Meet Bethany Wheeler

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bethany Wheeler, Atlanta-based registered dietitian who specializes in eating disorders.

Bethany, before we jump into specific questions about your practice, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My story starts for me at birth. Not that I even knew what a registered dietitian was or even what eating disorders were when I was born, but rather, I was born with certain privileges (unearned advantages) which would, and continue to, make it easier for me to navigate this world and ultimately be in the career that I am. For example, I was born into an upper-middle-class family which allowed me access to food, healthcare, education and so forth. I am also white, which in and of itself has made things easier because I haven’t faced discrimination and stigmatization because of my skin color. I was far less impacted by systemic and social inequalities, and thus, had an easier time pursuing the career of my choice.

Additionally, I have come to realize and understand that I was born as a highly sensitive person (HSP), which means I experience this world a bit more intensely (sounds, smells, emotions, etc.) than others and process information more deeply. Some aspects of my HSP traits were certainly influenced by certain experiences I have endured, but many of them have been with me from the get-go.

Being in recovery from an eating disorder myself has also been greatly influential in where I am today. And because my family had the financial privilege, I had access to treatment for my eating disorder. It was during that time that I worked one-on-one with a dietitian to help renourish my body, which sparked my interest in becoming a registered dietitian with the specific intention to work with folks in eating disorder recovery.

I am grateful that I had access to education and training to become a dietitian, and still, how I was trained was through very narrow and biased lenses (most dietitians and healthcare professionals are) that view health as something that we as individuals have great control over, that the body is something to be fixed and that body size (weight) was an indicator of health. And once I was credentialed and started practicing as a dietitian, I began to practice the way I was taught. Yet, as I met with and truly listened to fellow human beings (not just some case study out of a textbook), things were not adding up. Why were the guidelines and interventions I had learned to use not proving to be helpful? Why weren’t my clients’ bodies shrinking even though they were doing exactly what I told them to do? And why did it seem like my clients’ emotional health and self-worth were being negatively impacted? Conventional “wisdom” would have me believe that it was the individuals who weren’t doing something right, not the guidelines or intervention. However, that could not be farther from the truth. This viewpoint is one that shames the human seeking care and places all of the responsibility on the person. It ignores the very real and prevalent societal/systemic factors, such as racism, poverty and weight bias, that influence health and create health disparities. It is also neither compassionate nor has it proven to result in improving health in the long-term. It perpetuates shame and guilt. And thus for me, it became an ethical issue. I could not continue to practice in a way that did not ultimately help and was, instead, actually doing harm.

It was around this time that I came across Health at Every Size®, which is an approach to health and healthcare that works to “advance social [and health] justice, create an inclusive and respectful community and support people of all sizes in finding compassionate ways to take care of themselves” (Source: Body Respect by Lindo Bacon, PhD and Lucy Aphramor, PhD, RD). Not only did this approach have (and continues to have) the backing of reputable scientific evidence, it also aligned with my own values and beliefs.

Great, 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?
A challenge that continues to exist is that nutrition counseling is commonly not covered by health insurance plans, which is a shame. Folks invest so much in their health insurance and they aren’t even able to utilize it to get all of the healthcare they need. For private practice providers, like me, we can complete all of the applications and forms in effort to be accepted as an in-network provider, but being approved is not guaranteed. There are specific criteria for us to meet. For example, if the insurance company deems that they have enough providers with a particular specialty in a certain area, then they will not accept any others. This leaves providers either giving up or re-applying year after year in hopes that one day they will be approved.

For insurance companies that do cover sessions, the number of sessions is often limited and there are many exclusions, such as sessions will only be covered if they have received a specific diagnosis. For my clients, they need to obtain a particular eating disorder diagnosis. Yet, the problem is that a majority of physicians are uninformed with regards to eating disorders leading many folks without a diagnosis, and thus, without access to care. Discrimination based on a person’s body weight is also a barrier in getting adequate care for an eating disorder. I, unfortunately, see this too often. There remains the stereotype that eating disorders have a certain look- folks with anorexia nervosa have emaciated bodies while those with binge eating disorder live in larger bodies. This is a false and harmful stereotype. Most individuals with anorexia nervosa do not live in an emaciated body. Yet as long as that stereotype continues to be perpetuated, many folks will be harmed in not having access to the care they need.

Please tell us about your practice.
My private practice is B. Wheeler Nutrition, and through it I provide nutrition therapy for folks seeking care to support recovery from an eating disorder, disordered eating and/or diet culture. My practice is rooted in Health at Every Size®, trauma-informed, fat positive, LGBTQ+ affirming and is a place where clients can be and bring their entire self. Emotions of all kind are welcome, and are actually encouraged. First and foremost, I am here to listen and provide validation and compassion. It’s also extremely important to me that I show up as a fellow human in the room with my clients, not as some “expert”. My goal is to be a partner (and a guide, when needed) with my clients on their journey. During sessions you’ll usually find me in jeans with my shoes off and plopped in my big comfy chair with a cup of hot tea (or my fav Starbucks drink- an Iced Peach Green Tea Lemonade!). I strive to make the space I share with my clients as inviting, comfortable and accessible as possible. My office is a no-judgement zone and all of my clients have permission to share as little or as much as they’d like. Additionally, I support and encourage client advocacy and involve all clients in each part of their care.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I have three: Compassion (both for others and for myself), validation and trust (trust in myself and my intuition, the trust of my clients and also trusting their bodies). I have been told by many clients that I am the first healthcare provider they have ever felt safe with. I am also frequently told that I am the first healthcare provider that has believed them when they said they were concerned they had an eating disorder. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating to hear how so many folks have been shamed and dismissed by providers who are supposed to be providing them with care. This has unfortunately meant that my practice stays full and busy and I actually wish this was not the case. I would much instead there many providers who are compassionate and provide validation to their clients and my practice not be as busy. It’s a bit ironic that we call it healthCARE when most of it ends up being health shaming.

Contact Info:

• Address: 6425 Powers Ferry Rd NW
  Suite 250 Sandy Springs, Ga 30339
• Website: www.bwheelernutrition.org
• Phone: 678-951-9584
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @bethanydietitian
• Facebook: B. Wheeler Nutrition, LLC

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