Tonyah Dee R.D.

Experience

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  Charter Psychiatric Hospital Long Beach

  Jan 1987 - Feb 1991

  Director Of Nutrition Services

  This was one of my most challenging roles. Having to please so many people — hospital administration, staff, patients, and employees, was no easy feat. I was fresh out of college and thrilled to have the experience of working 10-12 hour days and putting my schooling into practice. As part of my responsibilities, I managed, hired, and trained kitchen staff. I planed menus, wrote job descriptions, worked in quality improvement, and created budgets. I also provided catering for special events, community lectures, and nutritional counseling. Show less

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  Charter Hospital Long Beach

  Jan 1990 - Mar 1991

  Consulting Nutritionist

  I worked in the psychiatric hospital system after being a consultant to many different hospitals in the areas of long-term care and pediatric cancer. I also was a consultant to nursing homes, I enjoyed the variety of patients and learning varying methods of healing for the purpose of improving mental health.

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  SunCrest Hospital of South Bay

  Mar 1992 - Jun 1994

  Director Of Nutrition Services

  I enjoyed going into psychiatric hospitals and revamping the nutrition programs. I would change the menu from frozen to fresh and help those in recovery learn to eat for their health. I gave community lectures on stress management, nutrition for recovery, and basic nutrition.

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  Pritikin Longevity Center + Spa

  Jun 1994 - Oct 1996

  Nutrition Educator

  This was my most glamorous job. Hollywood Executives, producers, and movie stars were my regular clients. I would run into my clients all the time at local restaurants. The most amusing client was Rodney Dangerfield.I particularly enjoyed giving food demonstrations and lecturing on topics such as motivation and longevity. It was especially fun working with the French Chef to try to make fat-free meals that tasted delicious. Of course, that was a French Chef's nightmare, so we laughed a lot! Eventually, I felt compelled to leave, because I didn't believe in Pritikin's philosophy of a fat-free diet. Show less

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  HOSPITAL NAVAL

  Oct 1996 - Mar 2000

  Nutrition Educator

  I loved working for the Navy. I worked in the midwifery program helping women give birth to healthy babies. I helped some of the dependent wives lose weight at the same time. These women often developed weight issues while their husbands traveled overseas, and they were alone. I also taught active duty women how to have a healthy baby and not gain too much weight.There were many psychological issues in this population in which my experience in counseling and psychotherapy proved very helpful. Show less

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  Sober Living By The Sea

  Oct 2000 - Mar 2005

  Eating Disorder Specialist

  I spent several years advancing my education to understand eating and anxiety disorders. I had personally experienced and recovered from my own eating and anxiety issues many years before but I hardly understood the psychology behind them. After a family member nearly died of an eating disorder, I decided to become specialized to help her and others. It was rewarding to help women of all ages learn to eat in healthy life-promoting ways and begin their recovery journey. I developed food plans, provided counseling, and monitored my clients' progress.Anxiety disorders mainly all have the same path to recovery, as I have discovered through working at several recovery centers and psychiatric hospitals. From eating issues to addictions to ADHD, there are healthy practices we can incorporate into our life to alleviate the underlying anxiety.I no longer struggle with anxiety but I certainly understand how debilitating it can be. Show less

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  Pines and Palms Ranch LLC

  Oct 2010 - Nov 2016

  Consulting Dietitian - Nutritionist

  I offer nutritional support and guidance to clients seeking assistance with weight loss, eating disorders, optimizing nutrition for athletic performance, recovery, and implementing preventive measures against disease. This remains a core aspect of my professional practice.

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  YahLight LLC

  Jan 2016 - now

  President, CEO, Owner

  I founded YahLight to bring together what I've learned about health and wellness for body, soul, and spirit. As a registered dietitian, I realize good health and happiness can only be achieved when we learn to address all the "parts" of our identity as human beings. We have physical, psychological, and spiritual needs, and it's important to learn self-care and awareness in all three areas. My journey has taught me how nutrition plays a big part in our physical well-being, how psychology and understanding our minds, emotions, and desires is crucial to the well-being of our soul, and knowing how to consciously connect and surrender to a source of higher power grows us spiritually. YahLight is a movement to ignite and empower light, life, and love from within the heart. I believe we all have a divine connection to the source of all creation, which I call God, and you may call by another name. This source lives in our heart. As we heal past wounds, the heart is cleansed and new life — creativity, love, and consciousness — flow. YahLight applies scientific technologies for purification of the heart and soul. Using time-honored nutrition, psychotherapy, and daily spiritual practices, we can learn to live recovered, renewed, and revived, and move back into a state of innocence and joyfully living an authentic, abundant life. Whether you have a need for healing or for entering into the next level of your evolution — into higher states of consciousness and love — I can help. As complicated as it may seem to live an abundant life, I like to keep it simple and rely on time-tested perennial wisdom and scientific research. I enjoy teaching nutrition for the body, as well as mental and emotional health for the soul. I also teach a Christ-centered meditation and prayer practice to build the spirit which is, by all means, the most powerful part of the human being. If you desire a deeper experience in your quest to achieve inner power and freedom, I'm your coach and guide. Show less