About Karen David - MS, RDN, IFS Practitioner

“Throughout my career, I have continued to develop and integrate experiences, training and knowledge to improve the quality of life for my clients by guiding them to freedom from unproductive choices and helping them make more balanced lifestyle decisions.”

Experience

Director of Nutrition Services — 2000 - February 2019, The Bella Vita
Worked in a multi-faceted program focused on treating the eating disordered population.  My primary focus was spent creating a supportive environment to enhance behavioral changes that would provide a safe space for recovery.  I also oversaw the dietary staff (RDs, DTs) and set the tone for our philosophy of empowering people toward self-care and healthy interdependence.

Private Practice Nutritional Counseling  — 2000 - present
Work in private practice both individually and in a group setting, providing education and counseling for clients with eating disorders, diabetes, hypertension, digestive issues, autoimmune diseases and other clinical concerns.

Mindful Eating Teacher — 2007 - present
I began using mindful eating techniques with clients in 2007 to help people make peace with their relationship with food and, in turn, make peace with themselves and others.   I have taught mindful eating workshops for children, adolescents and adults throughout Los Angeles, including at Insight LA and USC (University of Southern California) and in a private practice group setting.

IFS Practitioner - 2018 - present

Completed IFS levels 1 & 2 in 2018. I have found this model to be life changing personally and professionally. Using the parts model, i.e. - “a part of me wants to eat whatever I want and another part hates it when I lose control” or “a part of me wants to get better but another part doesn’t want to gain weight” has helped my clients resolve inner conflicts and be able to take action in a way they hadn’t been able to do so previously. The progress I’ve seen has been astounding and it brings freedom and confidence to the people I am working with in private practice. 

EDUCATION

California State University, Northridge - MS, Family & Consumer Sciences, Dietetics 2000

The College at Brockport, State University of New York - BA in Psychology & Health Sciences 1985

Accreditations

Certified Mindful Eating, Conscious Living Program teacher through UCSD.

Member of the American Dietetic Association, Sports and Cardiovascular Wellness Nutritionists (SCAN).

Trained in IFS, Internal Family Systems, a parts model that helps people resolve inner and outer conflict.

Founder and chairperson of LATFED, the Los Angeles Task Force on Eating Disorders.  Current treatment modalities that I use include IFS, CBT, motivational interviewing, DBT and others.

Meditation practice since 1991. Deeply rooted in Vipassana (awareness) meditation since 2007.