Marlee Finkelstein, M.Ed, MS, RDN, LDN

Marlee is a Registered Dietitian, educator, movement specialist, and health equality advocate committed to helping you live your healthiest, happiest self. With advanced degrees in Kinesiology, Education, and Human Nutrition, she blends her scientific expertise and professional experiences with a mindful approach rooted in science, empathy, and a deep understanding of the human body’s potential for resilience and balance.

Marlee’s philosophy emphasizes personalized proactive health. This means that instead of waiting for symptoms to appear, you’ll learn how to prevent them—and feel your best every day. Get ready to cultivate a sense of curiosity around your health, thoughts, behaviors, and how to best show up for yourself to thrive in the long-term.

A passionate advocate for body positivity and self-compassion, Marlee is committed to countering the harmful impact of negative body image and the pervasive misinformation surrounding nutrition. She actively works to dismantle unrealistic and restrictive ideals, promoting an inclusive view of health that prioritizes nourishment, balance, and enjoyment. She rejects quick fixes, fad diets, and one-size-fits-all solutions, focusing instead on crafting individualized plans specific to your personal needs and goals.

Having personally navigated the challenges of healing through holistic modalities, she provides a systematic approach to improving your awareness, feeling your body, examining your thoughts and behaviors, and strengthening the well-known connection between mind and body. For Marlee, true wellness is about embracing all foods without guilt, fostering sustainable habits, and rejecting the notion that health requires deprivation or perfection.

Marlee’s mission is clear: to guide individuals toward feeling their best with confidence and clarity. She believes everyone deserves to live a life of vitality, no matter the barriers you have to overcome.

Treatment Framework and Modalities

Nutritional:

  • Medical Nutrition Therapy

  • Health At Every Size (HAES)

  • Mindful Eating/Eating Intuitively

  • Functional Medicine/Root-Cause Analysis

  • Blue Zones Solution

Psychological:

  • Motivational Interviewing

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

  • Humanistic Therapy

  • Psychodynamic Therapy

  • Positive Psychology

  • Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Physical:

  • Functional Movement

  • Myofascial Release

  • Forest Bathing (Shinrin-yoku)

Nutrition Counseling and Medical Nutrition Therapy

My counseling sessions integrate nutrition science with mindfulness practices and compassionate care to create sustainable lifestyle changes in a safe and judgment-free environment. All nutrition counseling sessions include:

  • Nutrition education to equip you with the knowledge and tools to create lasting change

  • Personalized nutrition strategies that respect your food preferences, lifestyle limitations, and cultural background

  • Mindfulness techniques for developing a healthy relationship with self

  • Strategies to align your daily choices with your health intentions

  • Support in developing self-compassion and positive thinking patterns

  • Medical Nutrition Therapy treatment to manage chronic diseases*

*Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) is a specialized type of nutrition counseling that uses diet as a treatment tool to manage specific medical conditions (like obesity, hypertension, diabetes, etc.).

Nutrition counseling addresses broader dietary concerns without a specific medical diagnosis, often focusing more on lifestyle changes and overall healthy eating habits.

Holistic Nutrition & Wellbeing uses nutrition counseling as a general term to encompass both forms of treatment, specific to the needs of the individual. Our unique approach uses MNT to prevent chronic disease.

Using Advanced Technology: Body Composition Analysis

Understanding your body's unique composition is fundamental to optimizing your health. Using state-of-the-art body composition technology, I provide quantitative data on:

  • Amount and distribution of body fat and muscle mass 

  • Personalized benchmarks for tracking progress

  • Cellular integrity and metabolic health markers to minimize chronic disease risk

Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a simple, non-invasive method that measures your body’s composition by sending a safe, low electrical signal through your tissues.

Click here to learn more about the technology.

Frequent Asked Questions

  • Holistic Nutrition & Wellbeing meets with clients at our physical location in South Philadelphia. You will receive the address when scheduling your Initial Comprehensive Assessment.

  • Holistic Nutrition & Wellbeing is currently private pay only.

  • All payments are due at the time of scheduling the appointment.

    We also offer payment plans, for clients to complete monthly payments.

  • Yes! Established clients have the option to complete some follow up sessions virtually or enroll in a virtual-only services program.

  • Yes! As a Registered Dietitian, Marlee not only helps you manage your conditions from worsening, but also helps you optimize your wellbeing to improve your current health status.

  • A Registered Dietitian (RD/RDN) is required to obtain a Master’s degree, complete at least 1200 hours of supervised practice through an accredited internship program, pass a national board examination by the Commission of Dietetic Registration, and complete ongoing continuing education to maintain credentials. RD/RDNs are legally considered nutrition experts and can prescribe medical diets and practice medical nutrition therapy.

    A nutritionist or a health coach does not have any specific credentials or education requirements. No licensed examination or continuing education required. There are many certification programs available for nutritionists, but regulation and coursework are inconsistent. Not legally able to prescribe diets or meal plans to clients. Not able to practice Medical Nutrition Therapy.

  • Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) is a specialized type of nutrition counseling that uses diet as a treatment tool to manage specific medical conditions (like diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, etc.).

    Nutrition counseling addresses broader dietary concerns without a specific medical diagnosis, often focusing more on lifestyle changes and overall healthy eating habits.

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