5 Questions With Angela Goens, MS, RDN, LD

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Welcome to this month’s installment of the 5 Questions With… If you’re a new reader (welcome!) this is a series where we learn a bit about experts in the field. Previous interviewees include Dr. Lesley Williams, Mikey Mercedes, Aaron Flores, Dr. Gregory Dodell, Lisa Du Breuil, Dr. Asher Larmie, members of Medical Students for Size Inclusivity, Chrissy King, Jessica Jones, Leslie Jordan Garcia, Dr. Mara Gordon, Dr. Whitney Trotter, and Dr. Anna Whelan.

Today I am honored to bring you five questions with the incredible Angela Goens, MS, RDN, LD

1. Tell us a bit about yourself and your work

Hello everyone, Angela Goens here! I have worked as a Registered Dietitian for a few decades, specifically in the mental field of eating disorders. I own a solo practice, Rooted Nutrition Services, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I’m like an octopus, splitting my time in at least eight directions doing group and individual supervision, consultation, individual nutrition support, training and education. You might also see my face on educational webinars at EDRD Pro, which is an excellent place to find online eating disorder RD specific education resources. My most meaningful annual work is the BIPOC Eating Disorders Conference with co-founder and work bestie, Whitney Trotter.

Lastly, the most important roles I play are really as a life partner, mother to two wily kiddos and a loyal friend to some excellent humans.

2. How did you learn about the concept of weight-inclusive, body affirming care?

Well, I certainly was more traditionally trained by all the classroom work, internships hours and nutrition professionals I initially learned from. It gave me the impression that our superpower as RDs was to help people fit the more societal weight-normative ideal of health.

I initially came across the practice of body-affirming care while I was working on my Master’s of Counseling degree. I attended a presentation at a large ED conference on the topic. I was super intrigued that some clinicians were actually trying to adapt these HAES principles [note: HAES is the trademarked brand of the Association for Size Diversity and Health) and more weight-neutral approaches into their eating disorder treatment programs. As a person with size privilege, I wanted to begin the process of unlearning so much that was fed into my brain over the previous years, by continuing to trust my gut more, listen to my clients and their feedback, educate myself through presentations, books, and training, etc. I would say this is still something I dedicate time and energy to as an ongoing trajectory.

3. How have you/do you apply those concepts to your work?

I have learned so much from fat identifying colleagues, clients and groups I follow, like ASDAH, NAAFA and the Radical Health Alliance. Over the years as a provider, I have learned that being uncomfortable discussing weight is not always a “bad thing”. Tough conversations about body, weight, size, and a client’s personal goals around their body, are not to be avoided, but openly discussed. This can reduce shame and fear about recovery no matter what size their body is. As a straight-sized RD, I do acknowledge with clients that I do not claim to fully understand their perspectives at times, but as a Black, female RD, I do walk with them as an ally.

In the past, I have also tried to create a physical space for clients in larger bodies to feel more comfortable and safe. This has looked like adequate furniture, and clear space to navigate around if mobility aids are needed. I don’t use BMI in my practice. I also have open conversations about weight and scale use with clients to avoid it feeling taboo.

4. What’s one thing that you wish people who are still working from a weight-focused paradigm could learn/know?

I would encourage them to truly consider all of the harm the more traditional forms of Western medicine, therapy and thinking have on folks' overall health and recovery. The most important pivotal part of my career path was when I learned about trauma informed care and started to incorporate it into my daily practice. For those who are still stuck in the weight-focused paradigm, perhaps it can be a clearer point to approach this shift from a trauma perspective.

It is very problematic to practice in a way that always leads to weight loss being the “answer” for most health situations. Also, it is often an assumption, on the clinician’s part, that all clients in larger bodies want or need to lose weight for recovery or health. At times I have been in conversations with weight-centered providers who couldn’t open their mind to the way I support and practice nutrition with my clients. This has prompted me to send over literature on the harm of weight stigma and research showing facts re: body size, as a way for them to take a look for themselves.

5. How and where do we find you and your work?

You can find me:

- Doing my private practice hustle-offering education, peer/group/clinic consultation or supervision and contracting services at AngelaGoensRD@gmail.com or ig @RootedNutritionServices

- Planning and preparing for the 1st hybrid format of the BIPOC Eating Disorders Conference at bipocedconference@gmail.com or ig @bipoc.eatingdisorders

- Facilitating education content at EDRD Pro at Angela@edrdpro.com

- Leading a team of amazing RDs in a collective collective group of mental health providers at LynLake Centers for Wellbeing

Bonus – anything else you’d like to say?

Please join us for the 4th annual BIPOC Eating Disorders Conference in-person at the Houston Texas Food Bank or virtually in July! This conference is for all clinicians and community members who work in the eating disorder space. Deciding to offer an in-person option this year, was in response to feedback where folks were craving connection, networking and a vibe.

We have a powerful 3 day lineup of presentations from BIPoC clinicians, researchers, and community leaders. These are not presentations you can just find in the typical conference lineups, we seek skilled BIPOC presenters to speak on unique topics that may challenge the current narrative around eating disorder care and offer new perspectives. We are approved for 18.5 CEs for a variety of clinicians (approvals for CME, APA, CDR, NBCC, and more)!

This has been a grassroots effort to put this conference together over the years and we appreciate all past, current and future support! If you are interested in sponsoring or attending there is still time!

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*Note on language: I use “fat” as a neutral descriptor as used by the fat activist community, I use “ob*se” and “overw*ight” to acknowledge that these are terms that were created to medicalize and pathologize fat bodies, with roots in racism and specifically anti-Blackness. Please read Sabrina Strings’ Fearing the Black Body – the Racial Origins of Fat Phobia and Da’Shaun Harrison’