We recently had the chance to connect with Kelsey Wooten and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kelsey , thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I’ve just started working full remote, and I am focused on building a sustainable routine in the mornings. Once my alarm goes off I’m challenging myself not to hit snooze, and instead motivate myself by eating a yummy breakfast, make myself coffee, do a yoga video on YouTube, and a short meditation. I’m currently making my way through a 30 day yoga challenge by Yoga with Adriene.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a mental health therapist with a private practice, Regenerated Minds. I see individual clients 14+ and up, and help them navigate changes in life, to know themselves better, and understand/normalize their experience. The name of my company, Regenerated Minds, came from the idea that in nature there are seasons; as humans our lives can mimic that. Another nature example is that even when a fire happens, the grass, trees, and flowers still come back. In our bodies cells regenerate.- while there may be a scar it still heals. In our brains new pathways can be formed, allowing us to learn and change. I hope that gives my clients hope.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who taught you the most about work?
My parents – they are both hard workers, and seem to be the rare breeds that stayed at their job for 20+ years. My Dad just retired from Ladue school Maintenance department and my mom was a NICU nurse. They instilled in my sister and I from a young age to do your best and school, and once we graduated they encouraged us to go to college or a trade school. I admire that through all of the challenges in their work and personal lives they remained a team and supported each other and us.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Much of my journey to get where I am professionally was hard and required sacrifice. When I was in undergrad I washed dishes and was a kitchen assistant at a senior center. When I was in graduate school I had very little free time or social life with work and school – at one point I was clocking 70 hours a week. I recognize that this is unhealthy and unsustainable, and lead to feeling burnout. I now know my limits and the importance of self-care. That time in my life taught me that if you want something you’l figure out how to get it. I’m lucky that during that time my parents let me live in their house rent free.
Once I was provisionally licensed I left my agency job and hopped between group practices while waiting tables or working at a call center while also seeing clients. Until I landed in a place that allowed me to see clients full-time. Again this hustle taught me to budget and keep my eye on the prize, even when I had to miss out or play it small.
While I can look back and see that at times I tolerated treatment that wasn’t okay, or didn’t know my worth, over time it taught me a lot about what I will no longer tolerate and the kind of person I refuse to be.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
I would say that my closest friends would say that my relationships matter the most to me. I can be distant or quiet at times but when it matters I try to show up. Whether it’s listening to someone vent, attending a funeral or helping clean house I’m happy to help the ones I love. To me love is an action, not just a feeling.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
Stop caring about what other people think. This is one of my biggest weaknesses and am working to change it. Sometimes we have to take up space and put ourselves first, even if others don’t understand. We only have one life, with an unknown amount of time. Might as well be an adventure.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Regeneratedminds.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/regeneratedminds?igsh=MWlmZzNpYXdyMjI4bg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelsey-wooten-649200119?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/14WBSMNkB8n/?mibextid=wwXIfr
