Lauren Garcia

MS, RD, LD

Eating disorder dietitian in College Park, MD

lauren.Garcia@couragetonourish.com

(she/her)

Hi, I’m Lauren! I see clients in the College Park office and virtually in Maryland and DC.  I have been a dietitian for 8 years and have experience working in a variety of settings. I initially began working as a dietitian in the hospital world, covering intensive care and cardiac units. Through this role, I witnessed firsthand the normalization of diet culture beliefs in our medical system. Later, I transitioned to working in the field of eating disorders and could not imagine doing anything else.

While working in the PHP and IOP levels of care in eating disorder treatment, I was able to enhance my knowledge of the treatment of eating disorders and further develop my skills in nutrition counseling. I joined Courage to Nourish so that I could deepen my connection with clients and continue to learn and grow as a dietitian.

After struggling with my relationship with food and exercise in college, I know all too well about the harmful messaging of diet culture. I strive to practice using a Health At Every Size© aligned and non-diet approach to eating. I use evidenced based information (mixed with a bit of humor!) to help clients dismantle diet culture beliefs and navigate through the plethora of nutrition information in our world. I will work to help you reconnect with your body while removing feelings of guilt and shame from eating.

When I am not working with clients, I love spending time with my friends and family. I can usually be seen taking care of my 120+ houseplants, tending to my garden, or reading a book in my sunroom. I live in Maryland with my husband and two dogs, Hank, a German shorthaired pointer, and Riley, a German shepherd.

I would love to work with you!

You and I would be a great fit if:

• You are looking for a dietitian with specialized knowledge in treating ARFID
• You are looking for a compassionate and straightforward clinician to help support you in your eating disorder recovery
• You are experiencing gastrointestinal challenges with or without disordered eating symptoms
• You have been impacted by past experiences with healthcare providers and are looking for a clinician with a weight-inclusive approach
• You would like a clinician who can help you balance eating disorder recovery and chronic health conditions

My typical client includes:

• Clients looking for a dietitian who specializes in ARFID
• Clients managing multiple health diagnoses in conjunction with an eating disorder
• Client’s navigating nutritional intake while dealing with GI symptoms or a new GI-related diagnosis
• Clients who have been harmed by diet culture messaging and are looking to heal their
  relationship with food and body image
• College students and young adults navigating life transitions
• Clients of all genders, identities, and ages
• Clients 10 and older (all genders)

I primarily see clients virtually and in person in College Park Maryland. Looking forward to connecting!