We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Julie Freeman. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Julie below.

Hi Julie, thanks for joining us today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

While I have been on a health and spiritual path for my entire life, beginning with obesity, sugar addiction and a deep connection to my faith especially through singing, I completely revamped my practice while convalescing in a hospital from a severe staph infection as a result of a rare leukemia.

I remember getting out of my bed every morning in my johnny to do whatever yoga postures I could (I had been certified in two different forms and was about to teach at a local studio when landing in the hospital). My computer guru, whom I referred to as Doctor, because he kept my online life alive, brought me my computer and got me set up in the hospital bed.

I began the process of doing the deep dive into functional and integrative medicine like never before. I had been a Jeff Bland follower for years, brought some of his work into my practice, but now, it was about combining science, mental health and spirituality on an even deeper level.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a licensed integrative nutritionist with graduate education in psychology, counseling and education. Post-graduate concentration has been in functional medicine with completion and certification in this discipline. I have over 40 years’ experience in the field of nutrition, counseling, genomics and health promotion, with a passion for women’s health across the lifecycle. I am certified in Mind-Body Medicine, Yoga and Reiki and use microdosing education in my practice along with preparation and ongoing integration and support.

I have authored three cookbooks with a focus on balanced meals and healthy, low glycemic desserts and snacks. I have a passion and knack for creating meals that are eye-appealing, delicious and healthy. My fourth book, Sunflowers, Sapphires and Seraphim, is a personal story of transformation – an opportunity to share and inspire hope for others faced with life’s challenges.

So that’s the brief bio, but who am I? How did I get here?
I grew up an only child into a family of significant dysfunction, during the era when good girls were seen and not heard and thus, I began down the path of compulsive and addictive eating, morphing 50# in the second grade. During this time, I also had major learning challenges and there were no services back in the day for those of us who learned differently.

It is no doubt that nutrition was my initial career and yes, I use it every day in my work, but my thirst for whole health in mind, body and spirit, led me down a road less traveled, at least that was back in the late 70s and 80s. As I mentioned earlier, spiritual music is also a gift for me and one that I share with others, having been told that my voice helps others to connect with God. That is a major honor that I take seriously.

I bring all of my areas of knowledge and experience into my daily work, but what goes beyond the “knowledge and certificates” is my deep desire to BE with the client or group before me. We establish a safe place where others can be seen, heard and held.

Technology has been a gift and a curse in this arena, but for me, the human connection is what is most needed at this time.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

While training and knowledge are very important as a foundation and for safety when working in any capacity, in my field specifically, it is the relationship that accounts for more than the “prescription”. Especially now since the pandemic, the fallout from isolation, being disconnected from personal interactions, have impacted that in-person ability to feel the energetic exchange that either contributes to feeling safe and trusting or the opposite.

I have been told for many years that people feel safe, comfortable and confident in my ability to be with them and “be” is the operant word here.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I became actively involved in my communities where I lived, provided public speaking and education to Rotary, Kiwanis, local schools and colleges. I also was featured on local and national television as well as wrote weekly columns for my newspapers.

I met with and developed relationships with physicians, gym owners, other allied health professionals and a key component was creating cross-referrals.

As I met with clients, many referred family and friends and over the many years of being in practice, old clients return because of the relationship that we established.

I have used this model over and over during the 40+ years that I have been in practice and just recently during a visit home to Boston, I visited a few docs with whom I have been seeing patients for over 35 years from their practices.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.juliefreeman.net/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliefreemanmindfulwellness/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100070241499782
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-freeman-mindful-wellness/

Image Credits
Carina Fleckner Photography