We were lucky to catch up with Katelyn Parsons recently and have shared our conversation below.

Katelyn, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Have you ever had an amazing boss, mentor or leader leading you? Can you us a story or anecdote that helps illustrate why this person was such a great leader and the impact they had on you or their team?

My very first job out of college was in the fashion industry- a dream come true for me at the time, but also incredibly demanding, fast-paced, and high-pressure.

After almost 4 years of grinding away, while struggling with an eating disorder and some other mental health struggles, I hit heavy burnout. At the time, I didn’t know that’s what it was called- all I knew is that I didn’t want to be in my role for one more second.

In a moment of crying my eyes out in an accessory closest, I remember saying to myself “I will literally go work at the coffee shop down the street from me-ANYTHING- I just can’t do this job for one more second.”

I pulled my boss to the side and spilled my heart out to her through snotty, gulps of air. I didn’t even try to gather myself together. I figured I was already prepared to exit, there’s no WAY she’s not going to show me the door, so I might as well bare my soul.

Much to my surprise, she listened compassionately, and when I stopped talking, she looked at me and said “I understand”.

And at that moment, I knew that she did. She didn’t fire me on the spot, try to invalidate my experience, scold, or make me feel like I was crazy- she courageously listened, asked for what I needed, and how she could help.

Instead of kicking me to the curb or me grabbing my belongings and fleeing, my boss offered to let me stay on the team, take a step back from my work, and look for another role that would feel better, while they filled my position.

I’ve taken so many things away from that experience. The courageous, compassionate leadership that my boss demonstrated that day has been a guiding example for so many parts of my life- from how I move through heavy moments in personal relationships, clients, my team, and myself.

I’m not sure if she even remembers that moment, but I will be forever grateful.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’ll be honest- I’m still perplexed by the “who are you and what do you?” question! One of my favorite parts of supporting clients is getting to know their depths, complexities, dreams, desires, and nuances- something that I deeply believe we all have.

In short, I’m a Life Coach.

I help high-achieving, creative leaders heal their relationship with food and become more comfortable in their skin so that they can live a more authentic life that feels good.

The majority of my clients struggle with some element of binge eating and food/body preoccupation- something that I can relate to entirely. I struggled with my own binge eating disorder for over 15 years and often say that when it comes to food or body struggles, there are not many bumps that I haven’t experienced myself.

I have a tremendous amount of empathy + understanding for anyone that I work with, but more than anything else I’m fired up by empowering them through the healing process!

I know what it feels like to try all of the things to heal binge eating. I understand the shame, imposter syndrome, and secrecy firsthand. And I also know the life possibilities that arise from healing.

Working with clients- cheering them on, holding them in the struggle, witnessing their brilliance, collaborating on creating new habits- it’s one of my favorite parts of my own life and I’m incredibly grateful to be a part of their personal transformation.

Along with coaching clients privately, I also help companies redefine wellness in the workplace through my Empowered Well-Being Program- a hybrid of individual employee coaching, and workshops that focus on intuitive eating, body image resilience, burnout prevention, and more.

I host a weekly podcast and a newsletter called Body Truth, which blends storytelling and life advice from experts across a wide range of industries.

In my personal life, I live in San Diego, CA with my hubby. We love exploring our city on bikes, hiking, heading to the beach, and hang out with friends. When I’m alone I enjoy reading novels, creating my own recipes in the kitchen, reading the New York Times, decorating our home, dreaming up trips, taking walks, and cuddling with our pets.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A million different marketing rules! When I first started my business I was looking for a blueprint of exactly what to do to make it successful- where to post, how often, what kind of content, who to speak to, etc.

In hindsight, it was all very surface-level and wrapped in perfectionism- very much where my midset was around food and my life in general (following what other people were telling me to eat, how to move, who to BE).

Thankfully, a few brilliant coaches & mentors helped me to re-evaluate this and learn how to tap into my intuition to create a successful business that felt good.

Let me tell you- this reframe did NOT feel good at first. I was examining a lot of beliefs up close and it was triggering all kinds of worthiness, fear, and self-doubt issues. But little by little I’ve peeled back the layers and re-decided my beliefs + intentions, not just in business, but in my life.

Today, authentic, aligned marketing is my North Star. This is the core of how I live my life, work with clients, and create within my business. If something feels like a “should”, that’s a clear signal to get curious about how to transform it into a want or let it go altogether.

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

Committing to an active self-care practice. I define this a little differently than what we traditionally see on social media- to me, self-care is a blend of how we manage our nervous systems, communicate effectively, establish boundaries, and prioritize our individual needs like sleep, rest, play, etc.

The most basic way I like to think of this is the relationship that we have with ourselves.

In my profession, I can’t afford to not care for myself in this way. My choice is not just for me- it’s for the clients that I serve, the community that I lead, my friends, family, and team- If I’m not feeling well, there’s a pretty high chance that will directly impact the health of my relationships.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.katelynparsons.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katelyn.parsons