Episode 023

Trust & Treatment: How Outpatient Teams Support Lasting Recovery (with Melanie Lehman)

In this episode, Laura Cohen sits down with Melanie Lehman, a registered dietitian and licensed dietitian nutritionist. Laura and Melanie unpack how caregivers can build and get the most out of an outpatient treatment team: how to tell an eating disorder specialist from a general dietitian, what questions to ask a prospective provider, and how the dietitian, therapist, and medical provider roles overlap and collaborate. Melanie explains why outpatient care is the long haul rather than a quick fix, how she builds rapport with kids who won't engage, and why the caregiver is the most important member of the team.

Listeners will come away with concrete language to use (including asking a doctor for orthostatic vitals), red flags that signal the wrong fit, and reassurance that they have every right to advocate and be treated as a partner in their loved one's care.

00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer

01:20 Laura Introduces Melanie Lehman

03:00 How Laura and Melanie Met: A Shared History

05:30 Choosing a Dietitian: Why Specialty Matters

08:00 Questions to Ask and Trusting Your Gut

13:00 Building an Outpatient Team and What It Includes

15:00 The Purpose of Outpatient Care: The Long Haul

19:30 Roles of the Dietitian, Therapist, and Medical Provider

27:00 Orthostatic Vitals and Additional Team Members

30:30 Building Rapport with Kids Who Won't Engage

36:00 The Caregiver's Role: Communication and Advocacy

43:30 Handling Disagreements, Weight Goals, and Three Takeaways

SUPPORT & RESOURCES - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

FEAST website:

https://feast-ed.org/

FEAST programs and services:

https://feast-ed.org/programs-and-services/

MEDA (Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association):

https://www.medainc.org/

Lehman Nutrition (Melanie Lehman's practice):

https://www.lehmannutrition.com/

Guest Bio:

Melanie Lehman is a Registered Dietitian and Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist in private practice. She specializes in supporting individuals struggling with eating disorders, disordered eating, and body image concerns. She studied nutrition at the University of New Hampshire, and went on to complete her dietetic internship at Massachusetts General Hospital. From there, she began her career at the Cambridge Eating Disorder Center and subsequently was the Assistant Director of Clinical Services at Van Dusen Nutrition, a private practice group. Two years ago she took the leap to start her own private practice and recently hired her first dietitian, and hopes to grow Lehman Nutrition in the years to come. She is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and MEDA (Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association).