AMANDA BIRKHEAD NUTRITION COUNSELING
WELCOME
My name is Amanda and I want to help. I’ve been providing nutrition counseling since 2013, helping people cultivate better relationships with food and learn to trust their bodies again (or maybe for the first time ever). My areas of expertise include disordered eating, formally diagnosed eating disorders of all kinds, diet burnout, pre-natal and post-partum nutrition, and weight-neutral, non-diet management of PCOS. As a Certified Body Image Coach and a Health at Every Size® practitioner, I pride myself on creating a space that is safe for all bodies.
ABOUT ME
I am a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist, a Certified Body Image Coach, and a member of the International Federation of Eating Disorder Dietitians, the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals, and the Columbia River Eating Disorder Network. That’s all just to say that I am very passionate about this work.
I have been working in the field of eating disorders since 2013, supporting clients in residential, intensive outpatient, and outpatient levels of care. I have received specialized training in the areas of eating disorders and peri-natal nutrition, and regularly participate in continuing education on the non-diet management of PCOS.
Originally from Colorado, I received my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder and my Master’s in Nutrition from Colorado State University. Outside of my work, I find joy in spending time with my husband and two young daughters, playing volleyball, watching stand-up comedy, and sunshine.
MY APPROACH
I believe that you are the expert on your own body. You have the internal wiring necessary to know what your body needs, what makes it feel good, and what makes it feel not so great.
However, over time, through the influence of diet culture, life circumstances, and social sway, we sometimes lose touch with these innate indicators.
My goal is to provide the education, support, and road map you need to reconnect with your body’s own cues regarding what it truly wants and needs. In that space, you can stop obsessing about what to eat, when, and how much, because your body just knows.
But What About Health!??
You are a unique individual, operating within a unique set of genetic predispositions and life circumstances. Because of this, living a "healthy" life is going to mean something different for you than it does someone else.
When we think about “health,” most of us automatically think about physical activity and nutrition. These things do play a role. But in order to live a truly healthy life, we must also consider the many other elements that contribute such as social and psychological well-being.
So whether it be having enough stamina to go on a backpacking trip or feeling able to enjoy a slice of cake without guilt, I can help you figure out what "health" means for you. We can then begin the process of cultivating the life that gets you there.
Acknowledgement of Privilege and the Commitment to Doing Better
I operate in this world as a thin, white, cis-gendered, heterosexual, able-bodied individual. These things give me a lot of unearned privilege. While I cannot truly understand what it is like to walk the world in different shoes, please know that I do my best to be welcoming and respectful of all bodies regardless of size/shape, color, gender identity, sexual orientation, and dis/ability. I welcome all of my clients to give me feedback if/when I say things that are uninformed or clouded by my privilege. I am always learning.