FAQs

How do I book an appointment?

Call or text to set up an appointment at:
(559) 572-2990
Hello@MaryEllenB.com

Or book your own appointment here:

Do you provide telehealth and long-distance counseling?

Yes, I provide virtual, AKA telehealth, visits. Virtual visits are conducted using a a very easy to use, secure HIPPA-compliant platform. You can use either a computer or your phone for virtual visits. In some circumstances I provide phone visits.

Do you see people where I live?

I practice in California, Arizona, and Oregon.

How many sessions will I need?

There is no way for either you or me to know this up front. Typically, most people will start to notice big changes in beliefs and mindset around three to four months but are not, “on the other side,” so to speak. Depending on your situation, most people want or need at least six months of sessions with some continuing for years.

Most people want to meet weekly in the beginning, and some eventually biweekly, to keep up the momentum of the work being done.

For those with eating disorders, weekly is recommended.

What if I still want to lose weight? Can I still work with you?

This is a very common space to be in. We work together to find out and address from where the desire to lose weight is coming. If, however, you are looking for someone to help you lose weight, I am not a good fit for you.

I have an eating disorder. Can you help me?

Yes, I work with teens (13 years old and up) and adults with eating disorders (EDs). I have training to work with people with EDs and participate in ongoing supervision. In addition to your therapy with me, I consult with other providers on your team for continuity of care and have tools to accelerate and monitor your progress including a food and feelings app and an in office numberless scale.

How do weigh-ins work for those with eating disorders.

If you work with me virtually, I might recommend that you buy a BlindWeight (TM) numberless scale that you’ll weigh on weekly. If you work with me in my office, I have a numberless scale in my office. Either way, you’ll give me the code you see come up on the scale for me to access your weight from an electronic program (none of your identifiable information is associated with that code or weight).

I have diabetes. Can you help me?

Yes, I specialize in diabetes, including Type 1, Type 2, Gestational (GDM), and Type 1.5 or LADA. If you’re using a Continuous Glucose Monitor (GDM) I can help you interpret and act on your results. And, if you are using an insulin pump, I can help you optimize your blood sugar using this technology.

Do I need to have diabetes, PCOS, or an eating disorder to work with you?

No. If you are interested in stopping the restrict-binge-guilt cycle you are in the right place!

Can you perform a joint session, for example, with a husband and wife with diabetes?

Every person had individual needs and goals. I obtain a lot of individual and specific information - including medical history, dietary history, medications, labs, feelings on why the individual is seeing me, relationship with food, eating behaviors, etc. - from each person with whom I work. I use this information to recommend specific interventions unique to each person. If other persons present during sessions, they will learn a lot of valuable information. No, I cannot conduct joint sessions.

What is a Body Image Coach?

I help you to live the life you desire in the body you are in today instead of putting your life on hold until your body changes by helping you to reject the messages of diet and beauty culture and take an empowered stance. We look at your beliefs, usually formed by diet culture and experiences growing up, that are currently preventing you from fully experiencing the life you desire. We work to change these beliefs so that your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors around your body change too helping you to feel empowered to live the life you desire and confident in the body you are in today.

What is Intuitive Eating?

Eating based on your inner wisdom - physical, intellectual, and emotional.

Intuitive Eating is about listening to your body’s hunger cues and allowing yourself to eat foods you want to eat and that you find satisfying. Intuitive Eating is about letting go of food rules, not following diets or meal plans and not counting points. It is not, healthy eating as a “lifestyle” or “watching” what you eat. It is not about the amount of will power or discipline you have around food. Intuitive eating is re-learning to trust yourself and your body with food, before diet culture* affected you.

Intuitive Eating is an evidenced-based model supported by strong research.

*Diet Culture is all around us, every day, all day coming from our friends, family, health care providers, movies, social media, advertising, government healthcare initiatives, and more. Diet culture makes us think we should only be eating “healthy” foods and eliminating certain foods, even whole food groups, following strict diets and eating patterns, and performing rigid exercise routines. Diet culture values weight, shape, and size instead of our wellbeing and erroneously equates weight with health. Diet culture unfairly gives privilege to those of the idealized weight, shape and size and labels those striving for the idealized weight, shape and size as morally superior. Because of diet culture if we’re not the idealized weight, shape and size we think we’re not healthy, we don’t receive the same privileges as those that are and if we’re not striving for these we think we’re not as good as those who are, all of which makes us feel bad about ourselves which is not good for our health and wellbeing.

What is Health At Every Size (HAES)?

“The Health At Every Size® (HAES®) approach is a continuously evolving alternative to the weight-centered approach to treating clients and patients of all sizes. It is also a movement working to promote size-acceptance, to end weight discrimination, and to lessen the cultural obsession with weight loss and thinness. The HAES® approach promotes balanced eating, life-enhancing physical activity, and respect for the diversity of body shapes and sizes.”

(1) Accessed 1/26/20: https://www.sizediversityandhealth.org/content.asp?id=19

If have another question that isn't answered here. Can I contact you?

Please do! Call or text: (559) 572-2990 or e-mail Hello@MaryEllenB.com