Meet Dr. Tania Tyles Dempsey, MD, ABIHM

Dr. Dempsey is widely recognized for her contributions to research, education, and thought leadership in complex chronic illness. She regularly presents at international medical conferences and has authored numerous scientific publications. Her work includes co-authoring Diagnosis of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome: A Global “Consensus-2”, contributing to research with the University of Texas Health Science Center on chemical intolerance and MCAS, and writing a chapter in Disjointed: Navigating the Diagnosis and Management of Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders.

In her ongoing effort to educate and advocate, Dr. Dempsey co-hosts the podcast Mast Cell Matters, where she and leading experts explore the complexities of MCAS, discussing symptoms, testing, treatments, and the latest research to empower both physicians and patients.

At the heart of Dr. Dempsey’s work is a commitment to patients who’ve long gone unheard.

What drives her is simple: a genuine desire to help those who’ve been searching for answers. Through her clinical work, research, and advocacy, she continues to illuminate the path forward for patients facing complex, misunderstood illnesses.

Dr. Dempsey is the co-author of the chapter on “Urogynecology and Hypermobility” in the 2020 book, Disjointed Navigating the Diagnosis and Management of Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders.

She has recently co-authored several ground-breaking articles in the medical literature including:

Dr. Dempsey received her MD from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and her BS degree from Cornell University. She completed her Residency at NYU Medical Center/ Bellevue Hospital and then served as an attending physician at a large multi-specialty medical practice in White Plains, NY, before opening Armonk Integrative Medicine (now the AIM Center for Personalized Medicine).

Dr. Dempsey specializes in autoimmune disease, MCAS, and chronic illness. She is a staff member of Greenwich Hospital in Greenwich, Connecticut. She is also a member of the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) and the American College of Physicians, and holds a certificate in Vanguard Endocrinology. Dr. Dempsey is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and a Diplomate of the American Board of Integrative and Holistic Medicine.

Dr. Dempsey is trained in IV Hyperbaric (10-pass ozone) by the Institute for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

I’ve known since I was 5 years old that I wanted to dedicate my life to helping people. Sounds cliché, but it’s true! I remember vividly the stories my maternal grandmother, a nurse practitioner during the 1930’s -50’s in Eastern Europe, told of caring for sick villagers that had no other way to get medical care and attending to wounded soldiers during WWII. What always touched me deeply was how much her patients meant to her and how she impacted their lives. She carried their stories with her decades later, their illnesses and struggles becoming a part of her. I knew I had to follow in her footsteps and I never imagined doing anything else. It is incredibly fulfilling to be able to help patients understand all the aspects of their body and when it fails them, to not only help find the answers but also to guide them to better health. I am committed to advocating for my patients, especially when their condition may not fit into the mold that the modern medical system has created, which then interferes with them getting the care they need.

If I could be anywhere in the world right now, it would be Tasmania (in Australia). I have amazing memories from the few days I spent there with my mom in 2018. I was invited to Melbourne, Australia to be a keynote speaker at an international conference and I couldn’t think of a better person to join me than my mother. Since we were traveling half way across the world, I wanted to spend a few extra days with her on vacation and the more I read the more I knew it had to be Tasmania. Melbourne was an amazing place to visit and I would definitely love to go back. But Tasmania was on a whole other level. The views were breathtaking, the people were welcoming and the food (which was all farm-to-table) was incredibly nourishing. I remember hiking the area around the Freycinet National Park and breathing in the crisp, clean air. We learned about and viewed Tasmania Devils in their sanctuary and couldn’t resist “adopting” a couple to support research on the disease that is killing off this species. I felt more connected to nature and to our planet than I ever had. And to experience this with my mom was icing on the cake (of course, gluten-free😉)!

I’ll admit I’m a bit of a workaholic, and I do spend quite a bit of my “free time” devoted to thinking about my patient’s cases and reading the medical literature. However, I’m trying to find more balance in my life and my number one favorite thing to do is to spend time with my family, whether it’s hiking, playing Scrabble or Monopoly, or watching movies together (they are huge Marvel fans, so I’ve become one too!). I enjoy coming up with new healthy recipes and cooking for my family. I have found cooking to be meditative for me, but I also strive to expand my true meditation practice. I love to read and I joined a book club last year (and am the co-chair this year) that is pushing me to expand my repertoire of books. My true passion, however, is fitness and exercise. I started lifting weights the summer before medical school and I’ve been hooked ever since! My day just doesn’t feel complete unless I’m moving my body in some fashion, whether it’s walking, running, weight lifting or swimming.

Never let anyone, especially a medical professional, tell you that your symptoms are not real or they don’t fit a specific disease. You know your body better than anyone else, so listen to it and keep searching for answers if you haven’t found them yet. And remember that you only get one body, so treat it well.