About Me

There’s no point in giving up something that you enjoy unless you get something back that’s even better.
~Dean Ornish

Hi, I’m Sue Ann Gleason—food lover, food writer, food-based healer. I inspire women to trust their intuition, unravel their food stories and take back their plates, one luscious bite at a time. I have a unique gift. I can help you get to the heart of your nutritional story because, even more important than all of my studies and certifications, I’ve explored the shadows and contradictions in my own story. If you want to create a nourishment menu that sustains you and feeds you exquisitely for the rest of your life, you’ve got to LOVE WHAT YOU EAT.

People often ask me: “What is a ‘culinary’ nutritionist?”

My response?

Lots of people know they should be eating healthier foods but they’ve been bombarded with so many different nutritional systems they have no idea what to eat anymore. Instead of handing them a 1400-calorie meal plan or point system and a packet of recipes they may never use, I like to cultivate their culinary curiosity. I show them how they can prepare simple, healthy, exquisite meals and still have time to eat!

Sure, I can provide you with all kinds of nutritional strategies and cutting-edge science to help you lose weight, reclaim your energy, and feel good in your clothes. But if you ask me about the heart and soul of my practice, I’ll take you right back to my grandmother’s kitchen. First, we’ll discard the collective obsession we seem to have adopted in this country—counting calories, tracking points, skipping meals, starving ourselves into skinny jeans or the quintessential little black dress.

Then, I’ll help you cultivate (or reclaim) a more nourishing relationship with food—one that brings you radiant health and lasting energy—without depriving you of the pleasure and delight in sharing a sumptuous meal with friends and family. Once you begin to reacquaint your taste buds with the vibrant flavors and textures of succulent homegrown tomatoes, ravishing red peppers, crunchy cucumbers and glorious greens, there’s no turning back.

Everybody has a food story. Here’s mine.

Professional Bio

I am a Culinary Nutritionist and Dynamic Eating Psychology Counselor with a MS in Curriculum and Instruction. A personal health crisis and a lifelong interest in the power of food as medicine brought me to the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City where I studied dietary theories, contemporary health issues, and Eastern and Western nutrition. That experience was a springboard for further study and deeper work. Next, I attended the Living Light Culinary Institute in Fort Bragg, California where I studied the science of raw food nutrition and raw food culinary arts.

My career has been characterized by an insatiable desire for learning. At the Institute for the Psychology of Eating in Boulder, Colorado, I engaged in a year-long program in Dynamic Eating Psychology. This science-based, body-wisdom approach to nutritional health took my practice to a whole new level. It’s truly the missing link in nutritional counseling. Not only will I help you fall in love with food, I can show you how to take a deeper dive into the beautifully complex issues that make up your nutritional story.

I am board certified with the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. My approach to vibrant health includes delicious foods, nourishing recipes, mind-body exercises, joyful movement, storytelling and you. I enjoy nothing more than watching you transform your body, your spirit, and your life. As your nourishment counselor, I guide you through the steps of feeding both your body and your soul.

Degrees, studies, certifications and endorsements

Bachelor of Science in Education, State University of New York, College at Buffalo
Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction, George Mason University
Certified Holistic Health Counselor, Institute for Integrative Nutrition, New York City
Certificate in Integrative Nutrition, Purchase College, SUNY
Science of Raw Food Nutrition, Living Light Culinary Institute, Fort Bragg, California
Plant-based Nutrition and Diseases of Affluence, Cornell University
Mind Body Nutrition, Institute for the Psychology of Eating, Boulder, Colorado

Honors

Loudoun County Teacher of the Year
Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award

Memberships

American Culinary Federation Education Foundation Accrediting Commission (ACFEF)
International Association of Coaches (IAC)
American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP)
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM)