Faith Carlson, MA, LPC, QMHP

07/31/2025

07/25/2025

🌟BIG NEWS for South Dakota! 🌟

In just a few WEEKS, Meggie Holden, MS, RDN, LD, CEDS, a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist – Registered Dietitian, will be relocating across the U.S. to Sioux Falls, South Dakota!

The dynamic collaboration between Compassionate Nutrition and Victus Counseling is bringing the first-ever pairing of a CEDS RD and a CEDS therapist to South Dakota, and the impact this will have on client care is beyond exciting!

💥 What does this mean for South Dakota?

Comprehensive care that combines the expertise of both eating disorder therapy and nutrition therapy in one place.

Access to top-tier specialists working together for your recovery journey.

A unique, multidisciplinary approach that addresses both the mental and physical aspects of eating disorder recovery.

Victus Counseling, established in 2023, has already been an incredible resource in Sioux Falls, offering specialized care in eating disorder recovery. With their compassionate, individualized treatment and focus on humility and healing, they’ve been helping clients take huge strides.

Meggie has brought her expertise to the mix virtually over 5 yrs and now will be in person, specializing in helping individuals reclaim peace with food and their bodies using Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size® principles.

This in person collaboration is a game-changer for South Dakota, with Compassionate Nutrition joining forces with Victus Counseling to offer the best, most comprehensive care for eating disorder recovery in the region.

We are both so passionate and supportive of the eating recovery process, having collaborated for over 5 years we are grateful to continue working together in expanding services, growing hope, and providing unmatched support to clients ready to reclaim their lives in our tri-state region.

💚 Meggie’s upcoming move to Sioux Falls means:

A stronger recovery community with both therapeutic and nutritional support

Cutting-edge, evidence-based care that combines the best of both worlds

Ongoing collaboration between Victus Counseling and Compassionate Nutrition to ensure clients receive the most supportive, compassionate care possible

Let’s both welcome Meggie and celebrate the growth of these services and the exciting future ahead for eating disorder recovery in South Dakota!

Stay tuned for more details as we prepare for this exciting new chapter!

*Safe Travels Meggie - South Dakota Welcomes You & Family To Your New Home❤️

07/24/2025

“Being annoyed is the price we pay for connection and community. It can mean sharing space when it’s inconvenient , showing up when you would rather stay home, or hosting when you are tired.

Somewhere along the way, our fear of discomfort turned into hyper-independence - strict boundaries, perfect routines, and no interupptions.

But when our boundaries become too rigid, they stop protecting us and start isolating us. They become walls.

And we wonder why we feel so lonely. We’re paying the price for convenience with disconnection.

We traded the messiness of community for the ease of solitude and lost something vital along the way”

- Francesca Tighinean

I love this quote - we know eating disorders thrive in isolation and you could say one loses connection and community when walls go up.

At Victus Counseling we take walls down for recovery and so much more.

07/20/2025

I crack myself up - wrong profile update! Now you know this therapist does love snowboarding 😂

Meggie Holden ski or snowboard? 🏂

06/25/2025

👇Men and mental health👇
Men are strong with emotions.
Men can cry.
Men can be overwhelmed.
Men can be scared.
Men can be depressed.
Men can be in counseling
Men can be tired and angry
Men can feel stuck
Men can feel hopeless
Men can have trauma
Men can be all of these and still be our hero.

June is men’s mental health awareness month - Men in the United States die by su***de at a rate four times higher than women. And yet, men are diagnosed with depression and mood disorders at far lower rates.

If you or someone you know needs mental health support call or text 988. Support is available 24/7.

Physicians need better training and empathy for the distinct symptoms and societal expectations men face to treat them effectively.

06/21/2025

Mental health care should never be out of reach.

Just one day after my late brother’s birthday—a painful reminder of the toll untreated mental illness can take—I had the privilege of speaking with Joe Feldman the founder from Cover My Mental Health, a nonprofit doing vital work to eliminate insurance barriers that prevent people from accessing the mental health support they deserve.

I first met Joe at the White House in 2023, where we gathered to discuss the importance of mental health parity and breaking down access barriers. I was there to advocate for better eating disorder treatment—but what many didn’t know was that I had lost my brother to su***de just months earlier.

That loss forever changed me. Advocacy is no longer just part of my work—it’s part of my purpose. I believe in early intervention, equitable access, and compassionate care delivered with dignity and respect. When our systems fall short, we risk people falling through the cracks.

Parity enforcement—making sure mental health care is treated equally to physical health care—is not just necessary, it’s urgent. With key federal legislation currently on hold, we must keep pushing for real accountability and reform.

If you’re a provider or someone seeking care, please check out this incredible resource:

👉 https://covermymentalhealth.org

Let’s keep fighting for a world where care isn’t a privilege—it’s a right. 💙

When your health insurer is denying your claims or putting up obstacles to your necessary mental health services… and you need to tell someone…

06/21/2025

A trained and specialized dietitian is a game changer in the eating disorder recovery field. The supports over at Healthier Tomorrows are a great resource for our rural communities and they have ‼️FOUR‼️ licensed registered specialized nutritional counselors for South Dakota virtually available when I spoke with them this week!

Know more trained and specialized resources are coming to South Dakota - it’s exciting to see our state getting the best and highest quality supports available

More to come soon!!

My dietitian has made such a huge difference in my life, and I have absolutely loved seeing her since day one..."" 🌟

Our clients are at the heart of everything we do. It means so much to us to hear from clients about their experiences.

🔗 Link in bio to get started on your own journey of growth and healing

06/20/2025

Wise words for recovery!

Supporting someone who is struggling with an eating disorder might feel nerve wracking - and thats okay. Showing your support and being there for them matters so much more than you might think!🤍

06/20/2025

🌟South Dakota (and our friends in Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska) I wanted to share a great resource for added support for registered dietitians specialized in eating disorders🌟

Did you know dietitians get less than 3 hours of training in eating disorders in graduate programs? Some even less!

Specialized person centered and collaborative care is a cornerstone to eating disorder full recovery.

We also know we only have one Meggie Holden, RD CEDS!

In the continued growth of eating disorder specialty care offered in South Dakota and surrounding areas I am excited to share a great resource and collaboration in serving clients that is available for those seeking specialized care from specialized providers that are licensed in all the states I mentioned, accept insurance, are certified (meaning they have further specialized training through evidenced based programs), and collaborate with your therapist!

A win for all.

Victus Counseling is excited to share Healthier Tomorrows has a resource for additional help and we feel confident in the ethos of this organization started 16 year ago!

Check out the website and learn the difference of dietitian services and specialized eating disorder recovery dietitians where healing is possible!

Victus is looking forward to continued support and work connecting the community towards recovery!

Welcome to Healthier Tomorrows 🧡

We’re not just a team of dietitians. We’re your partners in healing, growing, and finding a nourishing path forward. As we celebrate 16 years in practice, we're excited to work with clients both virtually and in-person across the U.S.

Whether you’re navigating eating disorder or addiction recovery, managing chronic health conditions, or simply looking to build a more peaceful relationship with food, our mission is to meet you where you are—with compassion, clinical expertise, and care that’s built just for you.

https://healthiertomorrows.com

Nutrition-related health experts. Specialists in nutrition therapy for eating disorders. Registered virtual nutritionists. Insurance accepted.

06/17/2025

🎉 Big News for Sioux Falls! 🎉

Victus Counseling is thrilled to announce the relocation of a truly exceptional provider to our community—please join us in welcoming the first and only in-person, Licensed and Registered Dietitian, Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS) in the state of South Dakota - MEGGIE HOLDEN!!!!

( yes 🙌 she is really moving here to help ♥️ - amazing things are ahead South Dakota!)

With national credentials, multi-state licensure, and a decade of hands-on experience in higher-level care programs and private practice, this highly respected clinician brings unmatched expertise to the region. She is deeply trained in evidence-based practices and committed to the Health at Every Size® (HAES) framework—providing compassionate, inclusive, and ethical care to every client she serves.

She is the founder and owner of Compassionate Nutrition, a practice built on integrity, client-centered values, and a passion for healing. Her dedication goes far beyond clinical work—she is a true leader in the field of eating disorder recovery. Faith and Meggie have collaborated for over 5 years virtually and have built a trust in each others work together that is unmatched in serving clients.

🌟 This Fall calling Sioux Falls home, she joins Victus Counseling in a powerful collaboration—bringing together the state’s only two CEDS extensively trained and experienced multidisciplinary providers in eating disorder treatment into one city for the first time ever.

This is more than just a relocation—it’s a monumental opportunity to:
✅ Expand access to high-quality, specialized care
✅ Strengthen community partnerships
✅ Offer owner-led programming built on trust, evidence, and professionalism
✅ And grow services that make recovery possible for individuals and families across the region

We are beyond excited for what’s ahead—and we’re grateful to continue cultivating meaningful relationships within our community, alongside professionals who share a vision for ethical, effective, and compassionate care.

🔗 Stay tuned for more details on services, collaboration opportunities, and upcoming programming. Sioux Falls, the future of eating disorder care just got stronger!

06/02/2025

🌍 Today is World Eating Disorders Action Day! 💜

Now is the time to advocate for change, to make the changes we all know that are needed to prevent more losses, increase access to care, and provide compassionate, informed, supportive care for those diagnosed with eating disorders. We can make a difference when we start saying this is not ok - that eating disorders are the second leading cause of death of all mental health disorders. Change is possible and this is where it can start!

Email your Representative and Senators:

Ask your Representative to co-sponsor the Nutrition CARE Act (H.R. 2495) to expand access to medical nutrition therapy for eating disorder recovery.

Urge your Senators to co-sponsor the Kids Online Safety Act (S.1748) to protect children and teens from harmful online content.

This will only take seconds - I promise they do listen they just don't know what they don't know.

Your voice makes a difference. Let’s keep showing up. 💙




Please share across your social networks and let's get this to trend in honor of all those who have fought this illness with courage and bravery & for those who have lost the battle and still showed up with courage and bravery every day of the fight.

05/23/2025

Carly-Ann Thompson passed away on 6/10/2022 from an eating disorder. Her obituary ends “Eating disorder recovery is hard, getting treatment should not be". We love and miss you Carly.

Her family writes “…She got great joy in playing sports with the kids, taking them out for ice cream, bike rides and most of all loved making them laugh. Carly was very passionate about all sports, especially basketball where she was a star player at Valley Regional and AAU. She was always determined to the best, so much so she would challenge her dad to play defense against her. Her mother and Grammy Terry could always be heard at every game as they were by far the loudest in the crowd. She also played lacrosse and was an avid runner. She loved watching the Celtics and UCONN woman's basketball with her brother, who is her best friend. Carly embraced a silliness and joy that was incredibly contagious, it was impossible to keep a straight face as she's sending you one of her funny TikToks, Snap Chat videos, or a hilarious filtered selfie. Carly was a selfless and giving soul giving her time to missionary trips, feeding the homeless and even giving them her last dollar. Despite all these amazing qualities Carly suffered greatly from an eating disorder, she was a warrior and never gave up. God had different plans and needed another angel”

Carly-Ann Thompson’s life and name matters. May is mental health month and we can do more for those fighting eating disorders in support.

Has a nation we have lost a life to this illness every 52 minutes. Let’s stop the clock and make the changes needed. Improve the access to eating disorder treatment - because it should not be hard.




https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/hartfordcourant/name/carly-ann-thompson-obituary?id=35223205