Kara Nance, MD FACP is double board certified in both Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine. Dr. Nance grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where she graduated as valedictorian in 1992. After graduation, she attended Princeton University where she graduated with honors as a molecular biology major in 1996. Dr. Nance also concentrated in the neurosciences while at Princeton and did her senior thesis on the genetic basis of alcoholism which culminated in two published research papers in the journal, Nature Genetics. After Princeton, Dr. Nance attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine where she graduated second in her class in 2000. Dr. Nance completed her internal medicine residency in 2003 at the University of Chicago and then came to the Northwest Chicago suburbs to practice primary care.
In 2011 Dr. Nance opened her current practice, WellessenceMD, with the objective of providing personalized care in a highly progressive environment. Dr. Nance strives to empower individuals to adopt lifestyle changes that can keep them well and limit the need for prescription medication or expensive medical treatments. Because we now live in a country where 1/3 of the population is obese and 2/3 are overweight, Dr. Nance embarked on an intensive study of nutrition and weight management, and passed the first American Board of Obesity Medicine exam in 2012.
Dr. Nance completed her certification to use Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for the treatment of stress related disorders like depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and insomnia in 2016. She also uses Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness Therapies (MB-EAT) in her weight management programs, and became the Chief Medical Officer for Claritas Mindsciences in 2015. Since joining the company, Dr. Nance has combined her talents with Dr. Judson Brewer’s to develop a novel digital health app called Eat Right Now which enables patients to control their disordered eating behaviors and cravings through mindfulness techniques and the support of an on-line community. TedMed
Because of her multi-disciplinary approach, Dr. Nance sees incredible success in her weight management patients. Dr. Nance is a true student of wellbeing and also offers personalized coaching services for individuals looking to improve their lives in a wide variety of personal and professional domains. She also enjoys public speaking and is happy to speak at your next event on a wide variety of health and wellness topics. On a personal note, Dr. Nance has also been blessed with four active children and enjoys watching them grow up in her free time. She enjoys her role as a Sunday school teacher and is an avid fitness nut. You are likely to find her running, practicing yoga, lifting weights, hiking, biking, or playing tennis on most days. She also loves to cook, travel, read, and is always open to new experiences!
