Frequently Asked
Questions

I offer a range of consultation package options. These are outlined on our services page linked here.

In New Zealand and Australia, all dietitians are nutritionists, but not all nutritionists are dietitians – the difference comes down to the level of regulation and qualification underlying each role.

New Zealand Registered Dietitians (NZRDs) have completed a minimum of 3-4 years of full time study (including supervised practical experience) at a university offering an approved dietetics degree. Dietitians provide a range of evidence-based nutrition services, including nutrition counselling and medical nutrition therapy for clinical disease-specific care. Dietitians are regulated by a governing body (Dietitians Board of New Zealand), which requires them to maintain a commitment to regular professional development, uphold a set of national competency standards and follow a code of conduct.

Nutritionists can also provide evidence-based nutrition services. However, nutritionists can be required to complete anywhere from a short online course to a tertiary degree to obtain their qualification – it is always best to do your research first.

Yes, I am a New Zealand Registered dietitian, which means if dietitian services are included in your plan, you may claim for the cost of the consultation from your provider.
Reimbursement from private health insurance providers depends entirely on your level of cover. Some tiers of coverage require a referral from a specialist for a complete reimbursement. Be sure to get in touch with your insurer in advance to make sure that your cover includes dietitian appointments, and to chat about how much you get back on each appointment.

No – A referral is not needed. Anybody can book an appointment.

More information about consultations is on our services page linked here. An initial consultation is one hour for one person, and 90 minutes if coming as a couple.

If you are unable to attend your scheduled appointment, I kindly ask that you provide a minimum of 24-hours notice for any changes or cancellations to appointments. You can contact me directly on 0210349245 to arrange another date and time for your appointment. If you do not give a minimum of 24-hours notice, a cancellation fee 50% the amount of the full consultation fee will be charged to.

Distance consultations are available over virtual platforms (Telehealth or Google meets) or phone.

The number of sessions we have will depend on how much support you need in order to get the results you’re after. For some people, one or two sessions is enough to initiate a plan and then provide fine‑tuning to see results. For longer-term goals, I recommend regular follow ups 4-6 weekly until you’re in a position where you feel that you have what you need to work at it alone. Package programmes are also available which indicate the number of sessions expected for certain needs (see Packages).

It’s great to have the support of a partner and they are more than welcome to join. If your partner also would like specific guidance on their health concerns, extended couples consultations are also available (see Consultations)

Bring any specific questions or issues that you want us to cover during our session. A complete food diary is not required; you will be asked a few questions on your current diet in your pre‑consultation form.

Bring any supplements you are taking or take pictures of the labels.
Bring along any recent medical letters or tests if these are relevant to your case.

The topic of body weight can be triggering for some people. Talking about body weight is not essential to see health improvements. We’ll only do measures if you want me to track these for you and if it is a specific goal of yours.

Yes, in a consultation, I would provide information and recommendations on supplements, where appropriate. Sometimes specific supplements will be included in your treatment plan.

Yes, I don’t subscribe to one particular dietary dogma or way of eating. My role as a dietitian is to help you balance your diet so that your needs are met. I’d like to help you understand where potential gaps might develop from certain dietary restrictions and how to mitigate these.