About Me

Karen Van Ness (DMQ, CPT, CES, MS) has many years of experience in the areas of fitness, wellness, and personal development. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Dartmouth College and a Master of Science from Johns Hopkins University. She is a Doctor of Medical Qigong (DMQ) and Chinese Energetic Medicine and is a Certified Qigong, Tai Chi, and Martial Arts Instructor. She is also a Certified Corrective Exercise Specialist with the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM-CES) and a Certified Elite Fitness Trainer with the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA-EFT). She is a professional member of the National Qigong Association, the IDEA Health & Fitness Association, and the Medical Fitness Network.

Dr. Karen has been active in athletics for most of her life. She lettered in basketball and softball in high school and was a league all-star and team captain in both sports. She lettered in basketball and track and field at Dartmouth College. At Dartmouth, she was a member of two Ivy League Championship basketball teams and participated with her team in the women’s NCAA Division I basketball tournament during her sophomore year.

Dr. Karen has been a devotee of the martial arts since childhood. She holds a fourth-degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, a third-degree Black Belt and teaching title in Uechi-Ryu Karate, and advanced rank in Hap Ki Do. She also fought in amateur full contact kickboxing (in her younger days). She has extensively studied Qi Gong (Chi Kung), breathing methods, and other disciplines focused on the development of internal energy, health, and vitality.

Over the years, Dr. Karen has taught qigong, breathwork, martial arts, and fitness and resilience principles to people of all ages. She specializes in working with adults over 40. She has transformed her knowledge and experience into a unique and exciting approach to health, fitness, and personal power, leveraging time-tested principles and techniques from the martial arts and ancient energy disciplines along with modern, proven training, coaching and nutrition strategies.

She understands how challenging it can be to achieve - AND retain – the ideal levels of health, fitness, and energy to which we all aspire. Dr. Karen’s no-nonsense, practical, and efficient approach is designed to achieve optimal health, energy, and vitality, as well as enjoy balance and peace of mind. Her goal is to help each client reach their full potential and become more resilient, healthier, and happier.

Dr. Karen lives with her family in the beautiful Texas Hill Country outside of Austin. She is available for in-person sessions in the Austin area, as well as virtual (online) sessions.