West Coast Supervisor of Outpatient Dietary Services

Kacy Grossman, MS, RD, CPT

Kacy earned her bachelor’s of science in Clinical Nutrition and minor in Psychology from the University of New Jersey, Davis and went on to earn her master’s of science in Family and Consumer Sciences, Nutrition from New Jersey State University Northridge. To complement her education in nutrition, Kacy obtained a certificate in personal training from the American Council on Exercise.

Essentially by accident Kacy found a way to combine all her areas of interest and education when she began working as a Diet Tech in 2009 at A New Journey Eating Disorder Center. Once Kacy completed her dietetic internship through CSUN, she became a Registered Dietitian at ANJ and worked with adults and adolescents at the intensive outpatient (IOP) and partial day treatment (PDT) levels of care. In Early 2014 Kacy began working Center for Discovery where she now finds fulfilment working in adolescent residential and adult Outpatient eating disorder treatment. Kacy also maintains a private practice, The Shameless Eater, in Westwood, Ca and is serving as secretary of Behavioral Health and Nutrition dietetic practice group for the 2014-2016 term.

PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Brendan Bonner, LMFT

Brendan is a graduate of Antioch University Los Angeles, where he earned a Masters of Arts in Clinical Psychology, then going on to the Southern California Counseling Center where he was trained in Family Systems, EMDR and the Trauma Resiliency Model. He has worked in various eating disorder treatment centers at different levels of care. He also has a private practice in the Larchmont area of Los Angeles.

Brendan brings his passion for growth and transformation to his work where he gets to engage clients in exploring how we make meaning of our lives in relation to our world, especially examining how external forces such as social influence, familial and cultural histories might influence the stories we tell and come to identify with.

REGISTERED DIETITIAN

Paige Handler, RD

Paige Handler is a Registered Dietitian and Certificated Lactation Educator (CLE).  She received a Bachelor of Arts in both Drama and Psychology from Vassar College and completed her Didactic Program in Dietetics at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) where she also completed her Dietetic Internship.  Paige expects to complete her Master’s of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences by the end of 2017.  During her graduate studies, Paige created a thesis project based on increasing eating disorder knowledge amongst adolescents through theater and education.  Prior to joining the team at Center for Discovery, Paige gained her clinical experience as an intern at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Paige adheres to the All Foods Fit Philosophy and enjoys helping clients find their own path to recovery by creating a healthy relationship with food.  She works with both adolescent and adult clients on setting and achieving their individual goals while focusing on the principles of intuitive eating.

She is a member of the Los Angeles Dietetic Association and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Registered Dietitian

Vaughn Darst, MS RD

Vaughn Darst is a Registered Dietitian who specializes in eating disorders among under-served populations, including transgender and nonbinary individuals, large-bodied individuals, and neurodivergent youth. Vaughn received his MS in Nutrition from the USC, and his BA in Critical Theory and Cultural Studies, with a concentration in Transgender Studies, from Scripps College. Prior to joining Center for Discovery, Vaughn completed two fellowships at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, gaining clinical experience in adolescent medicine and family-centered care for children with neurodevelopmental delay. Vaughn also served as a Health Educator in the Cal State System for over a decade before moving into eating disorder treatment.

Vaughn’s main areas of focus are intuitive eating, Health at Every Size®, and body liberation advocacy. He seeks to work collaboratively with clients to establish a nourishing relationship to food and their body. Vaughn owns a private practice in Los Angeles, serving primarily queer, transgender and gender diverse clients with disordered eating and body image concerns. His TEDx Talk, “In a World That is Wrong About Us,” addresses the unique concerns of clients for whom their eating disorder exists at the intersection of gender, fatness, food, and identity.

YOGA INSTRUCTOR

Whitney Kirk

Whitney trained as a dancer from age four and began training in aerial arts in 2007, after graduating UCLA with a Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics major. Yoga was the perfect complement for the huge physical and mental toll that aerial and dance took on Whitney’s body, and she wanted to share the amazing benefits of yoga with everyone in the community.

Now she is certified in Bikram, Hot Fusion yoga, aerial fitness, aerial yoga and has her 200RYT for Vinyasa. She has taught yoga at COACHELLA (and most recently Desert Trip) for six years. She also leads AIR Aerial Yoga Teacher Trainings and Retreats nationwide. Join Whitney for her yoga class and you will be sure to stretch and smile. Your soul will thank you.