2025 is here - it's a time for fresh starts, new beginnings, and – let's be honest – a little bit of dreaming. As clinicians, we're constantly evolving, and we're excited to share our individual goals and aspirations for this year. What are we learning? How are we growing? And most importantly, how will these changes translate into an even better experience for the clients we serve?

This year promises to be a time of growth, both personally and professionally. We're eager to explore new ideas, dig in deeper to our own learning, and continue refining our therapeutic approaches. We're also looking forward to a lineup of courses and workshops throughout this new year, all available for continuing education for our fellow clinicians. Some of our most popular offerings are returning with fresh updates, and we're also introducing some brand new classes designed to support both clinicians and the communities we serve.

This blog is set up to reflect the conversation we, as a group, have had about these topics.

Question: Which KDH Collective Course are you most looking forward to in 2025 and why?

 

Whitney

"I'm going to be that girl and not follow directions, because there are two I am most looking forward to. First, Monet is offering a course (for ethics credit)  in June of 2025 for therapists on working with LGBT+ clients. Monet’s courses are always so good and I always learn so much. This one is sure to be a good one. Second, Monet and I are co-teaching a course in October on ADHD, Autism, and Sex. Sexual health and wellbeing tend to be really neglected in our area, and especially for neurodivergent clients for whom their neurodivergence impacts their sexual function in really diverse ways. I’m really excited to dig into the literature and talk about this stuff with other clinicians!"

Ashley

 

" I also have two answers, haha! I am always excited for KDH Collective to put on courses related to OCD- the more people who can recognize signs of OCD the less misdiagnosis we have, and clients can get the RIGHT treatment more quickly. The course I am most looking forward to attending is Intro to ADHD. In my clinical work, ADHD and OCD frequently occur together, so becoming more knowledgeable about ADHD will help me serve my clients better."

Monet-1

 

"I always look forward to classes from Whitney because she makes them so accessible and interesting. I am perpetually upping my neurodivergence game with her help so having her as an instructor for classes is a dream. I’m also looking forward to teaching my LGBT ethics class in June for Pride Month. I’m a sociologist first (as much as one can be with a Bachelor’s) and a therapist second so I love to incorporate historical, sociological and therapeutic information into all my classes to really give it breadth and depth!"

KD (1)

"I’m really looking forward to Monet’s Intro to ADHD session. As someone with ADHD, this topic holds a deep personal significance for me. It feels like so many therapists overlook how central ADHD can be to understanding someone’s mental health—how it shapes both strengths and the ways symptoms are expressed. I’m also drawn to the Sex and Neurodivergence course. Exploring the connection between neurodivergence and sexuality feels revolutionary—like uncovering something long hidden but profoundly impactful. Of course, it influences how we experience and express ourselves in that realm. And then there’s my class on Neurodivergence and trauma. This is a topic that is so essential, yet it’s often an afterthought in high-level trauma courses. It’s foundational to understanding dissociation in neurodivergent populations. These conversations are vital, not just for treatment, but for truly seeing and helping our clients in their full complexity."

 

Question: What do you hope your practice will look like in 2025, especially in comparison to 2024? New Year, new you?

Whitney

 

"I would like to learn more about disability justice and the intersection of disability and capitalism. In just the little I have been learning about disability so far, it has really been focused on neurodivergence and Autism in particular, but just that has been so helpful for my understanding of myself as a neurodivergent person and also in the work I do with clients. It shows up so often and in so many subtle ways, like in terms of success and production (or lack thereof), weight and body image, and parenting. I’m ready to learn more."

Ashley

 

"In 2025 I hope to continue to expand connections with other therapists who treat OCD in our state, and help spread awareness and offer effective treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Spectrum disorders such as Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRB), such as skin picking and hair pulling."

 

Monet-1

 

"In my own personal journey navigating this late-stage capitalist hellscape, I have found such joy and energy in Mutual Aid and social justice endeavors. I am hoping to marry this into my practice by encouraging disenfranchised and depressed folks into connecting with their local community and making small, but sustainable differences that influence their mood and overall being."

 

KD (1)

"I hope to support therapists in my office and through our courses by helping them embrace who they are in the therapy room. Professional development is not just about skills; it’s about deepening our understanding of ourselves in this therapist's role, enriching not only our work but also the experience we offer our clients. I find joy in walking alongside therapists as they navigate this process of growth and self-discovery. At the same time, I’m working on my own challenges as a therapist. I want to become better at having those difficult, yet essential, conversations with my clients—conversations that explore the dynamics unfolding between us in the moment. My tendency to avoid these moments by sticking rigidly to a protocol has, which meant missing an opportunity to uncover something profound. What happens in the therapy room often mirrors the client’s experiences in the outside world, and I want my office to be a space where we can safely explore those connections. This kind of immediacy—naming and working through what’s alive in the room—is not easy. It’s messy, and it’s a skill that may take a lifetime to master. I remind myself to lean into the discomfort and keep checking back in, trusting the process even when it feels uncertain. In many ways, attachment is the heart of our therapeutic work. But attachment isn’t always soft or comforting. Sometimes it stretches us, pushes and pulls us in ways that help us and our clients grow. And that’s where the true work lies—finding meaning in both the tenderness and the tension."

Question: What resources would you recommend for folks wanting to learn more about the topics you mentioned in this conversation?

Whitney

 

"I follow Imani Barbarin (also known as @crutchesandspice) on social media and have learned so much about disability and our current culture. Highly recommend following her and thinking about the things she shares (especially through the lens of being a therapist)."

Ashley

 

"For support and info on BFRBs like skin picking and hair pulling, you can’t beat pickingme.org and bfrb.org. They even offer support groups!"

 

Monet-1

 

"I can’t recommend Imani enough (thanks Whitney!) I have learned endless amounts of information around the intersection of disability and capitalism from her since joining TikTok. I’d also like to recommend the works of Dr. Devin Price, as well as the book Mutual Aid by Dean Spade. I’m currently reading Gay Inc by Myrl Beam."

KD (1)

 

"I would suggest people look into Deep Brain Reorienting, starting with the book Deep Brain Reorienting: Understanding the Neuroscience of Trauma, Attachment Wounding, and DBR Psychotherapy by Corrigan, Young, and Christie-Sands (2025)."

 

Question: Any final thoughts about your hopes for 2025 for folks who may be reading this blog?

Monet-1

 

"I am arriving in 2025 fully committed to joy, specifically Queer Joy. And while I know it can be an eye-rolling phrase, hackneyed to death and back, it still holds a radical notion to me. Unapologetically authentic, audacious, and daring. I want my community to feel loved, cared for, and resplendent in the face of some serious adversity. I hope I can achieve this both personally and professionally."

KD (1)

 

"Support is what we all need. Surrounding yourself with a group of therapists and seeking your own therapy. This work has a way of unearthing what lies buried deep within our bodies. Let go of the desire to do it perfectly and instead, dive into learning. Learn from your clients and from other professionals whose expertise and experience can guide us in the therapy room. It's not that our clients are failing therapy, it's that Therapy is failing our clients. Together, we can change!'

Whitney

 

"I have jokingly-not-jokingly been saying that my resolution for 2025 is to be worse. What I really mean with that, at its core, is to allow myself to speak up about things I know and things I feel passionate about. Normally this isn't an issue for me, but with my fellow therapists, I have found myself biting my tongue at times. So that's what I'm going to let go of this year. I do know things. I love my passions! I'm not going to hold back."

 

For further reading, check out these recommended KDH Counseling and KDH Collective blogs.

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