Welcome

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and stars; you have a right to be here.
Desiderata.

Therapeutic Eating™ is a permission slip & an invitation.

I created Therapeutic Eating to bridge “best practices” – ie. foundational self care, daily ritual and commitment to honesty which are the launching pads to self awareness, increased confidence and ultimately, access to deeper healing.

We’re in this together, let’s make it delicious.

“With so many people in the health and wellness industry it can be overwhelming and hard to trust anyone. Katie is as genuine and authentic as they come and I love how she supports her clients (and everyone) into coming into a relationship with themselves. Eating is a way to honor and love yourself. Movement is a way to love and honor ourselves. Through Katie’s support, guidance and suggestions I’ve been able to cultivate a deeper sense of self love resulting in better health, more energy and just feeling better all around. Even on my bad days!” – Lauren Adelman

Honesty is the Root of Recovery

Be Honest

Recovery is not the Destination, it's the path

Peace & Freedom await

Buckwheat Flax bread Recipe

A page from the Therapeutic Eating Cookbook & Guide. Those who work with me receive a free copy.

What it means to Redefine Your Hunger:

Food isn’t what we think it is, mostly because we think food is either good or bad – applying some moral value that doesn’t exist. It can be both a drug and medicine depending on how we treat it. Food was created for our utmost sustenance and we can abuse it really quickly in these modern times or we can use it to our utmost advantage. What we think about eating has to change, because change is our birthright and our privilege. This is what I call redefining our hunger. Some change is out of our control – like aging – but other changes are – like how we live until we die. So what’s in your control? I’ll lay out a few of them and the rest we can discuss in person because you’ll come to see that your relationship to how you eat and your relationship to your body is very much like all your relationships and once you see how malleable one is, you’ll see how all of them are:

␥ You can control what you put into your mouth, who you surround yourself with and what kind of lifestyle you lead

␥ You can control supporting big industries who’s only incentive is to make money off your your addictive tendencies – and we all have them

␥ You can shape your appetite by ensuring that you eat regularly. Binging happens out of deprivation – same goes with spending; even for the frugal and saving, the excess shows up as compensatory elsewhere

␥ You can work a job and make the money it requires to afford the kind of nourishment you desire: if health is wealth then wealth is also health

␥ You are not a victim to the food industry or your parent’s habits – this is the beauty of epigenetics.

All bodies require a simple breakdown of fat, carbohydrates and protein in a fine but not overly complicated balance. Additionally we need antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber to help sweep unnecessary substances from our digestive tract. These things aren’t hard to acquire if we eat colorful foods. Some foods cause irritation in some people so it’s important to be attuned to what those irritants are, dairy, gluten, excess fat and sugar are big offenders. It’s much wiser to address your nutrition before masking your symptoms with pills and prescriptions. Fads come and go and leave us either scarred or inspired. The literal definition of diet is: the sum of food consumed by a person. Weight Watchers, Intermittent Fasting and the Zone are trends that may help to inspire you to change what’s become habitual – they’re not panaceas. When we change how we eat our bodies and minds change in tandem – this is a synchronistic science. When we begin to feel better we begin to choose better. Which is why we should be open to redefining our lives whenever change beckons and that might happen often so live for yourself and not to appease anyone else.

– Katie

  • Sacred Self/Life Check List

    • Laundry
    • Clean Fridge
    • Kitchen & dishes (daily)
    • Vacuum (3x weekly)
    • Mop (monthly)
    • Beds made (daily)
    • Shelves dusting
    • Clothes put away
    • Bathroom clean
    • Toys put away
    • Plants watered
    • Counters uncluttered
    • ORDER
  • Food

    • fruits & veggies
    • protein – plant & lean sources
    • Soup & nurturing meals
    • Starches – potatoes & grains
    • Nuts, seeds, legumes
    • indulgences – sweet, salty, crunchy foods that you crave and are made with wholesome ingredients
    • Stimulants / coffee, maté, matcha, tea
    • Supplements: collagen, multivitamins, kanna, ashwaghanda, hormonal support etc
  • Self

    • sleep
    • skin & oral hygiene
    • boundaries
    • values
    • sex
    • daily movement
    • sweat hot/cold/infrared
    • quiet time
    • music
    • journaling/self expression
  • Work

    • 30-40 hours a week devoted to being of service, passion, talents & sharing knowledge
    • investments
    • pay bills
    • writing, making lists, journaling
  • Relationships

    • therapy
    • honesty
    • calls/texts, lunch & dinner dates
    • outdoor activities
    • clear communication/reflective listening
    • intimacy

What can I say other than Katie is a shooting star spreading love around the world. The dedication to helping others is truly what Katie is all about. There’s no words that can make up how much she’s helped me, I get teary thinking about it. I owe a lot of what I’ve gotten through the last month due to her help. I never so grateful that she has entered my life. I will continue to do therapy with her even when I don’t need it because the truth is I’ll always need it and I need her just the same. My gratitude goes beyond words. – Better Help Client

Therapeutic Eating with Katie Zarko, LMFT

What is Therapeutic Eating™? At the end of the day, all the work we do on ourselves will lead us back to the kitchen – the place we nourish our intentions. Once our intentions become action, we’ll see how our efforts were fueled by the conscious decisions we made along the way. Food matters, it always has, it always will and while food isn’t my primary focus in all the work I do, I wouldn’t be here had I not recovered from my own afflictions.

I see individuals, couples and teens both in person and online. I offer 1:1 therapy, groups and workshops as well as provide food and cooking demonstrations for retreats. Everything we do starts with our health. I believe you are here to revere the body that walks you through this incredible life you’ve been gifted! Often a simple tweak in perspective or utilizing your therapy sessions as a mirror into your subconscious can move mountains. It takes courage! Thank you for trusting me – I can’t wait to support you.

“Katie Trussell is a skilled healer with a deep understanding of the body and mind connection. She speaks with compassion from her own experiences. She can guide a person entrenched in a rigid belief system to realize a more conscious and mindful relationship with themselves.” – Margaret Lumm

Connect with me

I work with: Individuals, Couples + Teens

I specialize in: Women’s issues, Addiction, Health & Lifestyle, Food & Eating Disorders, Parenting, Intimacy, Stress/Anxiety/Depression, Psychedelics

Modalities I practice: Solution Focused, Narrative, IFS, EFT, CBT, DBT, Existential, Feminist & Psychedelic Assisted Therapy + ESA letters upon request

Private Chef Work: I provide plant based meals for yoga retreats and mindfulness based workshops. Please inquire with me for further details.