Aaron Kelsay

Writer & Counselor

I have been passionate about writing for as long as I could remember. Everything from technical writing, theology and apologetics in undergrad, research and non-fiction based writing, to speculative fiction. In my storytelling, I draw from my other passion: people.

My past experience in the non-profit and religious contexts inform some of my recent fiction writings. The twelve years I spent doing resource development burned me out, ultimately leading me to a career in the mental health and substance use context. One of the similarities I’ve found across the people in all these spaces, whether it was a fundraising banquet or a 12-step meeting, stories are powerful instruments for people to make meaning, to connect, and to survive the challenges they face. As a therapist, I get to hear people’s stories in all the darkness of their suffering and the lightness of whoever, whatever is helping them move through it. My writing ties it all together. I blend philosophy and theology, politics and economics, and the emotional, character development that makes a story feel human.

When I’m not writing, I am spending time with my partner and our two children enjoying all the amazing food and views the Pacific Northwest has to offer.