New Member Spotlight: Katherine Johnson

Joined HumanistsMN: April 2019

Profession/residence: I’m a Licensed Psychologist who specializes in crisis intervention. I’ve worked for Curry County (Brookings, Ore.), Atascedero State Hospital (San Luis Obispo, Calif.), Canvas Health, North Memorial, and Abbott Northwestern, among others. I’ve also done a lot of volunteer work, including at the Walk-In Counseling Center. I’m currently doing telephonic counseling and crisis intervention for a multinational organization.

I’ve lived throughout the Twin Cities and currently reside in Eden Prairie. I plan to move back to the city when my cohousing group builds the first standard-setting energy-efficient cohousing community. In addition to Oregon and California, I lived in London while studying theater in college.

How she found us: Through Meetup.

What appealed to her about us. HumanistsMN has been a welcoming group from day one, which made it easier to keep coming back. I was looking for a safe place to offset the isolation I feel in Eden Prairie and was attracted to the continuing-education vibe, with programing on diverse, sometimes controversial, topics. I deeply value being with other like-minded kindred spirits who are committed to lifelong learning, progressive ideals, making a difference, and creating meaningful friendships.

Her journey to humanism. I flunked out of traditional religion early on. It felt irrelevant, superficial, and punitive. I’ve tried to focus on the best from world religions and spiritual practices — and leave the rest behind. Humanism is an additional path for living a meaningful life without getting caught up in theology.