+ How do I know you’re qualified to provide nutrition counseling?

I have several credentials behind my name that indicate I am qualified to provide medical nutrition therapy and nutrition counseling in the state of New York: Tyffanie Ammeter, MS RDN, CSG, CDN. Let’s break down what each of these mean:

• MS: I have a Master of Science in Nutrition & Public Health from Teachers College, Columbia University
• RDN: Registered Dietitian Nutritionist – this credential means I have completed certain educational, practical training and board exam requirements as set forth by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). You can learn more about the requirements to become a RDN here. This credential can also be written as RD (registered dietitian). My CDR registration number is #86060490.
• CSG:Certified Specialist in Gerontological Nutrition – this credential means I passed a board exam demonstrating I have expertise in nutrition for older adults
• CDN: Certified Dietitian Nutritionist – this is the New York state license for dietitians. You can verify my certification is active here. My NYS license number is #009239-01.

I have also completed professional development courses and workshops in trauma-informed nutrition, mental health nutrition, gastrointestinal disorders, culturally-sensitive care, and body neutrality & weight-inclusive care.

+ Who can you help?

I am skilled at providing weight-inclusive nutrition counseling and nutrition therapy to a variety of individuals, such as:

• Women in trying to get pregnant, currently pregnant or postpartum
• Adults & older adults who want to improve their health and manage medical conditions (such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or prediabetes)
• Adults & older adults dealing with mental health conditions (like depression & anxiety) that have affected their eating habits

You can learn more about nutrition counseling here. I also provide other services like guest lectures & group workshops.

+ Do we meet virtually or in-person?

At this time, I am only providing virtual nutrition counseling sessions. For the complimentary 15-minute consultation call, we use Google Meet. For our nutrition sessions, we will use a HIPAA-compliant platform called Healthie.

+ Can I work with you if I am not located in New York state?

I can work with individuals who are located in states that do not currently have an additional state-licensure or certification requirement for registered dietitians. Currently, I can work with individuals in the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia.

If you live outside of the United States, please contact me so we can discuss the options.

+ What is nutrition counseling like?

Generally the first session is 60 minutes and I ask a lot of questions to get to know you better and understand your health goals. Follow-up sessions are usually 45 minutes, and are scheduled as frequently as we both feel is necessary. Our conversations in follow-up sessions focus on your goals and addressing any challenges you face to achieving them.

+ How much does nutrition counseling cost?

My standard hourly rate for nutrition counseling is $180, charged in 15-minute increments. So the 60-minute initial session is $180 and the 45-minute follow-up session is $135.

I offer a sliding scale in order to make my services more accessible. I provide that information during our 15-minute consultation call. Schedule yours here.

+ Do you accept insurance?

No, at this time I do not accept insurance. However, I can provide you with a detailed receipt (called a superbill) that you can submit to your insurance for reimbursement for out-of-network services. If your insurance plan covers nutrition counseling & has out-of-network benefits, then they would likely reimburse you (although it's not a guarantee). I also offer a sliding scale to make my services more accessible and provide that information during our 15-minute consultation call. Schedule yours here.

Most of the time, health insurance does cover nutritional counseling (sometimes just for medical services, other times for preventative services). But, not all plans have out-of-network benefits. I suggest calling your insurance to find out what sort of coverage you have for nutrition services. Use the phone number on the back of the insurance card and ask to speak with a representative. Make sure to get a reference code for your call & take notes. You can then ask the representative the following questions:

• Do I have insurance coverage for CPT codes 97802 & 97803 for an out-of-network provider?
• Do I need a referral to get nutrition counseling? Sometimes called medical nutrition therapy.
• Will my diagnosis be covered? If your doctor has given you a referral, it will have a diagnosis on it. If you aren't sure or are looking for preventative services, you can give them the ICD 10 code Z71.3.
• How many visits do I have per calendar year? Some plans have limits; others allow unlimited based on medical need.
• Have I met my deductible? If you haven't met your deductible, then your insurance won't reimburse you for these services until you have met it. However, when you submit the superbill for these services, the money you pay should count towards your deductible.

+ What is the difference between a registered dietitian and a nutritionist?

All registered dietitians are nutritionists, but not all nutritionists are registered dietitians. Registered dietitians are experts in food and nutrition who have met the criteria listed below for the RD (or RDN, registered dietitian nutritionist) credential:

• Completed a graduate degree from university program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)
• Completed at least 1000 practices hours in an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program
• Passed a national exam administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration

Additionally, RDs have to earn a minimum number of continuing professional education hours every 5 years in order to maintain their credential.

Credentials indicate a professional qualification that shows the practitioner is trained to provide specific services to the public. "Registered dietitian” (RD) and “Registered dietitian nutritionist" (RDN) are legally protected titles – so only individuals who have met the criteria can use these titles.

However, there is no standard definition for “nutritionist”. Literally anyone can call themselves a nutritionist, whether or not they have any training in the subject. There are risks in meeting with a nutritionist without proper credentials. So it’s always important to check the credentials to ensure your healthcare providers are qualified and in good standing with the credential’s governing body. For RDs and RDNs, you can verify credentials on the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s website by clicking where it says Verify in the upper right-hand corner of the homepage.

+ What does weight-inclusive mean?

A weight-inclusive approach to nutrition is when a practitioner recognizes and emphasizes that health & wellness are multifaceted, and that health is not defined by an individual's weight. Instead, a weight-inclusive practitioner recognizes that:

• There are many factors that contribute to health
• There are other objective & subjective measures we can use to track health (such as lab values, blood pressure, sleep quality, energy levels, etc.)
• Weight is not completely under an individual's control
• Weight stigma causes harm to health

The opposite of a weight-inclusive approach is a weight-normative or weight-centric approach. This is what we often refer to as "diet culture" too because this approach focuses solely on weight being the defining measure of health & wellbeing. There is a promotion of weight loss and beliefs that the individual is completely in control of how much they weigh.

Research shows that weight-centric approaches are not effective and often cause more harm due to the weight stigma and discrimination inherent in this approach. Weight-inclusive approaches have been found to improve physical, behavioral and psychological markers of health, thereby decreasing harm and weight stigma.

For more on the difference between these two approaches, check out this open-source article from Tylka et al: The Weight-Inclusive versus Weight-Normative Approach to Health: Evaluating the Evidence for Prioritizing Well-Being over Weight Loss.

+ What other services do you offer?

I offer a variety of other services in addition to nutrition counseling. Please contact me if you’d like to learn more about any of the following:

• Group nutrition workshops (English or Spanish)
• Guest lectures for university courses
• Private tutoring for RDN exam preparation
• Supervision for newly credentialed RDs
• Support with business development for dietitians starting private practices

+ ¿Es posible hacer las sesiones en español?

¡Claro que sí! Me encantaría trabajar contigo en mi idioma favorito. Soy bilingüe después de muchos años de estudiar español. También viví en Chile por cinco años.

+ How do I get started?

Start by scheduling a complimentary 15-minute call and we’ll go from there!

+ What if I have another question?

For other questions, please contact me.