Meet Kimberly Tierney

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kimberly Tierney a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kimberly, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

My strong work ethic comes from the incredible privilege of working in a field that I am truly passionate about—nutrition counseling. I’m deeply committed to helping people develop a healthier relationship with food and guiding them in learning how to eat well and in a world where nutrition can often be complex and confusing. The goals of my work are something I truly am passionate about and believe in, and this passion makes it natural to put forth my best effort every day. Knowing that I can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives, and already have done so, by providing clarity and support motivates me to continuously stay dedicated to the work I do. But just like I emphasize a healthy flexible balance within the context of nutrition, I also emphasize a strong work/life balance. I believe in ‘work hard, play hard’ —putting in the effort and focus into your work, but also making time to recharge and enjoy life outside of work. I’ve learned you can’t run yourself into the ground and expect to consistently perform at your best. Taking time to rest, unwind, and engage in activities that bring joy and relaxation helps me maintain the energy and enthusiasm I need to do my work and do it well, stay connected with my playful side and the person that I am outside of my work. I love to road trip, enjoy nature, create art, be involved with the Long Island Film Club, play video games, and learn new skills.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Struggling with an eating disorder as a young adult, and being disturbed by how prevalent and “normal” disordered eating seemed to be ignited a passion within me. I wanted to shift the cultural narrative surrounding food, body image, and what true health looks like. Studying psychology and nutrition throughout college and graduate school felt like a calling and really enriched my understanding of how to gain some degree of control and make a difference.
In 2017, I joined the private practice I now still work with, Nutrish Mish, that seemed to align perfectly with the way I wanted to help others. I, along with my fellow nutritionists at Nutrish Mish, help individuals build a thoughtful and empowering relationship with their nutrition and lifestyle. Clients who come seeking my help are most often focused on the culturally set expectations of what their own “healthy lifestyle” and what a healthy body should look like. Through our work together, I guide them in unlearning these generalized standards and help them discover what they truly desire for their physical and mental well-being. Together, we develop an authentic approach to wellness that honors their unique needs and aspirations. What we do at Nutrish Mish is really unique because it’s truly a work of heart. We aren’t just giving generalized nutrition advice. I truly see every one of my clients as an individual and get to know them as much as I can in my time working with them. In getting to know them, who they are as a whole person, what makes them happy, challenges they’ve had to endure in their lives, and what their life ambitions are, I naturally am invested in my clients’ success. I want to see them reach their goals, but I want the work they are putting in to feel good, feel sustainable, and I want to see them thrive beyond just their eating habits.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Purpose, balance, creativity.
Everyone is seeking their own unique purpose- but more often than not, it will find you rather than you finding it. For me, it was confronting my own struggles in life and seeing through those challenges that there was a place for me to step up and help others. I wanted to take my adversity and make a meaningful difference and be a guiding light in others’ lives. It was this unwavering, deep sense of purpose that was an instrumental quality in shaping my journey. In addition, I feel an important quality in my life is a sense of balance. Balance allows me to enjoy the parts of myself that exist outside of my job. While I cherish the work I am able to do for others, I feel it’s a necessity to know how to separate and show up for other parts of myself so that I can best show up to help my clients at work. Whether it’s road tripping/traveling to as many places I can, immersing myself in the arts, or indulging in hobbies like photography, music, yoga, cosplay, or playing video games—these activities are essential in maintaining my well-being. It is my creativity that I believe to be an invaluable tool to continue to grow, explore new dimensions of who I am, and refine the skills that help me support and inspire my clients.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?

While I enjoy my work and it comes naturally, it can also be emotionally taxing at times. I’m responsible for managing a diverse group of clients every week, each with their own unique needs. Some are having great days, while others are navigating heavy situations or life transitions affecting their eating habits and mental health. I’m there t0 guide them, offer clarity, and be with them through it however I can. This level of emotional engagement takes a lot of energy, and sometimes the sheer volume of clients can feel overwhelming, especially when I’m also trying to balance everything else in my personal life.
I prioritize self-care as a preventative to the burnout point, but when I am feeling overwhelmed, I try to heed the advice that I give to my clients when they become overwhelmed. First practice self-compassion: I acknowledge that it’s okay to feel overwhelmed and give myself permission to take care of my needs. I take a mental break: step away from the source of overwhelm for a few minutes as soon as I can—whether it’s stepping outside for a walk or stretching for a few minutes—just to hit the reset button. Then I can more easily relax around the things I can not control, and prioritize: identify what needs immediate attention and what can wait. Not everything is an urgent matter, but you can’t see as clearly when you are overwhelmed and spiraling.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @Flourish_WithKim. Personal: @KaptainKimbo_

Image Credits

Sean Suchara