Christie Seligman (she/her)
Christie is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) with over 25 years of experience in social services and behavioral health. Her background is in the field of developmental/intellectual disabilities where she lead the integration of wraparound planning and positive behavior support to engage and empower youth and families and reduce the need for out of home placement. She is also a cofounder of Green Zone, a dynamic model of emotional support for individuals and caregivers.
Christie believes strongly in the inner capacity of all humans to grow and heal in mind, body, and spirit from trauma or challenges faced in life. Due to our interconnected nature, this healing capacity is deepened and broadened through the assistance and support of others. She seeks to hold a safe space through the therapeutic relationship to allow for the development of greater understanding and appreciation of self. Through this process, people begin to make meaningful changes and courageously act in ways that reflect their values and wholeness.
She is deeply fascinated with the human experience and the many avenues of finding expression and meaning as well as methods to cope with adversity and develop resiliency. She strives to support people to develop their own path to a fulfilling life based on individual strengths, values, and beliefs.
Christie specializes in treatment for the spectrum of anxiety, mood and eating disorders; disordered eating; and trauma. She provides mindfulness-based, somatic, LGBTQ+ affirming and exposure therapies. These include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT); Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Skills Training; Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for anxiety disorders, including OCD; and Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) for anxiety, depression and trauma.
Kelsey Johnson (she/her)
Kelsey has been a non-diet and weight-neutral Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) for over a decade. She is also a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS) through the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP). Kelsey recently graduated with her Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Southern New Hampshire University and became a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate (LMHCA).
As a dietitian, Kelsey has been honored to serve adolescents and adults struggling with eating disorders. She has worked in various settings such as eating disorder treatment facilities, home infusion, and pediatric specialty clinics. Kelsey's nutritional philosophy incorporates a Weight-Neutral approach, Intuitive Eating, Body Liberation, Division of Responsibility, Medical Nutrition Therapy, and a Non-Diet approach.
As a mental health counselor, Kelsey believes in creating a supportive and empathetic environment where clients can feel safe to explore their thoughts, feelings, and body sensations. Kelsey integrates different therapeutic approaches such as Narrative Therapy, Self-Compassion, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), and last but not least laughter. She has experience working with individuals with anxiety, mood disorders, eating disorders/disordered eating, trauma, life transition, and self-exploration.
Kelsey is also very passionate about supporting new dietitians joining the field and has served as a dietetic preceptor for Eastern Michigan University.
Kelsey focuses on creating a trauma-informed, collaborative, affirming, and inclusive space for all walks of life!
Jess Chilek (she/her)
Jess works behind the scenes at Ash & Birch Counseling, proudly serving as our virtual assistant—or as she likes to call herself, our “behind-the-scenes bestie!” She keeps our operations running smoothly, supporting the team with backend business tasks and providing admin support for clients whenever needed.
Jess is an RD-to-be (Registered Dietitian in training) who discovered her passion for eating disorders during her undergraduate studies. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition and Foods from the University of Houston and completed an accredited dietetic internship through their distance learning program.
Her experience includes two years at an outpatient medical practice specializing in eating disorders, where she built a strong foundation in understanding the complexities of eating disorders. During her dietetic internship, Jess had the opportunity to learn from exceptional eating disorder dietitians, deepening her knowledge and skillset. Along the way, she discovered her love for virtual assistant work and began supporting dietitians in administrative and creative tasks, officially launching her own VA business in 2023.
Jess has supported a variety of eating disorder clinicians from admin work to creative work- offering tailored support with empathy, sensitivity, and a deep understanding of their work. She *gets it*.
If you’re interested in hiring Jess for virtual assistant support, reach out at hello@virtualassistantjess.com. To learn more, visit her business Instagram: @virtualassistant.jess.
When she’s not working (or studying to become an RD), Jess enjoys building her dream island on Animal Crossing, binge-watching reality TV, or balancing her love of travel with her homebody tendencies.
Shiloh (he/him)
Hi, I'm Shiloh and I'm on my way to being a therapy dog. My mom decided it'd be right up my alley because I've never met one person I don't absolutely love! Fun fact, I'm actually from Japan. My therapeutic approaches include hugs, cuddles, and pets.