The Essence Team

Monica Auslander

Monica Auslander Moreno | MS, RD, LD/N

Monica Auslander Moreno, MS, RDN is the founder of Essence Nutrition, a group practice of several registered dietitians and two psychotherapists in Miami. Monica oversees all of Essence’s private client work while focusing on Essence’s corporate wellness programming, speaking engagements, non-private client nutrition consulting services, school wellness programming, media opportunities, and marketing. She was the dietitian for the Miami Marlins, is the visiting dietitian specialist at Ocean Reef Resort and Club and is also an adjunct professor in the graduate Dietetics and Nutrition program at Florida International University, and formerly at Keiser University and the University of Miami. She maintains membership within the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Nutrition Entrepreneurs Dietetics Practice Group, Integrative Nutrition Dietetics Practice Group, Collegiate and Professionals Sports Dietitians Association, Latinos and Hispanics in Dietetics and Nutrition Dietetics Practice Group, and Weight Management Dietetic Practice Group. She has been a member of the Junior League of Miami since 2011, serves on the advisory board of Teen Health 101, is the Diversity Liaison for the Florida Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and is a past co-chair and current board member of Jewish Community Services of South Florida’s Young Alliance. She is based in Miami and enjoys Pilates, baking without recipes, her sweet elderly spaniel, and surviving motherhood of two small boys.

B.A., University of Florida
M.S., Dietetics and Nutrition, Florida International University
DI – Dietetic Internship, Florida International University, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Hospital, University of Miami Crohn’s and Colitis Center, Oliver-Pyatt Center
Past Position: Clinical Dietitian, Adults and Pediatrics, Jackson Memorial Hospital and The Miami Transplant Institute

See Monica’s favorite recipes here.


Michele Alonso

Michele Alonso | MS, RDN, CSOWM

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Michele Alonso is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Personal Trainer. She is skilled in clinical nutrition, sports nutrition, weight loss, goal setting, and much more. With a decade of personal training experience, she has a unique perspective as a dietitian/nutritionist. Her specific focus is gut health and how the microbiota influences it.

Michele earned her Bachelor of Science from Florida State University and her Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics from Florida International University. She lives in Miami Beach, Florida with her dog Chloe.

See Michele’s favorite recipes here.


Arelis Grillo

Arelis Grillo | RDN

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Arelis Grillo is a registered dietitian nutritionist who lives and espouses the nutrition philosophy that “all foods fit.” She is Cuban-American and a Miami native. Arelis earned an A.A. from Miami Dade College and a B.S. from Florida International University both in Dietetics and Nutrition. She completed her clinical internship rotation at Baptist Hospital with an additional six week staff relief assignment in the intensive care unit and received stellar recommendations thereafter. Arelis also completed her community internship rotation at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital where she assisted with the hospital’s “Give Me 5” campaign.

In addition to her work with Essence, Arelis is a clinical dietitian at Mercy Hospital where she has been practicing for over two years in a cardiovascular stepdown unit and most recently in the intensive care unit.. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she served on the frontline along with the interdisciplinary healthcare team in the COVID units. Arelis believes her clinical experience enhances her understanding of the relationship between diet, lifestyle and most chronic conditions. She is passionate about healing others with the help of food and focuses her care on helping clients harness their own power to make nourishing and thoughtful nutrition choices.




Rebecca Landerman

Rebecca Landerman | RDN

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Rebecca Landerman is a registered dietitian nutritionist with over ten years of experience in food service management, sales, and leadership. She currently lives in West Palm Beach where she is a Chief Dietitian for an acute care hospital. She has experience with chronic and acute disease related nutrition therapy, nutrition education, has been a guest speaker at universities and conventions, a weight management facilitator at the YMCA, and lead adolescent nutrition programs at Title I schools in. When Rebecca isn’t working, she’s at the dog park or on a walk with Layla, her beloved husky mix, or at the pool with her family including her parents, sisters and their babies that she cherishes dearly.

Rebecca feels strongly that we should enjoy life and food with those we love most. She is never one to miss out on a bucket of hot popcorn.


Beatriz Pola Rabassa

Beatriz Pola Rabassa | MS, RDN, CEDS

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Beatriz is a registered dietitian and currently works at a local children’s hospital for over four years. She started at the hospital as a clinical dietitian covering the Pediatric ICU, Transplant, and Oncology teams. In 2019, she was asked to cover the outpatient eating disorder clinic at the hospital and developed a passion for this complex field. She is a part of a multidisciplinary team at the hospital and collaborates with an physician specialist and psychologists in the community. She received the eating disorder specialist certification in June 2022 with the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP). Beatriz continues to learn and attends the yearly IAEDP symposium in Eating Disorders. Through nutrition therapy and counseling, she guides her patients by empowering them to transform their relationship with food.

Beatriz is an avid home cook and has been practicing yoga for over 25 years. A native of Miami, she has three daughters and is fluent in Spanish and French.


Vania Mishkin

Vania Mishkin | RDN

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Vania is a registered dietitian nutritionist currently working at the University of Miami as a Human Genetics dietitian. Vania graduated from the University of Texas at Austin (Hook em’ horns!) with a bachelor’s degree in Honors in Advanced Nutritional Sciences/Dietetics. She moved back to Miami from Austin where she was working in a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and covering the Pediatric Med-Surg and Intensive Care Units. She completed a 16-week clinical rotation at St. David’s North Austin Medical Center focusing on adult patients with acute and chronic conditions including, but not limited to, renal, diabetes, cardiovascular, and GI disease.

Vania is originally from Lima, Peru and is the oldest of six. She has a passion for nutrition and helping people achieve their health goals with an anti-diet approach and helping people find joy while including all food groups and foods they love. She lives by the quote, “remember the memories, not the calories.” When she is not working, she enjoys playing with her Pomeranian, Leo, cooking foods from all over the world, and going on walks with friends.


Mind-Body Therapists

Our Essence mind-body therapists propel your nutrition therapy to a new level – by capitalizing on your human ability to change. A dietitian can work with the food piece, but what goes on internally has to be addressed by our licensed professionals.

Jacquelyn

Jacquelyn Drozdow | LCSW

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Jacquelyn specializes in working with young adults struggling with anxiety, self esteem, eating disorders, and relationship issues. Together, we will get underneath the anxiety and get clear on what you actually want. She will challenge and support you. Anxiety and self doubt are keeping you stuck in unfulfilling friendships, relationships, and jobs. We all have insecurities. Instead of letting them take over, Jacquelyn helps clients learn to accept them and change how you view yourself. After therapy together, you’ll feel more confident, secure, and connected to others.

She received her Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and Theater from Brandeis University and my Masters of Social Work from New York University. She is a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor and Certified Integrative Health Coach. She is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Solutions Focused Therapy (SFT), and Intuitive Eating (IE).

In her professional career as a therapist and coach, she has worked in many settings ranging from residential, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient level of care for eating disorders. She has also worked in the school setting with middle school students where in addition to providing counseling services, she facilitated a health program for teens to teach them mindfulness, intuitive eating, and building confidence around body image.


Daniela

Daniela Durazo | LMHC

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Daniela Durazo has a decade of experience working with women with eating disorders in the areas of food and nutrition, continual care, and clinical, therapeutic care. Daniela provides different levels of support, from coaching focused on body image and disordered eating to therapy focused on the underlying layers that come with eating disorders and mental health conditions. In addition to her clinical certifications, Daniela is also a trained chef. She is bilingual in Spanish and English.


Maria

Maria Alayza | MS, LMHC, LMFT, NCC, PhD Candidate

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Maris is a licensed mental health counselor and marriage and family therapist with a specialization in anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, loss, and family/relational issues. She has experience working with clients of diverse ages and ethnic backgrounds. Her aim is to partner with you and navigate life challenges together to then build bridges to a brighter tomorrow. She works from a strength-based and culturally sensitive approach. Counseling with her is a rewarding process of self-exploration that will equip you with the insight and tools you need to heal, recover, grow, and ultimately live a more meaningful and fulfilling life. She is bilingual in Spanish and English.