K.D. Holmes Blog

A core aspect of my practice centers on supporting adults who grapple with anxiety and depression due to their relentless pursuit of perfection and overachieving.

The effects of trauma can have a long-lasting impact on a person's mental health, disrupting their daily functioning and relationships. The true impact of trauma is often seen in how individuals react to present situations. The key to successful treatment lies in receiving therapeutic support, practicing stabilization, and then processing their trauma.

Have you ever had a dream that seemed so out of reach, so impossible to achieve?  And the shame of not being able to achieve it became unbearable so overtime you slowly buried it deep within you, and now you have forgot about it altogether. If so, then welcome to my brain, my office, my world– where we will be uncovering and exploring those hopes and dreams hidden in the dark corner of your soul.

Many seek therapy because they are blocked in some way. Some blocks are like the road has ended at a steep cliff with no bridge to cross over to the other side. Some of these blocks are health issues, mental health issues, or tragic life experiences.   

As I personally loathe fad trends in eating and exercise, I immediately felt annoyed when my physician suggested a book by Mark Sisson's Primal Endurance. Assuming the content would cover those things exactly. Nevertheless, I had paid to see this doctor, so I desisted and bought the book.

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.

Many of my clients often inquire about the meaning of ERP. Exposure and Response Prevention may sound formal and technical, but in simple terms, it is a behavioral process that brings order to the chaos of the OCD merry go round. It involves systematically confronting your obsessions while resisting the urge to engage in compulsive behaviors. ERP becomes even more effective when combined with various other skills and techniques.

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?   

So in addition to holiday stress, some of us can add in our internal struggles that don’t stop simply because it’s the holidays.  It can feel bleak and never-ending like a Zombie Apocalypse.  

Imagine you have an internal stress bucket that is half full from the year, then add in more stress from the holidays, and more stress because of your mental health. This is a recipe for your stress bucket to overflow this holiday season.