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Nutrition Wellness Program

Professionally reviewed by Melissa Gideon, RDN, LDN, Manager, Nutrition Wellness Program, on 07/05/2022.


Good nutrition is essential to well-being and longevity for adults and to growth and development for teenagers. Maximizing nutrition may also aid in recovering from an illness or injury.

Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network’s outpatient Nutrition Program provides individualized sessions with a dietitian to assess nutrition needs and weight goals, explore food choices, create menus and recommend vitamins and supplements. Whether a patient needs to gain or lose weight, adhere to a special diet or requires food of a special consistency, nutrition counseling can help maximize nutrition to reach wellness goals.

Nutrition Wellness Services

  • Initial Assessment: Weight measured, eating behaviors explored and a food log implemented
  • Nutrition Sessions with a Dietitian: A personalized nutrition plan is developed with agreed-upon goals. The number of sessions with the dietitian is based on the plan and goals.
  • Nutrition Behavior Therapy: Identify obstacles to wellness and behavioral changes to move past them with the guidance of the dietitian.

Nutrition Needs for the Following Conditions:

  • Anti-inflammatory diets
  • Celiac Disease
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Chronic Kidney Disease
  • Cystic Fibrosis
  • Down Syndrome
  • Dysphagia/Swallowing Disorders
  • Endocrine Disorders, including Diabetes
  • Enteral Nutrition/Tube Feeding
  • Feeding and Swallowing Disorders
  • Food Allergies
  • Food Aversions
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, such as Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • Lactose Intolerance
  • Neurological Disorders, such as ALS and Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
  • Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
  • Spinal Cord Injury
  • Sports Nutrition
  • Stroke
  • Traumatic Brain Injury
  • Vegetarian/Vegan Diet
  • Weight Management: Underweight/Overweight

Melissa Gideon, RDN, LDN

Melissa is a registered dietitian nutritionist and the facilitator of Good Shepherd’s outpatient Nutrition Wellness Program. She earned her bachelor’s degree in dietetics from the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware, and completed her dietetic internship at Cedar Crest College in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She provides individualized nutrition counseling to help patients achieve improved health, recovery and overall well-being.

Scheduling Sessions

Call 610-776-3173 (Monday through Friday) to schedule an initial assessment. A physician referral is required.

Most health-care insurances cover the cost of nutrition counseling. Insurance will be verified prior to your appointment.