Becoming Yourself Counselling

Becoming Yourself Counselling My name is Michael Holker MSW RSW Registered Social Worker / Therapist; I offer services in Ontario

Greetings,

I'm Michael Holker, a Registered Social Worker/Therapist. My journey in social work began in 2015 when I completed my Bachelor of Social Work, followed by further education to earn my Master's in Social Work. My path to this point has been marked by what I like to call "fateful detours and wrong turns," but it has always been clear that I wanted to establish my private practice. Over the past decade, I've immersed myself in a world of reading and research, honing my skills and acquiring tools to help individuals transition from merely surviving to thriving. If you or someone you know is merely "getting by" right now, rest assured that my mission is to guide individuals toward flourishing. Throughout my life, I've been driven by an insatiable curiosity to explore the realms of philosophy, psychology, sociology, history, science, and spirituality. I've dedicated myself to understanding the interconnectedness of these facets of human existence and how they relate to our contemporary challenges as individuals and as a society. This curiosity led me to the field of social work and, ultimately, to the creation of my private practice. On this page, you can expect regular posts addressing topics related to well-being and the human condition. I invite you to engage, ask questions, and share your thoughts. Currently, I offer virtual counselling services to clients residing in Ontario. You can easily book a session through the website link on this page or contact me directly for a complimentary 20-minute consultation. Let's explore how I can assist you on your personal growth and well-being journey.

Many gifted and twice exceptional adults grow up believing their complexity is a flaw.Too intense. Too sensitive. Too mu...
03/04/2026

Many gifted and twice exceptional adults grow up believing their complexity is a flaw.

Too intense. Too sensitive. Too much, and somehow still not enough.

But complexity is not a malfunction.

It is a nervous system shaped by depth, intensity, and contradiction. A mind that developed asynchronously. A way of processing the world that doesn’t flatten easily into simple categories.

If you’ve spent years performing competence while privately burning out, you’re not failing at life; you may be living inside a 2e nervous system that has been misunderstood for a long time.

More reflections on ADHD, Autism, and Giftedness — stay connected with Becoming Yourself.



Share your thoughts in the comments or save for later reflection.

These reflections are for informational purposes and are not a substitute for therapy.

Twice exceptional (2e) means living with more than one form of exceptionality at the same time.High intellectual ability...
03/03/2026

Twice exceptional (2e) means living with more than one form of exceptionality at the same time.

High intellectual ability alongside ADHD, Autism, or other neurodevelopmental differences creates what’s called a jagged (spiky) profile, advanced in some areas, significantly challenged in others. This isn’t an inconsistency. It’s neurology.

When people see what you can do, they often assume everything else should be easy. If you can think that deeply, write that clearly, solve that problem — why can’t you start the task? Why can’t you manage the details? Why are you overwhelmed?

But brains don’t generalize strength across all domains. Executive function, sensory processing, working memory, and attention operate independently from raw intellectual ability.

Many 2e adults grow up praised for brilliance and criticized for inconsistency. Over time, this can become internalized as laziness or moral failure.

Understanding the paradox changes that narrative.

You are not lazy.
You are operating with a complex nervous system.

Self-compassion often begins when the pattern finally makes sense.

Read the Blog Here: https://becomingyourself.com/onbecomingyourself/is-giftedness-neurodivergent-understanding-2e?utm_source=fb_page&utm_medium=Becoming+Yourself+Counselling&utm_campaign=publer

More reflections on ADHD, Autism, and Giftedness — stay connected with Becoming Yourself.









Share your thoughts in the comments or save for later reflection.

These reflections are for informational purposes and are not a substitute for therapy.

When the mask falls off, it’s not because you didn’t try hard enough.It’s because your nervous system reached its limit....
03/02/2026

When the mask falls off, it’s not because you didn’t try hard enough.

It’s because your nervous system reached its limit.

Burnout isn’t a character flaw.
It’s a biological response to prolonged compensation.

Your body wasn’t giving up.
It was protecting you.

More reflections on ADHD, Autism, and Giftedness — stay connected with Becoming Yourself.



Share your thoughts in the comments or save for later reflection.

These reflections are for informational purposes and are not a substitute for therapy.

Living with AuDHD often means holding two seemingly opposite needs at the same time. One part of you may crave quiet, or...
02/27/2026

Living with AuDHD often means holding two seemingly opposite needs at the same time. One part of you may crave quiet, order, and predictability, while another longs for movement, novelty, and change. This isn’t an inconsistency — it’s complexity. Many adults spend years trying to force balance through control or self-criticism. But healing often begins when we replace pressure with curiosity. Instead of asking “Which one is right?” we can ask “What does my nervous system need today?”

Read more on the blog → https://becomingyourself.com/onbecomingyourself/what-is-audhd?utm_source=fb_page&utm_medium=Becoming+Yourself+Counselling&utm_campaign=publer

Explore more reflections on ADHD, Autism, and Giftedness.



Share your thoughts in the comments or save for later reflection.

These reflections are for informational purposes and are not a substitute for therapy.

ADHD and Autism often overlap in ways that complicate diagnosis and self-understanding. Traits blend, mask, and shift ac...
02/27/2026

ADHD and Autism often overlap in ways that complicate diagnosis and self-understanding. Traits blend, mask, and shift across contexts. The goal of learning about overlap isn’t labelling yourself more tightly, it’s creating language that supports care. You are more than a diagnosis. You are a whole nervous system learning how to feel safer in the world.

More reflections on ADHD, Autism, and Giftedness — stay connected with Becoming Yourself.



Share your thoughts in the comments or save for later reflection.

These reflections are for informational purposes and are not a substitute for therapy.

Many AuDHD adults search for the “right” label because they want language that finally explains their experience. That d...
02/26/2026

Many AuDHD adults search for the “right” label because they want language that finally explains their experience. That desire makes sense. Being misunderstood for years leaves a deep ache to be seen clearly. But lived experience rarely fits neatly into definitions. You may recognize yourself in ADHD descriptions, autistic traits, or neither completely, and still be valid. Healing doesn’t require perfect certainty. It often begins when we stop auditioning for categories and start paying attention to our patterns with compassion. You don’t need a tidy explanation to deserve understanding, support, or care.

More reflections on ADHD, Autism, and Giftedness — stay connected with Becoming Yourself.



Share your thoughts in the comments or save for later reflection.

These reflections are for informational purposes and are not a substitute for therapy.

Many AuDHD adults grow up feeling out of sync — too much in some moments, not enough in others. You might swing between ...
02/25/2026

Many AuDHD adults grow up feeling out of sync — too much in some moments, not enough in others. You might swing between wanting closeness and needing space, craving structure and resisting it, masking competence while feeling internally overwhelmed. These shifts aren’t failures of character. They are signs of a nervous system navigating competing needs without enough support. Healing often begins when we stop forcing coherence and start allowing complexity to exist without judgment.

More reflections on ADHD, Autism, and Giftedness — stay connected with Becoming Yourself.



Share your thoughts in the comments or save for later reflection.

These reflections are for informational purposes and are not a substitute for therapy.

Living with AuDHD can feel like switching between operating systems that rarely sync. One part of you seeks order; anoth...
02/24/2026

Living with AuDHD can feel like switching between operating systems that rarely sync. One part of you seeks order; another seeks freedom. Healing doesn’t come from choosing one over the other. It comes from respecting both, listening closely, and allowing flexibility instead of self-judgment. Coexistence is not failure — it’s wisdom.

More reflections on ADHD, Autism, and Giftedness — stay connected with Becoming Yourself.



Share your thoughts in the comments or save for later reflection.

These reflections are for informational purposes and are not a substitute for therapy.

For many people with AuDHD, energy doesn’t move in straight lines. It rises, dips, concentrates, and recedes, often in w...
02/23/2026

For many people with AuDHD, energy doesn’t move in straight lines. It rises, dips, concentrates, and recedes, often in ways that don’t match external expectations. When productivity culture demands consistency, these natural rhythms can be mislabeled as unreliability. Over time, that message becomes internalized. But needing recovery doesn’t mean you lack discipline or care. It means your nervous system is doing its best to regulate complexity. Learning to work with your rhythms, rather than against them, can slowly replace shame with trust. Your energy was never broken; it was speaking a different language.

More reflections on ADHD, Autism, and Giftedness — stay connected with Becoming Yourself.



Share your thoughts in the comments or save for later reflection.

These reflections are for informational purposes and are not a substitute for therapy.

Many adults come to AuDHD language not because they’re searching for another label, but because ADHD alone never fully e...
02/20/2026

Many adults come to AuDHD language not because they’re searching for another label, but because ADHD alone never fully explained their inner world. The push–pull between novelty and predictability, stimulation and shutdown, structure and spontaneity can feel confusing and isolating. AuDHD offers language for that complexity — not to box people in, but to soften self-blame. Understanding this overlap can bring relief, grief, and clarity all at once. None of those responses are wrong.

Read more on the blog → https://becomingyourself.com/onbecomingyourself/what-is-audhd?utm_source=fb_page&utm_medium=Becoming+Yourself+Counselling&utm_campaign=publer

Explore more reflections on ADHD, Autism, and Giftedness.

Share your thoughts in the comments or save for later reflection.

These reflections are for informational purposes and are not a substitute for therapy.

For many adults discovering AuDHD, the process brings relief and confusion at the same time. It’s common to wonder if yo...
02/20/2026

For many adults discovering AuDHD, the process brings relief and confusion at the same time. It’s common to wonder if you’re “enough” of one thing or another. But identity isn’t something you earn through certainty. You don’t need perfect language to deserve care, belonging, or self-compassion. Your lived experience is already valid.

More reflections on ADHD, Autism, and Giftedness — stay connected with Becoming Yourself.



Share your thoughts in the comments or save for later reflection.

These reflections are for informational purposes and are not a substitute for therapy.

Masking often begins as protection. For many AuDHD adults, it’s how we learned to stay safe, be accepted, and avoid bein...
02/19/2026

Masking often begins as protection. For many AuDHD adults, it’s how we learned to stay safe, be accepted, and avoid being misunderstood. But over time, constant self-monitoring comes at a cost, fatigue, disconnection, and a quiet loss of self. Unmasking isn’t about revealing everything at once or abandoning protection altogether. It’s about noticing where the mask has become heavier than helpful. Courage here isn’t loud or dramatic. It’s slow, relational, and rooted in safety. Each moment of authenticity, no matter how small, is a step toward coming home to yourself.

More reflections on ADHD, Autism, and Giftedness — stay connected with Becoming Yourself.



Share your thoughts in the comments or save for later reflection.

These reflections are for informational purposes and are not a substitute for therapy.

Address

Toronto/(Offer Virtual Services Only)
Toronto, ON
M2N7A9

Opening Hours

Monday 12pm - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm

Telephone

+12892786272

Website

https://becomingyourself.janeapp.com/

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