meet the team
Susan Osher
Alessandra Magisano
Alessandra Magisano
Dietitian / psychotherapist
Alessandra Magisano
Alessandra Magisano
Alessandra Magisano
Dietitian / nutritionist
Nehal Kamdar
Alessandra Magisano
Nehal Kamdar
Dietitian / nutritionist
Lori Houzer
Alessandra Magisano
Nehal Kamdar
Social worker / psychotherapist
Dorit Osher
Carrie Watson
Carrie Watson
Social worker / psychotherapist
Carrie Watson
Carrie Watson
Carrie Watson
Social worker / psychotherapist
Susan Osher
Connected Eating Founder Susan Osher (she/her) is a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (Supervisor) in both nutrition and psychotherapy. She is a registered dietitian and registered psychotherapist (qualifying) with over 20 years of experience. She worked in the renowned eating disorder treatment programs at The Hospital for Sick Children and Toronto General before founding her private practice in 2001. Susan is trained in EFT, EFFT, ACT, CBT, FBT, Motivational Interviewing, DBT, HAES, and Intuitive Eating.
As a dietitian, her approach is holistic. She applies a psychosocial model to nutrition counselling. She considers a person’s whole life; present and past experiences in order to help clients understand how these impact and manifest in eating and body image. In addition to Susan’s extensive knowledge in human nutrition (Master of Nutritional Science from University of Toronto) her skills in counselling enable her to move clients towards a deeper understanding of their motivations and challenges in achieving their goals towards better health and nutrition. She is currently a Master of Education in Counselling and Psychotherapy candidate at the University of Toronto.
During her time working in more intensive hospital programs, Susan noticed that the nutrition services in the community were limited. She established nutrition workshops at Sheena’s Place, a community-based support center in Toronto. In her work at Sheena’s Place, Susan has worked as a facilitator leading groups comprised of diverse participants from undereaters to overeaters. In 2011, Susan was approached by Bellwood Health Services (an addiction treatment centre) to act as a consultant to assess and make recommendations to optimize their eating disorder program. In 2013, she continued her work as an eating disorder and substance abuse nutrition expert at CAMH in the Youth Addiction and Concurrent Disorders Services Inpatient Unit and again at Ingles LOFT Centre, another addiction centre. She has served as the Canadian Chapter chair of the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (iaedp) and the co-chair of the Eating Disorders Association of Canada (EDAC). She is an iaedp supervisor, helping other dietitians to become eating disorders specialists. She is also a graduate preceptor for University of Toronto and Ryerson University students.
Outside of work, Susan loves spending time with her family and friends, cooking, travelling, entertaining, nature, being active and reading.
Alessandra Magisano
Alessandra Magisano is a registered dietitian who completed her degrees in Nutrition and Food Science and Masters of Health Science - Nutrition Communication from Ryerson University. Her clinical and practical training was done through the University Health Network internship program. This included rotations in specialized areas such as oncology, cardiology, mental health, diabetes as well as an extended focus and interest in eating disorders.
Alessandra uses Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing, Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size as frameworks for her practice. She also has knowledge and pulls from the evidenced based modalities, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) from her supervised training as well as professional supervision.
Alessandra works with individuals who are interested in strengthening or healing their relationship with food as a result of disordered eating, mental health (for example anxiety), chronic dieting and eating disorders. She advocates for food freedom and believes that balanced eating patterns can include all types of food without resulting in any guilt or shame. Alessandra has experience working with eating disorders across the spectrum of diagnoses’ (binge eating disorder, bulimia, anorexia and ARFID).
Alessandra also has an interest in working with women on improving body image in tandem with a positive relationship with food empowering them to create sustainable change towards their wellness goals. She enjoys working on women's health issues such as fertility and menstrual cycle regulation.
Alessandra plans on becoming a Certified Eating Disorder Registered Dietitian (CEDRD) as the next step in her career. Aside from her professional life, Alessandra loves to bake and go on nature hikes. Dessert is her favourite part of the meal and she uses her love of baking to share this with family and friends!
NEHAL KAMDAR
Nehal Kamdar is Registered Dietitian with over 20 years of experience in providing evidence based nutrition care to clients across population including paediatric, adults and elderly.
She received her degree in Food and Nutrition and Masters in Advance Professional Practice in Paediatric Dietetics, U.K. She also has a certificate in Professional Practice in Dysphagia Management (Dietitians of Canada).
Having worked in different countries across the globe, including India, Singapore, Qatar and Canada she has a vast experience in working with clients of different cultural background and religious beliefs. She has a diversity of experience from food sensitivity and swallowing problems (dysphagia) in paediatrics to more complex problems like eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia, binge eating disorders and ARFID), disordered eating and mental health (obsessive compulsive disorders, anxiety, depression). She also has experience in diabetes (Type 1, Type 2 and gestational diabetes), oncology, renal, nephrology, neurology and weight management.
Nehal believes that eating is one life’s greatest pleasures that ignite our sense of sight, smell, taste and touch. She considers a person’s whole life experiences: past and present in helping clients understand how they impact food behaviour, body image and quality of life. She is passionate about helping clients to break free from anxious or obsessive thoughts surrounding food, food restrictions and what to eat, thereby opening up space to enjoy the fullness of life. She uses Motivational Interviewing, Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Family Based Therapy (FBT) and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) in helping clients develop healthy relationship with food.
Nehal plans on becoming a Certified Eating Disorder Registered Dietitian in the near future. Aside from her professional life she loves to spend time with family and friends, cooking, travelling, reading and going on nature trails.
LoRI HOUZER
Lori Houzer is a Registered Social Worker with over 25 years of experience as a psychotherapist. Lori holds a master’s degree in English Literature from the University of Sussex as well as a master’s degree from the Smith College School for Social Work and has worked in Chicago and Toronto in clinical practice with individuals and families. Lori acted as the consulting school social worker for Greenwood College School for many years and continues to work extensively with adolescents and young adults, people in the creative arts, and elite level athletes. Lori has a subspecialty in the area of eating disorders, collaborating with Connected Eating, pediatricians and family physicians, and hospital programs. Lori has provided supervision for graduate students in clinical psychology, and provides specialized counselling for students seeking undergraduate and graduate professional education programs in Canada and abroad.
DORIT OSHER
Dorit Osher is a registered social worker and somatic therapist. She believes that our body is the physical container for our life. It holds our everyday feelings, thoughts, reactions and responses. It also is the container for our being, that holds our history, our desires, belief system and our presence in the world. When we have not had our emotional needs met in a good-enough way, we do the same to ourselves. Part of a therapeutic process, is feeling and understanding the impact of these disruptions and lacking, and coming closer to your essential self in creating a life that reflect oneself.
Dorit received her Master’s in Clinical Social Work from Wilfrid Laurier University and has a graduate degree in Theory and Criticism with a focus in relational psychoanalysis and trauma theory. She has a BFA from York University in Dance with a focus in somatic practice, dance ethnography and improvisation. Prior to her career as a psychotherapist, she was a professional contemporary dancer. Dorit is a lifelong learner and researcher, and has postgraduate training in parent-child psychotherapy, depth psychology, psychodynamic therapy, cognitive-behavioural therapy, body-oriented therapy, expressive arts therapy, eating disorder treatments, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and attachment based psychotherapy. She teaches a yearly movement-based expressive arts course at Fleming College in Haliburton in the Expressive Arts Therapy Certification program. She also facilitates yearly summer retreats in therapeutic movement-based expressive arts and holds workshops and classes in somatic practices and movement.
Dorit's formal education is only part of her therapeutic training. It’s often said that therapists are born, not made. In her case, acquiring formal education has been part of the steps with ongoing professional and personal development. Dorit is a compassionate, insightful, educated, and skilled therapist, who works in collaborative ways.
CARRIE WATSON
Carrie is a strong believer that making small changes in one’s life can reap significant benefits. Carrie helps clients to reflect on themselves and on their lives and identify both positive areas and areas of dissatisfaction. She believes that self acceptance and a commitment to mindfulness are keys to a meaningful life.
Carrie is passionate about working with individuals and families struggling with eating disorders, disordered eating, poor body image, and self-esteem issues. She believes in building confidence from a variety of sources including healthy relationships, meaningful daily practices, self reflection, and mindful living. Carrie guides her clients to consider how the body can support the life of which they dream, and teaches the value of being gentle and forgiving with one’s self.
Carrie practices with compassion, empathy, and a personal philosophy of non-judgment. She is a sensitive listener ensuring that her clients feel heard, validated, and accepted for where they are and who they are.
Carrie earned her Masters of Social Work from Wilfrid Laurier University in 2005 and is a registered Social Worker. She also earned a Bachelor of Education from Queen’s University in 2003. Carrie has 18 years of clinical experience in community settings, and has taught at the high school and college levels. She enjoys travelling, walking her dog, practicing aerial silks, and making messy art! enjoys travelling, walking her dog, practicing aerial silks, and making messy art!
