Meet Laura May-Roelse of Laura May-Roelse

Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura May-Roelse.

Laura, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
The story of how I got to where I am today is not a short or straightforward one. I can now look back and see the defining moments that were instrumental in leading me to open my practice. I guess you would need to go back to my early life of say middle school where I like many others started developing my sense of self and establishing my body image. It did not start out so well. I compared my self to others and I often felt somehow less than. My body image developed as a mildly uneasy one but quickly moved to more of a negative one by high school. This negative body image brought along an overall depression and for many years I suffered in complete silence.

Fast forward to my college years and I was torn in what would I do for the rest of my life. I mean trying to decide that question at 18 years of age was daunting to me. My first 2 years in college I made sure to take my basic classes and I went towards a business/accounting degree since my sister had done that so why shouldn’t I? I had to learn through experience of accounting classes that I hated the idea of accounting. So back to the drawing board. What to do with my life?

I spent the next 3 years taking several science classes because maybe I would choose a career in medicine like my mother and father had, I also took photography courses because I loved it.

By the end of year 5 in college, I had to make a decision. I chose to pursue a dietetics degree. I was accepted to the University of Texas Southwestern and obtained my Bachelors Degree in Dietetics. I worked for 10 years in various settings. What I learned in those 10 years of helping people learn how to eat better was all the dynamics of what got in the way of eating better. I went back to school for a Masters in Professional Development in Counseling and from there opened up my Private Practice as a Nutrition Counselor.

That began in April of 2005.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I continue to learn from my struggles and mistakes made along the way. I can say most of what I have learned has been through trial and error. I do all aspects of my business from scheduling my appointments, maintaining my professional marketing to doing my own taxes. Each and every aspect of this business was done out of passion to do what I believe in. Helping others in my own capacity to learn greater self-acceptance and how to believe in oneself.

Laura May-Roelse – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
My business is my passion and that is I assist people with any eating struggle they find themselves in.

I have specialized my practice in eating disorder treatment and have obtained Certification status of Certified Eating Disorder Dietitian through the International Association for Eating disorder Professionals. I am most proud of my current status of a Certified Eating Disorder Dietitian supervisor that allows me to supervise those wanting to work in the world of eating disorders.

I can treat all levels of eating disorders in an outpatient setting. I work in a collaborative approach with other treatment providers including therapists, Psychiatrists, Physicians, and teachers.

My overall philosophy of nutrition is that yes all foods fit and that either learning or relearning how to listen to one’s inner wisdom is essential to having a healthy relationship with food. I hope to not only treat someone with an eating disorder but I hope to move them into self-acceptance, self-love, using body kindness as guideposts to how they live their life.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
To be perfectly honest here, this may vary day to day. As a recovering “I should do better” person I may look at external things to provide me with how successful I am doing such as how many people do I see comparable to someone else in this field or how much money am I making. I never really feel good when I look at these things but success to me if more of a feeling so when I hear that I helped someone eat a challenge meal or if I hear that someone is doing better in their recovery this is when I know I am successful and fulfilling my passion to help.

Coming up on my 13th year in private practice this benchmark I suppose has given me the confidence that I am successful. I have for 13 years helped people have a better relationship with themselves and food. This means I am successful!

Contact Info:

• Address: 10440 North Central Expressway, Suite 800
  Dallas, TX 75231
• Website: www.lauramayroelse.com
• Phone: 2145404398
• Email: laura.may@sbcglobal.net
• Instagram: nutritionconnections
• Facebook: NutritionConnections with Laura May-Roelse
• Twitter: @lauraroelse

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