Question 1

Who can benefit from nutrition counselling?

Accepted Answer

Nutrition counselling is suitable for children, adults, and families who want to improve their eating habits, manage health conditions, or build a healthier relationship with food. I commonly work with clients who have concerns related to picky eating, weight management, digestive health, chronic conditions, and overall wellness.

As a Registered Dietitian, I provide evidence-based nutrition guidance tailored to your individual nutritional needs, cultural background, and health goals. Through professional assessment, I help clients reduce long-term risks of chronic disease, address potential nutrient deficiencies, and support optimal health and well-being.

How Nutrition Counselling Can Help You
1. You will eat healthier
We begin with a comprehensive nutrition assessment to evaluate your current eating patterns and identify potential nutrient deficiencies. Healthy eating plays a key role in supporting long-term health and reducing the risk of chronic diseases. Meal planning is typically introduced during follow-up sessions. You will receive personalized nutrition recommendations that are practical, realistic, and sustainable for your lifestyle.

2. You will make confident and informed food choices
You will gain a better understanding of how food works in your body through personalized nutrition education. I will guide you on how to read food labels, identify key nutrition information during grocery shopping, and plan balanced meals. Over time, you will feel more confident making food choices that are both enjoyable and nutritionally adequate.

3. You will receive professional support
You do not have to navigate your health journey alone. I provide ongoing professional support to help you work through barriers and stay motivated toward your health goals. Together, we can develop creative ideas for healthy, delicious meals and monitor your progress through long-term, supportive follow-ups.

Question 2

How many visits do I need?

Accepted Answer

It depends on your goals and what you’re working on. To start, most people benefit from 6–15 sessions. The length and format of support may be adjusted, and additional sessions or ongoing nutrition support can be helpful for more complex concerns such as emotional eating, eating disorders, IBS/FODMAP protocol implementation, diabetes management, and more.

A good place to begin is an initial appointment, followed by regular follow-up sessions every 1–2 weeks.

Question 3

What happens during the initial appointment and follow-up sessions?

Accepted Answer

The initial appointment is a comprehensive nutrition assessment where we review your health history, dietary patterns, lifestyle, goals, and overall nutrition priorities. We will also discuss your nutrient goals, including key macronutrient needs, and develop a personalized nutrition plan to guide our work moving forward. Meal planning is typically introduced in follow-up sessions, where we work collaboratively to make sure your plan is tailored to your individual needs, goals, lifestyle, and preferences.

Question 4

Are dietitian services covered through extended health benefits?

Accepted Answer

Dietitian's services are covered by many extended health plans. However, we don't guarantee reimbursement. Please check your insurance policy for your own coverage details. 
Here are some insurance providers may cover dietitian services:
Pacific Blue Cross
Sun Life Financial 
Manual Financial
Canada Life
Great West Life
Green Shield Canada
Chambers of Commerce Group
Clarica
Liberty Health
Desjardins Insurance 
D.A. Townley
GMS
London Life
IA Financial Group (Industrial Alliance)
Johnson Group   
Others
If you don't have coverage for dietitian services, you can include the invoice with your medical expenses for income tax return purposes. In British Columbia, Registered Dietitians are classified as an “Authorized Medical Practitioner”.​

Question 5

How the receipts are provided for these package services?

Accepted Answer

Once the package price ($500 or $750, $990 or $1500) is paid, you will receive an email confirmation about the prepayment. 
 
Receipt will be emailed to you after each appointment reflecting the session date. Please note you will not receive a receipt showing the lump sum amount of the package price. You will receive a receipt after each session until you receive the full amount of package price you paid. Starting from the initial appointment, you will have 3 month to complete the package services. 
 
For example, for the $500 nutrition package, you will receive a receipt individually after each session:
Initial appointment priced at $150
Three follow up appointments. The 2nd and 3rd session is $120 receipt. The final session will be at a reduced fee for $110. 
Two days meal plans (complimentary).
$500 in total.

Question 6

When is the payment due?

Accepted Answer

Payment for the consultation is due within one hour of its completion.
The credit card on file will be automatically charged for the service fees if the payment is not made within 24 hours.

Question 7

Why is a credit card required for booking?

Accepted Answer

Your credit card is kept on file in order to secure your appointment. You have an option to pay by either e-transfer or credit card after the session.

Payment Deadline: Payment is due within 1 hour after the session. If the payment is not received within 1 day (24 hours) after the session, the credit card on file will be charged automatically.

Late cancellation fee: 
If there is any late cancellation (cancellation or rescheduling within 48 hours), your credit card will be charged for the late cancellation fee.

Question 8

What if I am a vegan/vegetarian/have food allergies, food restrictions or have celiac diseases？

Accepted Answer

Absolutely not a problem. Elaine has lots of experience working with people who are vegan/vegetarian or people with food allergies, food restrictions, celiac diseases (gluten free diet). We create meal plans based on your diet, culture and food preferences.

Question 9

How many nutrition appointments do I need for emotional eating/ stress eating/ binge eating / eating disorder?

Accepted Answer

Most clients benefit from ongoing nutrition support (12 sessions or more), with sessions typically scheduled weekly. This allows enough time to build awareness, develop practical skills, and create lasting change.

Nutrition care is structured into four stages, though pacing may vary based on individual needs.
Stage 1: Preparatory Work (First 3 Sessions)
These initial sessions focus on understanding you, not just your food choices. 
We explore:
Your current eating patterns and nutrition intake
Dieting history and food rules
Emotional eating or binge triggers
Coping mechanisms and stress responses
This stage lays the foundation for sustainable change by increasing awareness and reducing shame around eating behaviors.

Stage 2: Meal Planning (Next 3 Sessions)
Once patterns are clearer, sessions focus on creating supportive and realistic meal plans.
This stage includes:
Establishing regular, nourishing eating patterns
Reducing restriction that can drive overeating or binges
Adapting plans to your lifestyle, culture, and preferences
Meal planning is flexible and collaborative—never rigid or punitive.

Stage 3: Food Therapy & Skill Building (Next 3 Sessions)
These sessions focus on changing your relationship with food.
Depending on your needs, we may use techniques from:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)–informed nutrition care
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills
Mindful and intuitive eating approaches
Urge management and emotional regulation strategies
The goal is to help you respond to emotions without relying on food as your only coping tool.

Stage 4: Monitoring & Maintenance (Ongoing Sessions)
The final stage focuses on long-term support and relapse prevention.
This includes:
Refining coping strategies
Navigating stress, travel, holidays, or life changes
Strengthening confidence and self-trust around food
Preventing a return to restrictive or binge patterns

Please note, eating disorder recovery often requires more sessions and ongoing nutrition support. Care is most effective when provided as part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team, which may include therapists, physicians, and other specialists.

Question 10

What is the process for booking an appointment?

Accepted Answer

Booking an appointment with us is simple. You can schedule your session through our online booking system or contact us directly via email or phone. We require a credit card on file to secure your appointment. Payment is due within one hour after the session, and if not received within 24 hours, the credit card on file will be charged automatically.

Question 11

Do you offer virtual and in-person consultations?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we offer both virtual and in-person consultations for your convenience. Whether you prefer to meet from the comfort of your home through our secure online platform or attend an in-person session, you will receive personalized nutrition advice and professional support tailored to your needs.

Question 12

Menu auditing for assisted care home or meal planning for organizations

Accepted Answer

We provide menu auditing for assisted care home/independent living. We offer a flat fee of $2000 for menu auditing (4 -5 weeks menu). Please note extra charges may be applied if additional support or onsite visit is needed.

If your school, organization, summer camp need menu planning. We charge a flat fee of $2000 for a 2-week menu development. Please note extra charges may be applied if additional support or onsite visit is needed.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions