Laura Pumillo MA, RDN, CDN, CEDRD-S

I have suffered with anorexia for decades and have seen more therapists and nutritionists than I can recall in a number of states, either of my own volition or as part of a team through years of hospitalizations. Laura is, unequivocally, the only nutritionist I have ever trusted and who I found to be a true ally in the complicated process of recovery.

Where most nutritionists are rote and regimented–choose one of these foods from one of these groups, etc. –Laura meets you where you are, and inherently understands what so many other professionals in the field don’t: that if you aren’t working with your patient/client to achieve the same set of goals, goals that work specifically for that person, then there’s little chance of success. Laura sees you as an individual, and listens to your fears, however misplaced or irrational they might be. She understands that trust is vital in this process and never forces you to commit to something you’re uncomfortable with. She meets you where you are, and walks with you through the process at your own pace.

Laura is as much a therapist as a nutritionist and one of the few professionals I actually looked forward to seeing every week because I knew that she really cared, had my best interests at heart, and that she was on my side, no matter what. Best in the business. Highly recommend.

Laura is very compassionate–she listens carefully to your problems with food and beyond and always has a thoughtful response. She tackles eating issues from a very holistic perspective and gets to the root of the problem. I highly recommend her!

In my psychotherapy practice, I work with many clients who struggle in their relationships with food and their bodies. It’s critical that I collaborate with dietitians who are not only experts in food and nutrition but who recognize the sensitivity and complexity of these relationships. Laura Pumillo is an excellent example of such a nutritionist. Laura is clinically astute, well-informed, creative and compassionate. Our mutual clients have great respect for Laura — as do I — and it is truly a pleasure watching them benefit from their work with her.

Seeing Laura was an essential part of my recovery. I have suffered from an eating disorder for over 5 years and have seen numerous nutritionists; without question, Laura was the most successful at connecting with me and the issue. She took note of my personal goals, and aligned them with her expertise. Laura has a great balance of understanding my struggles/hesitations and continuing my road to recovery. I stopped seeing Laura because I was well into recovery, however, I still keep in contact when I have any questions. Laura’s people skills make easy to connect while her expertise makes it easy to trust her. Sadly, this also makes it hard to find another nutritionist just as wonderful.

I consider myself to be extremely lucky to have had Laura as a central piece of my recovery team for the past 3 years. At the beginning of treatment, I didn’t realize that my recovery would become much more than learning how to eat normally again. It would help me grow as a person – and I attribute that growth to Laura. Laura has helped me to understand the way I operate, the things that I need to be successful, and how to get back on track if I veer off course. She excels at understanding the individual within their broader context – she helps one understand the social, personal, and professional influences that can be both beneficial and harmful, and how to deal with them. Through her help, I’ve been able to discover things that particularly affect me, and develop confidence that I can take care of myself. What’s more, I know I always have someone to back me up.

Through her support and encouragement, I’ve learned how to persevere through tough times, and to become compassionate to myself – which extends to others around me. Laura has inspired me to be confident, practical, and honest with myself about my behaviors – both good and bad.

Truly, working with Laura has turned my recovery process into something much more than that. I absolutely recommend her to anyone seeking help with disordered eating.

I highly recommend Laura to anyone struggling with an eating disorder or other weight-related issue. I have been a patient of Laura’s for close to seven years and cannot adequately express the impact she has had on my anorexia recovery and, more generally, my attempts to reduce disordered eating and to develop a healthy relationship with food. I first saw Laura as a part of an eating disorder treatment team in 2007. Laura was much more than a nutritionist, she really served as a holistic and thoughtful therapist. Laura truly understands me and tailored treatment to my specific needs. She is able to address the big picture, working not only on the nutritional aspect of treatment, but also on the emotional and cognitive elements. I absolutely credit Laura for much of my recovery.

As a student, Laura’s flexibility has been invaluable when it comes to keeping in contact even when I am away at school. Laura is prompt and thoughtful in her email correspondence and is able to give me the support I need even when I am unable to meet in person.

Even when I go months without seeing Laura, she always remembers every relevant detail about my life. I have never met a nutritionist or therapist who balances professionalism and expertise with empathy and personality as well as Laura does.

Laura worked with me as the dietitian at the inpatient eating disorders unit at NY Presbyterian hospital- Cornell Westchester Division. We worked closely together to treat a broad spectrum of very ill patients, and she is skilled at treating complex patient and their families. She has a warm, approachable demeanor that immediately engages patients, and gets along very well with staff. We have also worked together treating patients in the outpatient setting, and she’s always a great resource and pleasure to have on the team. She is an outstanding nutritionist that can effectively address a wide variety of nutritional issues, and I recommend her without reservation.

Simply put, Laura changed my life. She has been an incredible source of support and encouragement, and I am forever grateful for everything she has done for me. At first, I was hesitant to work with a nutritionist. I figured it’s not rocket science that it’s better to eat an apple than an entire cake – so why do I need to see someone who will just tell me the obvious? I was so wrong. Laura is so much more than that.

In addition to being extremely knowledgeable in the science of nutrition, Laura really understands the intricacies and complexities of all spectrums of disordered eating. Her approach is individualized, compassionate and collaborative.

Laura is my rock and my cheerleader. It is an amazing feeling to know that someone genuinely understands, cares and wants the best for me.

I highly recommend Laura to anyone: whether struggling with an intense eating disorder, just hoping to live a healthier life, or anywhere in between.

Before I met Laura, I did not have a good experience with a nutritionist, therefore I thought I did not need one and that I would be able to handle my food struggles stemming from Anorexia on my own. However after meeting Laura, my perspective completely changed. I have been working with her for less than a year and she has been one of the best support systems. She is very professional and is a true expert in her field. She takes a holistic approach while dealing with my eating disorder, focusing on mind and body and also taking environmental factors into consideration. She really understands me and what I am going through. I believe that she is the only one who truly “gets me” and accepts the way I am. Although I have a therapist, Laura’s sessions are very therapeutic to me. Laura is very compassionate and understanding. She listens to every single thing that I have to say and takes everything into consideration. She is very straightforward and also provides support and feedback. She challenges me to do things that i am very fearful of doing (and eating), and is always there for me so I could get through it. I don’t know how I managed before I started working with her, she is wonderful. I highly recommend Laura, she is a real professional!

Laura and I have worked together for years. Knowing how sensitive some of my clients are regarding weight and eating problems, I am extremely careful about which dietician I recommend. Laura fulfills all the requirements. She is highly flexible, up-to-date on the latest research, and understands how to build trust and rapport. I feel fortunate to have her as part of my team.