Dara Bellace, PhD received her undergraduate degree from Colgate University, Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, with high honors in Psychology. She earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Drexel University. Dr. Bellace completed a full-time clinical internship at Long Island Jewish Medical Center / Hillside Hospital, followed by a post-doctoral fellowship in psychology through the Eating Disorders Program at Cornell Westchester. She currently holds dual appointments at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center .
Dr. Bellace is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the evaluation and treatment of eating disorders, obesity, and related difficulties including mood and anxiety disorders. For over 10 years, Dr. Bellace has been working with patients struggling with Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder. She has extensive experience working with a CBT approach in multiple inpatient, outpatient and clinical research settings, including the Columbia Eating Disorders Program at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, the University of Pennsylvania's Weight and Eating Disorders Program, and the Center for Weight Management at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. Dr. Bellace offers seminars and workshops on eating disorders at Weill Cornell Medical College and in the community.
Dr. Bellace treats adolescent and adult females and males struggling with eating disorders, utilizing both individual and family therapies. Dr. Bellace has been formally trained and certified in Maudsley Family Therapy by Dr. James Lock at Stanford University. She is Weill Cornell's resident Maudsley therapist as part of a multi-site, collaborative, NIH Family Therapy Study – the first of its kind comparing Maudsley Family Therapy with Family Systems Therapy for adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa. In her private practice, Dr. Bellace provides comprehensive diagnostic evaluations, individual psychotherapy, and Maudsley Family Therapy, and has the flexibility to individualize the treatment approach according to each individual’s needs.
Dr. Bellace's involvement with a variety of NIH-funded clinical research endeavors includes: the prediction of attrition and weight loss in obesity treatment; investigating the genetics of anorexia nervosa; and the implementation of a unique approach to family therapy for adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Her clinical research work has resulted in numerous publications in the areas of eating disorders and obesity.
Dr. Bellace is available for diagnostic evaluations, individual psychotherapy, and family therapy in both Westchester and Manhattan.
Office Hours:
Weekdays, 9am-5pm, with some evening hours also available
To schedule an appointment:
Call - (914) 997-5974 [or]
Email - dab9045@med.cornell.edu.
A summary of Dr. Bellace's Education, Training and/or Faculty Appointments is listed as following:
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NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center Westchester Division: Eating Disorders Program - Instructor of Psychology in Psychiatry, Clinical Psychologist
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NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Westchester Division: Eating Disorders Program - Psychology Fellow, September 2004 - June 2006
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Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Zucker Hillside Hospital - Predoctoral Clinical Psychology Intern, September 2003 - August 2004
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Institute for Addictive Disorders at Drexel University College of Medicine - Staff Therapist, September 2002 - July 2003
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Drexel University Student Counseling Center, Center City Hahnemann Campus - Staff Therapist, June 2001 - July 2003
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University of Pennsylvania Weight and Eating Disorders Program -Therapist, Intake Clinician, Assessor, May 2000 - January 2003
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Drexel University Department of Psychology - Project Coordinator, Treatment Group Co-Leader, Intake Clinician, August 1999 - June 2003
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The Renfrew Center - Research Consultant, November 1999 - September 2002
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New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Eating Disorders Program - Project Coordinator, Treatment Group Co-Leader, Intake Clinician, May 1997 - June 1999
