Neurodivergent-minded, compassionate nutrition therapy with Madison Rivas RDN, CD, LDN

Virtually serving adults located in North Carolina, Virginia, and Washington

I help people pleasers and perfectionists unravel the shame, fear and guilt they feel about food and their bodies

Erin Schedler Photography

At Unravel Nutrition Counseling your care will always be:

Weight-Inclusive

Compassionate

Individualized

My clients struggle just like you do.

Despite being great problem-solvers, thinkers, and observers, they just can’t seem to get a handle on feeding themselves.

They feel like the way they eat isn’t “normal”. And they definitely don’t feel good about their body.

When they first come to see me they’ve heard all the typical advice and feel like, since it doesn’t work for them, there must be something wrong with them.

My clients worry that their relationship with food and their body will always feel chaotic and messy.

Sometimes they feel completely out of control around food. Sometimes they feel weird for eating the same foods every day (until they suddenly get sick of them). Sometimes it seems like there is no food on this green earth that sounds good even though they are really f*cking hungry.

They feel hopeless when they look in the mirror, beating themselves up for never making any lasting changes. Sometimes they entirely avoid looking at their body in the mirror because of the tangled mess of failures and “not good enough” moments it reflects back to them.

They vacillate between moments of hope and hopelessness.

They feel hopeful when they think they’ve finally found the (*insert newest wellness related hyperfixation*) that will definitely work for them. And then, inevitably, hopeless again when they lose motivation. 

Before coming to see me, they felt like these patterns would repeat forever. They thought seeing a dietitian just meant getting the same advice (that they already know), following it for awhile, eventually falling off the proverbial wagon, beating themselves up about it and starting the cycle over again.

Like my clients, you deserve to find peace and clarity when it comes to the food you eat and the body you live in.

It is possible to go about your day without a tangled mess of “shoulds” and “shouldnt’s” haunting you after every bite of food or passing glance in the mirror.

If you want to feel confident and empowered about food, your health, and your body, I’d really love to help you get there. 

Kind words from past clients

  • Getting unstuck

    “I have loved working with Madison. She is super down-to-earth, a very empathetic listener, and great at offering options to see what works best for me on my journey with food and my body. I understand so much more about why diet culture is such a trap, and I feel like I can move through things that I felt very stuck in before. If you are looking for someone to help heal your relationship with food and your body, and have a good time doing it, Madison is your person!”

    -M.W.

  • Experience with RO DBT

    “Madison is kind, caring, extremely knowledgeable, and thinks outside the box. Her experience with RO-DBT has been invaluable for my progress. She is fully supportive and nonjudgemental which is key for me to be able to have an honest and transparent working relationship. I feel very fortunate to be working with her as I see my recovery continuing to flourish.”

    -Freya R.

  • Best decision for mental health

    “I started seeing Madison after completing a year-long treatment for an eating disorder. I did not feel ready to be released so I decided to try seeing Madison. This was the best decision I have ever made for my mental health. Madison is professional, knowledgable, and compassionate and she knows her "stuff"! She challenges me when I need it and is always there to support me. I have healed more with Madison in a short time than I did with a whole year of an intense eating disorder program. She is THE BEST!!”

    -Mary M.

  • New perspectives

    “I worked with Madison for 4 months and gained so much insight into the way I view my eating habits and overall nutritional beliefs. She is very easy to talk with and made me feel comfortable immediately. She has a remarkable talent for listening and reframing my held beliefs then offering a perspective that I hadn't been able to see. I appreciate her so much!”

    -Val K.

  • A true active listener

    “Madison has helped me completely change and heal my relationship with food. She is a true active listener-providing suggestions and goals that push me just enough out of my comfort zone to grow, while feeling supported the whole way. She’s easy to talk to, trustworthy, and knowledgable.”

    -Christina T.

Check out recent posts from The Unravel Blog

Featured
How to Nourish Yourself: 5 Practical Tips for Difficult Days
How to Nourish Yourself: 5 Practical Tips for Difficult Days

Struggling to eat due to stress, illness, or mental health? Discover 5 practical tips to nourish yourself on difficult days. Small meals, easy-to-digest foods, and planning ahead can help.

Read More →
Flexible Meals: Cooking and Preparing Meals as an ADHDer
Flexible Meals: Cooking and Preparing Meals as an ADHDer

Struggling with ADHD and meal preparation? Explore flexible meal ideas that break neuronormative rules. Create a more accommodating relationship with food, tailored to your unique preferences and needs. Say goodbye to rigid meal expectations and hello to a flexible, ADHD-friendly approach to eating.

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ADHD and Perfectionism
ADHD and Perfectionism

I’ve seen it time and time again. A client comes to me who has known for years that they are struggling with an eating disorder. They have seen SO many providers to get help and just can’t seem to get a handle on things. People think they are getting by in life “just fine”, even though they are struggling deeply beneath the surface. They are reaching out for help with their eating disorder, but don’t realize that perfectionism is covering up undiagnosed ADHD. They don’t realize how ADHD and perfectionism are impacting their attempts to heal their relationship with food.

Read More →
Using Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) in Nutrition Counseling
Using Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) in Nutrition Counseling

One of the therapy modalities that informs my work is Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). Since I am not a therapist, I wanted to take the time to unpack DBT and explain it’s strengths, limitations and how I use it in my practice as a dietitian.

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Contact us.

madison@unravelnutrition.com

Phone: 757-550-0412

Fax: 206-385-7381

Sometimes it’s hard to think of what to write when reaching out to someone. I know I dread it! Here’s a script you are welcome to use.

Hi Madison,

I’m interested in seeing you for nutrition counseling. I’ve been experiencing [brief description of what you are struggling with] and would like to know if that is something you can help me with.

Thanks!

[Your name]