We recently connected with Kelsey Johnson and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kelsey , thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about the best boss, mentor, or leader you’ve ever worked with.
During my dietetic internship and undergraduate studies, I encountered the clinical side of nutrition, which often felt impersonal and detached from client connections. Fortunately, I met my wonderful mentor, a legendary figure in the eating disorder field in the Pacific Northwest. She took me under her wing and introduced me to non-diet and weight-neutral philosophies such as HAES and Intuitive Eating, as well as the importance of truly connecting with clients. This experience was transformative, allowing me to approach client care holistically rather than from a purely clinical perspective. It was a game changer in my work with clients moving forward.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Kelsey Johnson, and I’ve been a non-diet dietitian for over a decade, as well as a certified eating disorder specialist. I recently completed my graduate degree in Mental Health Counseling and am soon to be a therapist, too. I co-founded a group practice in the Pacific Northwest called Ash and Birch Counseling where we provide mental health services and nutrition counseling primarily to individuals recovering from eating disorders.
I stumbled into this field unexpectedly when an eating disorder treatment center took a risk on me as a young dietitian looking for one of my first dietitian job opportunities. I found myself enjoying the community of providers and became passionate about serving folks who are repairing their relationship with their bodies and food.
My new passion within the overall mental health community is supporting mental health interns by providing them with financial compensation for their time interning at our group practice (typically lasts 9-12 months) which tends to be often unpaid at most practices/agencies within the mental health community. This initiative is currently in the works, and I aim to support and respect new mental health interns and hope to change how the mental health world treats their mental health interns.
If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?
During my undergraduate years, I found myself torn between becoming a dietitian or a therapist. Ultimately, I chose to pursue a career as a dietitian. About three years ago, I decided to return to graduate school and recently completed my Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Today, I am incredibly proud to say that this path has allowed me to combine both passions of mine. I won’t change a thing!
We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.
Long ago, I was working at a non-profit mental health agency, primarily involved in their Eating Recovery program which focused on working with individuals struggling with eating disorders. During that time, I became great friends with Christie Seligman, an eating disorder therapist, on the Eating Recovery team. Over the years, Christie and I supported individuals in their recovery journey while facing the ups and downs of working in the eating disorder field. Our outlet became hiking, and during one hike, we realized the scarcity of places to refer our clients. This sparked the idea to open a group practice together called Ash and Birch Counseling. It has been an amazing journey so far, and I look forward to supporting both eating disorder providers and clients for years to come!
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Image Credits
Chanel Marlene Photography