Kara is a Licensed Nutritionist who grew up in a home where home-cooked meals and holistic health were part of everyday life. Her parents believed in a natural approach to wellness - making nutrition, herbs, supplements, and physical activity second nature from a young age. Despite this healthy foundation, she experienced ongoing health challenges, including constipation, bloating, frequent illness, and allergies.

As a young adult, these symptoms became more noticeable, especially during her undergraduate years in college. Facial acne affected her confidence and social interactions, and in her teens and twenties she also struggled with insomnia, anxiety, and depression. It became clear that something was missing, even for someone who had grown up “doing all the right things” when it came to health.

After working in the corporate world for ten years, Kara stepped away to return to school and pursue nutrition. Through a friend’s recommendation, she found Nutritional Weight & Wellness and began working at the front desk while completing her master’s degree. This is when many of the missing pieces came together. Kara learned that removing gluten and adding a probiotic helped relieve her bloating and constipation, and that balanced blood sugar played a key role in energy, mood, and sleep.

Kara completed her master’s degree, became a Board Certified Nutrition Specialist® through the American College of Nutrition, and is licensed with the Minnesota Board of Dietetics and Nutrition Practice. She has been a practicing clinical nutritionist for over ten years and enjoys working with clients, teaching nutrition classes, and co-hosting the Dishing Up Nutrition podcast.

As her practice and life have evolved, Kara’s interests have expanded to include perimenopause and menopause, as well as children’s and family health. As a mom to a teenage daughter who presents as neurodivergent, she brings both personal experience and professional curiosity to this area, with a focus on supporting families across different stages of life.

In her counseling work, Kara sees herself as a partner in the process. She meets people where they are, whether that means starting with one small change or jumping in with both feet, offering a supportive, practical, and judgment-free approach while cheering clients on every step of the way.

• Master’s Degree, Saint Catherine University

• Bachelor’s Degree, University of Wisconsin-Stout

Credentials

• Board Certified Nutrition Specialist – American College of Nutrition

• Licensed Nutritionist – Minnesota Board of Dietetics and Nutrition

• Certified Personal Trainer – National Acacemy of Sports and Nutrition

• Basic Pranic Healing Level 1