The Registered Dietitians at Sööma use therapeutic approaches to inform their nutrition interventions within their scope of practice. Learn more about how we incorporate various therapeutic styles in our nutrition counseling for eating disorders and disordered eating.
Emily Reny
Registered Dietitian
Location: Pointe-Claire, Plateau Mont Royal or Virtual
Approach Inspired By
- Family Based Treatment (FBT)
- Intuitive Eating
- Health at Every Size®
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
About Emily
Background
Emily Reny is a registered dietitian and a member of the Ordre des diététistes-nutritionnistes du Québec (ODNQ). She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Dietetics at McGill University and also holds an undergraduate degree in Liberal Arts and History from Bishop’s University.
Emily’s interest in nutrition initially developed through her experience as a competitive swimmer, where she observed firsthand the important role nutrition plays in both physical and mental well-being. This early exposure, combined with her desire to pursue meaningful, person-centred work, eventually led her to the field of dietetics.
Throughout her academic training, Emily worked as a caregiver for neurodivergent individuals. This experience played a formative role in shaping her clinical interests and introduced her to the complex and often under-recognized intersection between neurodivergence and eating disorders. It was during this time that Emily developed a strong commitment to supporting neurodivergent individuals in ways that respect their unique experiences, needs, and relationships with food.
Emily began her clinical career at the Jewish General Hospital, where she gained experience across multiple medical settings, including working with individuals affected by eating disorders. She has also worked in private practice alongside dietitians specializing in sports nutrition, further strengthening her ability to support clients with diverse and complex nutritional needs.
Approach and Training
Emily has developed a strong clinical focus on eating disorder treatment and recovery, with particular expertise and interest in Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). She is especially drawn to this work because of the complex ways that sensory sensitivities, anxiety, past experiences with food, and neurodivergence can influence eating behaviours.
Emily recognizes that eating difficulties are rarely as simple as knowing what or how much to eat. For individuals with ARFID, ADHD, autism, or other neurodivergent experiences, challenges with food may involve sensory preferences, executive functioning, anxiety, or difficulty recognizing and responding to hunger cues. She takes a neurodivergent-affirming approach to nutrition counselling, adapting strategies to each client’s needs rather than expecting clients to fit into a prescribed way of eating.
She is committed to ongoing professional development in eating disorder treatment and integrates evidence-based approaches into her practice, including Family-Based Treatment (FBT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Her work is also informed by Health at Every Size® principles and a non-diet approach to nutrition.
Above all, Emily values building a collaborative, compassionate, and non-judgmental therapeutic relationship. She understands that making changes to eating patterns can feel overwhelming, particularly when food has been a longstanding source of anxiety or distress. She works alongside clients to develop realistic, flexible strategies that support nutritional well-being while respecting their autonomy, preferences, and lived experiences.
Emily also identifies as queer and values creating an LGBTQ+ affirming and inclusive space where clients feel comfortable bringing their whole selves, including their identities and lived experiences, into their work together. She recognizes that identity, social experiences, and relationships can shape how individuals relate to food and their bodies, and strives to provide care that is respectful of each person’s unique circumstances.
Who She Works With
Emily provides nutrition counselling for adolescents and adults experiencing eating disorders, disordered eating, and challenges with their relationship with food.
She has a particular interest in supporting individuals with ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder), including those who experience selective or picky eating, limited food variety, sensory-based food avoidance, fear of uncomfortable consequences of eating, or low interest in food.
Her work may involve helping clients gradually expand their range of accepted foods, navigate food-related anxiety, establish more consistent eating patterns, and develop strategies that make eating feel more manageable. She recognizes that progress looks different for everyone and emphasizes curiosity, flexibility, and collaboration rather than pressure or rigid expectations.
Emily is also passionate about supporting neurodivergent adolescents and adults, including individuals with ADHD and autism, whose relationship with food may be influenced by sensory sensitivities, executive functioning challenges, or difficulties maintaining regular eating routines. She helps clients explore practical nutrition strategies that accommodate their needs and work within the realities of their everyday lives.
Drawing on her background as a competitive swimmer and her experience in sports nutrition, Emily also works with athletes and physically active individuals who want to better understand how to fuel their bodies, support their energy needs, and develop a balanced relationship with food and movement. She brings this same appreciation for movement into her personal life through activities such as Pilates, yoga, Zumba, and barre.
Whether someone is navigating eating disorder recovery, working toward greater food flexibility, or seeking support with nutrition in the context of neurodivergence, Emily aims to create a space where clients feel heard, respected, and supported in making changes at a pace that feels manageable.
Emily offers nutrition counselling in English and French, with in-person appointments at Sööma’s Plateau Mont-Royal and Pointe-Claire clinics in Montreal and virtual appointments throughout Quebec. Insurance receipts are provided.
A quote that resonates with me
“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”
Annie Dillard
Other Services Offered
Professional Supervision
Annyck also provides professional supervision to several dietitians in the United States and Canada. She is an affiliate member of the School of Human Nutrition at McGill University due to her lectures to dietetic students on the subject of eating disorders as well as her dedication to education through nutrition internships at Sööma. Annyck has also offered training to dietitians specializing in eating disorders through EDRDPro.
Outside of Work You can Find Me
Spending time with my two children and my husband
Reading books (I love books for learning and fiction!)
Hosting dinner parties (the more people, the merrier)
Talking on the phone
Running or skiing
Organizations that I’ve collaborated with
Jamie has collaborated with a variety of organizations to offer training,workshops and presentations.
