Eliza Carlson Delves into Mental and Emotional Side of Health
Eliza Carlson, BS ('00), MS ('07), didn't want to choose just one thing to be when she grew up. So, she chose three. After earning two Bastyr University degrees, both of which had diverse and eclectic areas of focus, Carlson has established a multifaceted career as a nutritionist, a mental health counselor and a teacher with an emphasis on the relationship between the mind, body and emotions.
Carlson's first Bastyr degree was a bachelor's in health psychology. Discovering this program was a blessing, because she was in the process of earning a pre-medical degree, but that emphasis didn't feel quite right. What she really wanted was an education that encompassed physical health and psychological well-being. Living in the Midwest at the time, she was considering chiropractic school, unaware of other options in complementary and alternative medicine.
Fortunately, she remembered coming across Bastyr University in a book in her high school guidance counselor's office. She went online and immediately found the perfect bachelor's completion degree. "I can't imagine any other program that would have gotten me closer to what I was looking for," says Carlson. "This seemed to be the perfect marriage of the two things I wanted." She liked the idea of pursuing a naturopathic medicine degree afterward. "I figured that having a health psychology background would be a really strong foundation for a health practitioner," she says. "I have always been fascinated by the power of the human body and mind to return us to a state of wellness if given the proper support."
After graduating, Carlson wanted to take a break from studying, so she traveled for awhile and then worked at a health food store. Through that experience, she realized that she was passionate about food as well. Again she consulted the Bastyr website and this time she learned the institution was launching a master's program in nutrition and clinical health psychology (MSNCHP). "The timing was magically perfect," she says. "The psychology component was where my heart was leading me, but with this degree I wouldn't be selling myself short on the nutrition side." Through the program, she was able to become a master's-level counselor and a master's-level nutritionist. "It is a three-year program, but to me, it's as good as having two degrees," she says. "The program was great."
She felt that having already earned her bachelor's degree in health psychology from Bastyr gave her an advantage. She knew the foundational theories in psychology and understood the University system. As an undergraduate, she had taken some unique classes such as Buddhist and Taoist Psychology and Art as Spiritual Practice that exposed her to the vast possibilities that exist for counselors. "The classes were so stimulating in the undergraduate program that they inspired me to study psychology more in depth (in a master's degree), so that I would be able to apply the therapies and techniques I learned as an undergraduate."
Today, she is doing just that. She is a popular instructor at Bastyr University, teaching Psychology of Nourishment and Art as Spiritual Practice. She also works at two clinics, The Vital Energy Center and Pacific Nutrition and Wellness, consulting with clients on issues such as weight loss, detoxification diets and dietary strategies for health conditions. Carlson also volunteers as a mental health counselor at the YWCA and co-supervises the weight management program at Bastyr Center for Natural Health, "Weigh to Go."
It sounds like a lot, and Carlson admits that it is. "It might be good for me to consolidate and only work at one wellness center," she confesses. But even if she's extremely busy, she is doing exactly what she loves, with no compromises. She enjoys the fact that she makes a difference with her clients, whether she is working with their nutritional or other issues. "Sometimes we start with nutritional issues and once patients get that handled, they feel ready to address other areas of their lives. Other times, I help people deal with other parts of their lives such as relationships, and after they've dealt with some of that, they say, 'Okay, now I'm ready to take charge of my health.' Having the tools to work with people effectively in all of these areas is so rewarding." As an instructor, she benefits from the challenge to keep her courses interesting, which helps her to learn and grow. "I get to continue to learn from the Bastyr community, it's just from the front of the classroom now."
In the midst of enjoying the rewards and challenges of work each day, Carlson has little time to reflect on her own life. But when she does, she has to admit that the combination of these two unique Bastyr University degrees created the perfect recipe for the three careers she always wanted.
Eliza Carlson, BS ('00), MS ('07) 