with Carrie, I now understand the wide breadth of what it means to have a healthy lifestyle. I stopped pursing weight loss and I joyfully eat a large variety of foods, from delicious veggies to satisfying desserts. I enjoy being athletic and I eat to support an active body. I have never had such an easy and balanced relationship with food.”
“Before working with Carrie, I knew that dieting wasn’t working for me, but I did not know what to do instead. I was floundering with conflicting health information and experiencing an increase in various health concerns. During my work with Carrie, I learned to trust myself, challenge my self-critical thinking and stop trying to control and structure my eating and exercise in a way that did not make me feel good physically or psychologically. Carrie herself is amazing. She is very knowledgeable, accepting and supportive.”
Book your free 20-minute Introductory Call today so we can talk about what working together might look like. Have questions but not ready to book a call? Send me an email about what you need help with and your most pressing questions.
Here are some quick links to other parts of my website that might answer questions you have: