Collective Spotlight: Cara D’Anello
Meet Cara D’Anello, a Registered Dietitian
Why did you want to become a Registered Dietitian?
There are many dietitians who come into the field of nutrition due to their own lived experience or having witnessed loved ones struggle with their relationship to food. My experience reflects that of someone who struggled with their own eating disorder and witnessed family members secretly struggle with their own. While in college, I had first hand experience seeing an eating disorder specialized dietitian, which was the first time I felt seen and comfortable talking about my control around food. When I finished my degrees and internship to be a Dietitian, I entered a new stage of my recovery and it felt necessary that I practice nutrition outside of the traditional weight and rigid framework of dietetics. I felt inspired to support individuals around food in a gentle and non shaming way that was eating disorder informed.
What have you gained from this work?
I have gained a deep understanding around the importance of relational work when building connection with my clients. Dietitians in general are assumed to be prescriptive, "the expert", and solely focused on meal ideas/meal plans. The work I find myself doing is more therapeutic and at times, less food focused. Sometimes, repairing rapport takes priority within my client-provider relationships when miscommunication occurs. Other times, building trust becomes the focal point to our work due to folks' experience with having been harmed by guidance from nutrition professionals and other providers in the healthcare field.
What do you hope your clients feel after working with you?
My hope is that my clients experience a reclaimed sense of agency around their food choices and eating habits. My intention is to give clients the space to talk about their food based concerns and invite them into the driver's seat when deciding which direction we go. I strongly believe that my clients are the experts of their own body and that my role is to help folks get curious and explore options that align with their values.
How does your healing work inform your activism or understanding of the world?
The work I do as an eating disorder focused provider goes hand in hand with my activism. The topics of food, eating, and bodily care are highly political. When we talk about feeding ourselves adequately and caring for our bodies, we are also talking about body liberation, disability justice, and how white supremacy infiltrates ideals around beauty and health. Eating disorders provide a source of coping when our needs of safety, security, and belonging are unmet. When we take a further look, we see the ways in which social inequity such as racism, poverty and structural oppression play an integral part to the development and intergenerational continuation of eating disorders.
What's your favorite season of the year and why?
I am yet another fall season aficionado (shocker!) I love seeing fall foliage, smelling the crisp air, and enjoying the return of apple cider, apple cider donuts, and soup season! Not to mention, I love halloween and the spooky festivities in October.
What has made you smile recently that you feel the need to share?
Earlier this week, I went to Sulis Studio's monthly Queer Figure Drawing class, which was my first time and so fun! It has been some time since delving back into my drawing skills, and it felt good to be back to doing something I've enjoyed doing since a young kid. I feel at peace when putting a pencil to paper and making art. It made me happy to be around others in a creative and low pressure space.
