Frequently Asked Questions

If you are questioning or feeling uncomfortable around your eating patterns or your thoughts on food and/or body, then getting outside support can benefit you.  There are no exact requirements, whether you have a present or past Eating Disorder diagnosis, subclinical disordered eating patterns, or some variation of distress around food and body, we can help.  We are a resource in your journey towards restoration and peace with food and your body.

OUTPATIENT: Weekly individual and/or group hour long sessions.  Can move into maintenance with bi-weekly or less appointments as appropriate.  You are both medically and psychiatrically stable.

INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT (IOP):  9 hours of group per week and weekly nutrition and mental health counseling sessions.  You are both medically and psychiatrically stable.

PARTIAL HOSPITALIZATION PROGRAM (PHP):  5 hours of treatment, 5 days per week.  You are medically stable and require daily psychiatric assessment.  Unable to function in life areas such as occupation, education, and/or social settings.

RESIDENTIAL: 24 hour care, living at the facility.  You are overall medically stable though you require psychiatric stabilization.

INPATIENT: 24 hour care, in a hospital setting.  You require medical and psychiatric stabilization.

Outpatient level of care is best when you are medically stable; vital signs are stable and you are not at immediate risk of serious health complications due to disordered eating behaviors.  You are psychiatrically stable and able to function  in social, educational, and vocational situations while continuing  to make progress in recovery.  Outpatient services can be used for the entirety of your recovery or utilized in step down/step up  processes from higher levels of care to support you in recovery.

Prior to your initial appointment you will complete and we will review initial assessment paperwork so we will already have some background information.  During your initial appointment, we will provide space to get to know each other, answer any questions you have, and to explore your main concerns, areas of focus,  and your personal goals for recovery. It is our priority to make this a safe space for you to explore thoughts, behaviors, and emotions without criticism or judgment.

Once you have an appointment scheduled, we will send a number of online questionnaires to you through ChARM. It normally takes 45-60 minutes to complete the questionnaires. These must be completed at least 2 full business days prior to your intake appointment. More information on these forms can be found in our.

The short answer is no, we do not prescribe medications and can not authorize a refill of your current medication. That being said, we work to provide effective treatment via individualized lifestyle and diet modifications that we “prescribe.” While we recognize that not all conditions can be treated without medication, we are extensively trained in medical nutrition therapy and can be a valuable resource for managing many medical conditions. For complex medical conditions, we can serve as a valuable member of your health care team, and we aim to work collaboratively with any of your care providers to aif in individualizing your treatment plan to meet your unique needs and optimize your overall care.

Payment is due at the time of service. At this time, we are credentialed with Regence Blue Shield, Aetna (some, but not all providers), First Choice, select Kaiser Permanente PPO plans, Uniform, Cigna, Premera (including LifeWise), and Blue Cross Blue Shield. Your insurance plan, even if it is with one of the above insurance companies, may or may not cover nutrition. If your insurance does not cover any or all of your appointments (such as in the case of unmet deductibles, uncovered services, etc.), A&R Billing Services will send you an invoice for the balance. It is your responsibility to pay this upon receipt.

For cash pay patients, we offer an out-of-pocket discount. We accept cash, checks, credit, and debit cards. To view our complete fee schedule please click here

To see if our nutrition services are covered by your insurance company, please check with your insurance by asking the questions located below or call our billing agency A&R Billing Services at (206)725-0683 and ask for Anna, or email her at billing@starkelnutrition.com.

Here are some general questions you may want to ask your insurance carrier in order to determine your coverage (ensure you collect the customer service representative’s ID/badge number, record the date and time of your call as a way to refer back to your insurance for any billing questions):

• Do I have insurance coverage for nutrition, nutritional counseling, medical nutrition therapy, or dietary surveillance under preventative services?
• What is my Out-of-Network and In-Network coverage? Is the clinic, Starkel Nutrition, In-Network?
• Do I need a PCP (Primary Care Physician) referral or pre-authorization to schedule appointments?
• Do only certain diagnoses qualify for nutrition counseling coverage? If so, which diagnoses qualify?
• Do I have a deductible to cover?  If so, how much? Do I need to fulfill the deductible before my insurance will begin covering sessions?
• How many nutrition sessions do I get per year or per lifetime?
• Do I have a co-pay/coinsurance?  If so, how much per visit?

We request that all appointments you cannot make are canceled at least two (2) business days (Mon-Fri), i.e. 48 hours, during business days, in advance of your appointment to avoid a $175 cancellation fee, and more importantly to allow someone else to fill this time slot. This fee cannot be billed to insurance.

This means that if your appointment is on a Saturday at 3 PM, you would need to contact our office or your practitioner by Wednesday at 3 PM to avoid the late cancellation charge.

If you have any last-minute scheduling questions or you need to cancel your appointment, please call or text us at (206) 853-0534 (your direct reply to an appointment confirmation or reminder email or text will not get delivered to us), send an email to admin@starkelnutrition.com or contact Administrative Assistant on ChARM.

Q: Why is a nutritionist/dietitian an important part of the care team in eating disorder treatment?

A: We value care for our clients that is well-rounded and that takes into account that we, as humans, are incredibly complex creatures with many different needs when it comes to food. We recognize that eating disorders and disordered eating are not just a “food issue” and that all eating is inherently wrapped up in culture, socialization, trauma, pleasure, and much more. Because of the complex nature of the human experience when it comes to food, we think it is necessary to include a wide variety of practitioners who are able to work as a team when receiving care for eating disorders/disordered eating. The dietitian/nutritionist’s role in this team is to provide structure around ensuring that nutrient needs are being met, to aid in renourishing folks who may have been without necessary nutrients and may have nutritional deficiencies, and to overall establish a healthy relationship with food for continued recovery. Our dietitians provide evidence-based nutritional counseling, personalized meal/wellness plans (when appropriate/necessary), mindfulness and stress management resources, and educational handouts and information specific to your needs as a client. We find that adding a nutrition professional to the team is an essential component to recovery as many medical professionals are not trained in medical nutrition therapy and lack the knowledge to provide a foundation for a healthy relationship with food.

At Rooted Path, we believe that all people deserve access to quality nutrition-related health care that is evidence-based and backed by the mostly up to do scientific research. We also believe that all people in all types of bodies are deserving of excellent care. We work with children, adolescents, and adults. In our practice, we aim to provide space for those who have been marginalized in society such as the LGBTQ+ population ( including, and with intentional emphasis on non-gender conforming and trans people and nutritional needs specific to this population), people of color, and those in larger bodies. We desire to work with any person who would like to learn more about finding peace with food and nourishing their bodies, minds, and souls in the process. If you are concerned about whether we serve a specific population that you identify with, please reach out to us to confirm!

If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by the near-constant flow of information that the modern world provides in terms of nutrition, you are not alone. If you have brought up your difficulties with food or eating to other practitioners (doctors, nutritionists, health coaches, acupuncturists, you name it!) and have been met with recommendations for dieting and weight loss as solutions to a difficult relationship with food, you are also not alone. Our practitioners operate from the perspective that any person that eats food can probably benefit from some kind of nutritional counseling, even if only to individualize their experience and find ways to return to a peaceful relationship with food. If you find food/dietary choices to be overwhelming, find yourself feeling stuck when it comes to getting your needs met, are anxious around food/mealtimes, have a hard time listening to your body when it comes to feeling hungry or full, are confused about nutritional needs and how they relate to other conditions that you may have, or have been struggling with a diagnosed eating disorder, you can likely benefit from working with a dietitian/nutritionist.

We value care for our clients that is well-rounded and that takes into account that we, as humans, are incredibly complex creatures with many different needs when it comes to food. We recognize that eating disorders and disordered eating are not just a “food issue” and that all eating is inherently wrapped up in culture, socialization, trauma, pleasure, and much more. Because of the complex nature of the human experience when it comes to food, we think it is necessary to include a wide variety of practitioners who are able to work as a team when receiving care for eating disorders/disordered eating.

In this team, the role of the dietitian/nutritionist is to ensure that clients’ nutrient needs are met, support them in nourishing their bodies, address any nutritional deficiencies, and help establish a healthy relationship with food as part of their ongoing recovery. Our dietitians offer evidence-based nutritional counseling, personalized meal and wellness plans (when appropriate), mindfulness and stress management resources, and tailored educational materials to meet each client’s specific needs.