About Dr. Karen Stewart

I earned a PhD in Clinical Psychology with a specialty in Behavioral Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). I completed a predoctoral internship in health psychology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and then returned to VCU for a postdoctoral fellowship in bariatric and transplant surgery care. I stayed on at VCU for several years as assistant professor in the Psychiatry department and then served as assistant professor in the Psychiatry department at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

I am a Clinical Psychologist with over two decades of experience. I deeply value the opportunity I have through my work to help people understand more about who they are so they can grow into their purpose and live a life that they enjoy and find meaningful.

I have worked in the area of obesity treatment since 2005 and it has been my honor to assist people as they bravely navigate bariatric surgery, medication, and lifestyle changes that are all part of managing this disease. I am passionate about helping people establish a healthy lifestyle while disengaging from toxic "diet culture," and learning to take care of their bodies in ways that are self-loving. It is an honor to participate in this journey with my clients as I am also a bariatric surgery patient and know well the challenges of life in a larger body.

I also have ADHD, which deeply informs my approach to therapy. While not everyone shares this challenge, we do all direct ourselves using our executive systems and it can be helpful to recognize how this system works to optimize our daily functioning.

[Picture: me, smirking after realizing I have two pair of readers on my head while conducting my daily search for my phone. I found it!]