K.D. Holmes Blog

There are so many new terms that float around social media. My favorite one right now is Neurodiversity.  This term has provided self compassion and acceptance of myself and ultimately my brain.

What if for your New Year's resolution you did not choose something that was perfectionistic, self-hating, idealistic, and counter to how you live your life? So many New Year's Resolutions are created from our emotional minds.  

What if you threw out expectations of yourself, idealized images, and cultural views super imposed upon you?  Do you think listening to these parts keeps you from giving into a hedonistic life style? What if you wiped your internal slate clean? Would it frighten you to choose from your authentic self?   

As I am trying to unpack a person's struggle I often think...What is it like to be you? What is it like to have your upbringing, to have your brain, and to manage all of that in your own way? For better or worse we are a culmination of genetics, social factors, and how we cope with both of these.

Many of the individuals I work with (myself included) are plagued by an obsessive brain. Obsessive brains are repetitive and stuck, living in a rabbit hole of thinking that leads to nowhere but feels real to the sufferer.  These individuals are often diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, which is composed of obsessions followed by compulsions.  

This is a question parents often ask when they call to set up an appointment for their teen.  Teenagers are often emotional, "difficult" to be around, isolate in their rooms, and with today's social media epidemic - they tend to "always" be on their phones.  Some of these are normal developmental issues, ie teen angst, however some are indicators that your child is struggling with a mental health issue.

This specific type of anxiety and depression is difficult to change because most individuals don't want to change something that brings them accolades in the world, positive feelings within, and intense fear that they are avoiding catastrophes with these overachieving habits.   

It appears that most people think that they can come to therapy whenever they want and return when they feel like it. As if therapy is an as-needed type of attendance when...

Major Depressive Disorder is one of the major reasons people come to therapy. It is safe to say that we have all had a depressive period at some point in our lives. It is part of being human. Perhaps it was a bad breakup, difficulty with pregnancy, health issues, death of someone, or difficulty transitioning into new phases of life.

Following up on my last blog, I’d like to discuss the book that my physician suggested for me to read, Mark Sisson's Primal Endurance.