Community Highlights: Meet Denise Skinner of Denise Skinner Nutrition Services

Today we’d like to introduce you to Denise Skinner. 

Hi Denise, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I think I had the same story as a lot of people. I was married, working full-time, & raising 3 children. Those were all the things I wanted & had worked hard for, yet something felt off. It was like spending the whole day cooking, finally eating the meal, & then still being hungry. My life was full, but I was not satisfied. I was missing a key ingredient, professional passion. My job in telecom started out to be great, but over time things changed. There were days I enjoyed what I was doing, but those days were getting farther and farther apart. I had it in my head that I should be grateful for the job I had because others were not as fortunate as me. And I was grateful, but it took me some time to understand that being grateful doesn’t mean I can’t want something else or that I deserve something better. 

I had always enjoyed food, but I knew didn’t want to be a chef. With age, my relationship with my body, food, & eating had changed. I had grown to appreciate its importance & recognize the impacts it had in daily life. And, after some serious soul-searching & countless hours of research, I decided to give my notice at work and go back to school at the age of 35 to study nutrition. Eight years later, here I am working full-time in eating disorders nutrition. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I knew I was going to likely be the oldest student in class & I could handle that, but I was not so sure about my appearance. From my research, I knew I was entering a profession that was dominated by people that did not look like me. Yes, I am a white female, but overwhelmingly nutrition professionals are not in bigger bodies. Being in my 30’s & having had 3 children, my body was in a very different place than the childless 20 somethings I would be in school with. In fact, I was quite certain that I would be used as an example during courses as what an unhealthy body looks like. Yet I bravely trudged forward and completed my undergraduate degree, master’s, & dietetic internship. Along the way, there were some bumps & definite uncertainties if I had done the right thing. During undergrad, I was so focused on grades & getting into the right internship because that was when the magic was going to happen. That would be where I found my calling, how I was supposed to serve. Although I was learning a lot & enjoying my time during my clinical rotation, I had not found my “thing”. It wasn’t until my community rotation at a county mental health center that I learned about eating disorders. I knew what they were as a diagnosis, but this was my first glimpse into people impacted by them. From there I was able to get my summer elective rotation at an outpatient eating disorder clinic & I did not want to leave. This specialty of dietetics aligned with my values. I had found my purpose. 

After completing my master’s, I landed a job at an eating disorder facility that provides partial hospitalization & intensive outpatient programming. I had never felt so driven & satisfied. Helping people recover from the mental & physical ravages of an eating disorder is an honor. I feel privileged that individuals & families put their trust in me. I am also passionate about reaching those that may not necessarily have a diagnosed eating disorder but still struggle with disordered eating, dieting, & body-image dissatisfaction. 

My professional & personal philosophy… 

I wholeheartedly believe that good health exists at every size and love to challenge the social construct that weight is the primary indicator of an individual’s health, success, and value. 

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My nutrition counseling private practice is with a wonderful group of professionals at Finding Balance Wellness Center in Merriam Kansas. Along with myself, we have another registered dietitian and two therapists all specializing in eating disorders. Along with eating disorders, I also work with people struggling with general disordered eating behaviors. I think it is important to recognize that we all do things that are disordered when it comes to food, exercise, & body image, no one is immune. As a culture, we have access to so much misinformation regarding health & nutrition. So, it is important that we understand what are natural, attainable, & healthy behaviors versus those that are unrealistic, unnecessary, & unhealthy. I am also a weight-inclusive dietitian. That means I do not use what you look like or your weight to determine your health. I see anyone who feels overwhelmed or burdened by food. This may look like restriction (volume & type of food or fluids), perpetual dieting (losing & gaining same weight over & over), bingeing, purging, laxative misuse, compensatory exercise, overeating, food rigidity, clean eating, & obsessive weighing. 

After an initial assessment, I offer follow-up sessions in 60-, 45-, or 30-minute sessions. I also offer outing support at grocery stores & restaurants. Sessions can be in-person or telehealth (phone or video). 

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I don’t do diets, regardless of your weight or size. Diets are damaging & do so much more harm than good. I do not conform to social norms or trends regarding beauty or “health”. 

I do eat what you want, eating what you need, & eating enough. 

Health can occur at every size. 

Pricing:

• Prices range from $50-100 and vary on session length
• Self-pay at this time, no insurance
• Sliding scale available

Contact Info:

• Email: deniseskinnernutrition@gmail.com
• Website: http://deniseskinnernutrition.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Finding-Balance-Wellness-Center-110213461266586
• Other: https://www.findingbalancewellness.com/

Image Credits
McCallum Place Eating Disorder Center