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MS RDN CDCES CIEC

 "Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you." - Anne Lamott

Joanna created Bodacious Nutrition (Nutrition for Women) because she is passionate about providing women with the support they need- and may otherwise not get- to thrive. As a modern working mother, she is all too familiar with the demands of society and family.

Personally

 

  • Joanna is a momma of 3, and she's the type of mom who will breast feed her baby walking around in the grocery store, picking out marinara sauce. 

  • She aims for a "me too!" mentality when it comes to her own self-care and believes we should unapologetically take up space, be bold, and give ourselves all the self-compassion we need.

  • She keeps a shelf of fun foods and snacks at eye level for her 4- and 6-year-olds so they can practice autonomy and gain food confidence.  

  • She loves to garden and has a 20 by 20 ft community garden plot she plays around in spring to fall. 

  • She's currently training for her first Super 10k Spartan race with her best friend of 26 years (she is only mostly terrified). 

  • She is a PCOS-er as well as a ADHD-momma who knows the importance of self-care and having systems in place to optimize overall well-being and decrease unwanted physical or mental health symptoms. 

  • When she isn't working chasing her kids around or working on her business, she is going to concerts with her best friend/husband of 13 years, going to park dates with her hilarious momma friends, getting ice cream, cooking quick and easy plant-forward or plant-based meals, and shopping for (and spending too much on) earrings and lipstick. 

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(she/her)
Speaking at Bloom Summit about fertility nutrition (while pregnant), 2022

Professionally

 

Joanna has worked as a nutrition counselor for 12 years. In her early career and for several years, she worked with chronic disease management, namely diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease as well as gestational diabetes, and this work informs her current work. She has experience with women's health, bariatric surgery, plant-based nutrition, sports nutrition, gastrointestinal disease, and mental wellness and nutrition. 

She started Bodacious Nutrition in 2017 and has been working with eating disorders and the food relationship since then. She is a Health At Every Size® -aligned clinician who rejects restrictive dieting and promotes a mindful acceptance of our here and now bodies, but she also believes we can work toward health-related and value-symmetric goals through a non-diet and weight neutral lens. 

She has expertise in motivational interviewing, acceptance and commitment therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy as well as positive psychology. She believes in meeting clients where they are and collaborating to work toward self-compassion and food peace. 

She has a special professional interest in supporting women with symptoms of perimenopause.

Joanna Pustilnik
Joanna has a wide range of experience. She has worked with all ages and genders- from 9 years old to 90 years old. She has chosen to niche down, but if you have a question about whether you'd be a good fit, please reach out! 

Education and Training

  • Master's in Nutrition Science from University of Cincinnati 

  • Dietetic Internship at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, 2011

  • Working in eating disorders and the food relationship since 2017

Certifications 

  • Nationally Registered Dietitian (RD/RDN), 2011

  • Washington DC and Maryland Licensed Dietitian 

  • Nationally Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES), 2016

  • Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, 2019

  • Certified LEAP Therapist

Continuing Advanced Trainings

  • Ongoing professional supervision for eating disorders

  • PCOS Training Course for Dietitians with Angela Grassi

  • Body Image Training 2.0 with Marci Evans

  • Rouxbe Plant-based Nutrition course

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy training for dietitians

  • Binge Eating Disorder Treatment Course for Dietitians

Areas of Focus

  • Eating disorders in women 35+

    • Binge eating disorder***

    • Bulimia

    • OSFED

    • Anorexia

    • Orthorexia

  • Intuitive Eating Coaching

  • Women's Health

    • Nutrition for pre, peri, and post-natal period

    • Irregular menses

    • Perimenopause and Menopause

    • PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome)

    • Metabolic Health

  • Body image concerns:

    • Body dysmorphia

    • Body hatred/disgust

Values

Connection

Fostering healing and growth through virtual support groups and 1 on 1 collaborative relationships

Inclusion

Offering inclusive pricing, rejecting all forms of oppression, acknowledging our own privilege, and valuing diversity in all forms

Sustainability

Offering a virtual, zero-waste model of sustainable care, and working to support plant-forward, environmentally-friendly dietary patterns

Collaborative

Working with clients and care team to optimize care and collaborating with client to access own body wisdom and lived experiences to guide treatment process

Curiousity

Offering kind, non-judgemental and transparent care with openness to whatever comes up

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Michele, VA
"...She had such a warm and encouraging presence and I truly felt that she understood my struggles and knew how to help me through them. Joanna introduced me to intuitive eating principles that really allowed me to practice self compassion and get in tune with what my body needed..."
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