Meet Dana

Dana Sturtevant, MS, RD is a registered dietician and Kripalu yoga teacher with extensive experience using a motivational approach to help individuals let go of food/weight obsession to heal relationship with food and reach a natural, healthy weight. Dana works with patients using awareness practice and conscious eating guidelines as the foundation for a more enjoyable eating experience.

Dana’s Approach
People are often confused when it comes to nutrition and health.  The media has made us think we do not know how to eat.  Making healthy food choices need not be as complicated as people make it.  I help clients connect to inner cues of hunger and satiety while honoring their food likes and dislikes and eating the foods that taste good and make them feel better.

I believe we all have a core set of values that guide our behaviors. I help my clients to identify what is important to them, and how the life they are living today might be interferring with their ability to live according to their core values.  I work in partnership with clients to increase inner motivation and strengthen commitment to a healthy lifestyle before creating a plan to change behavior. I have found that when the decision to change is made from a deeper place, the change is more likely to be long-lasting and pervasive.

I help clients understand that ambivalence is a normal and natural part of the change process. I provide a safe, supportive and empowering environment for clients to explore all the conflicting thoughts and feelings about change. At this point, my clients are more prepared to make well-thought out, committed decisions.

I work together with clients to identify changes they feel most ready to make. We identify barriers to success and determine the best course of action.

As a nutrition therapist, my specialization and interests include:

Food/Weight/Body Image concerns
Eating Disorders
Heart Disease/Cholesterol/Blood Pressure
Diabetes/Glycemic Control
Disease Prevention/General Health
Disease Management

To read a featured interview with Dana on the PortlandRD website, please click here.

To download Dana's New Patient Intake form, please click here.

"I just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me along the way when things weren't so easy. I saw a lot of various dieticians and therapists and such over the years but I can honestly say that your approach was different but for me I think it was the most helpful. Often it was "eat x many calories" and "gain x many pounds or else..." and just an overall very discouraging message. It was so nice to be able to speak to you honestly knowing that you would listen and not be judgmental. Disordered eating made me feel incredibly shameful at times and to be able to break that silence and know that I could trust you was such a relief. Thank you for showing me such compassion and gentle encouragement when I needed it most." - SH