About - Culinary Therapy

Hey there! I’m Lisa.

Food has always been an integral part of my life. As a young girl, I remember sitting on the counter next to my mother as she prepared fresh ingredients for our family dinners. However, my understanding of food as a pathway to healing didn’t come until I experienced struggles with health in my own life.

In 2006, my daughters were diagnosed with sleep apnea when they were under 3 years old, which became serious when my younger daughter stopped developing. Doctors recommended removal of their tonsils and jaw surgery or they would need to use a CPAP machine the rest of their lives.

We turned to nutrition which changed everything. After we adjusted their eating, the sleep apnea thankfully disappeared! But, my journey into understanding the healing power of nutrition was just beginning.

My story

How I Healed My Body & Soul With Nutrition

My girls were healthy, but the stress of them being sick resulted in chronic digestive problems. Ultimately, I faced a 2 year battle with Lyme Disease. Again, I turned to food for healing. But this time I was already eating what I “should be”. My diet consisted of plenty of raw vegetables and fruit. Yet, that wasn’t enough.

Nutrition also sustained me through a difficult divorce. Healthy, whole foods nourished me. Cooking became my meditation room and my way to heal and thrive. Through extensive nutrition studies and hours in the kitchen, I discovered the best way to eat for my body. I overcame my health challenges and formulated my own path to healing.

Today I am truly comfortable in my own body, and live a very simple, health-supportive lifestyle. I have incredible energy, feel far better than I did in my twenties, and am passionate about life as a mama with my (thankfully) two very healthy girls. I understand the art of nutrition and have created simple, easy practices that support good health.

My experiences first-hand, along with my education, have led me to comprehend the tremendous difference that good nutrition can make in your life. This developed into a passion which developed into a career. Since then I have been helping clients find their own best way to eat to heal and thrive through good nutrition and gentle, sustainable practices.

2008

My nutrition education began at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and I am a certified holistic health coach. I also am skilled in health-supportive cooking through the Natural Gourmet Institute for Food and Health in NYC.

Mushrooms Illustration

2012

I studied plant-based medicine at Cornell and am certified as a functional nutrition counselor through the Functional Nutrition Alliance.

2014

Over the years I have worked as both a cooking instructor and nutritionist while raising a family. I have been supporting women in private practice for over 15 years.

2022

I completed my master’s degree in functional & clinical nutrition & am licensed as a certified dietician nutritionist (CDN). I’m an active member of the American Nutrition Association & on the board of directors for SCWATEFI, a local non-profit to end food insecurity.

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