Counseling in the Holler, LLC

01/02/2026

Today marks one year since Counseling in the Holler, LLC officially opened......and it still catches me off guard to say that out loud.

A year ago, I stepped into something I’d been dreaming about for a long time and honestly, something that scared me just as much. I didn’t have every detail mapped out, but I knew I wanted to build something honest, accessible, and rooted in care for my community.

This first year has been full of growth, learning as I go, stretching myself, celebrating the wins (big and small), and figuring things out one step at a time. It’s been about creating a space that feels real, welcoming, and aligned with my values.

I’m incredibly thankful for every person who’s shown support along the way, whether you trusted me with your story, shared a post, sent encouragement, or believed in this vision from the start.

As I head into year two, I’m excited to keep growing, expanding services, and turning those big ideas into real support for folks who need it, at a steady, intentional pace.

One year of Counseling in the Holler down.
And we’re just getting started.

12/31/2025

Beyond New Year’s Resolutions

Every January, we feel that fresh-start energy and then wonder why it fades so fast.

This year, I’ve been sitting with that question myself.

As the year wraps up, I’ve been doing some honest reflecting. There was a lot of good this year, growth, gratitude, and moments I’m really proud of. There were also places where stress and negativity took up more space than they needed to. I’m not judging that. I’m just noticing it.

One thing this year asked of me was courage. I finally did the thing I’d been scared to do for a long time: I started my own private practice. Some days, I still can’t believe I actually did that.

Here’s what I’m learning, both personally and as a therapist:

🌟It’s not a lack of willpower that makes change hard. It’s that rigid, all-or-nothing resolutions don’t hold up when real life shows up.

🌟Research and lived experience both tell us that intentions work better than pressure. Intentions offer direction without demanding perfection.

So instead of resolutions, I’m choosing this:
• Intentions over perfection
• Focusing on what I’m moving toward, not what I’m trying to avoid
• Gentle structure (like simple if–then plans) instead of burnout
• Self-compassion over self-criticism

My word for the year is Steady.
Not rushed. Not burned out. Just grounded, intentional growth, for myself and for Counseling in the Holler, LLC.

Growth doesn’t require starting over every time you stumble.
It just asks you to keep steering back toward what matters.

I shared more about this shift in a new blog post if you’d like to read along:
👉 www.hollercounseling.com/blog/beyond-new-years-resolutions-how-intentions-create-change-that-actually-lasts

Ain’t no healing like a Holler-Healing 💜

Every January, many of us feel a powerful surge of motivation, a sense that this is finally the moment things will change. We call this the fresh-start effect, and it’s very real. Unfortunately, so is the disappointment that often follows. Traditional New Year’s resolutions rely on rigid rules a...

12/31/2025

✨ As the year comes to an end and a new one approaches… ✨

This season often brings reflection, change, and sometimes a lot of emotional weight. As you’re thinking about goals, transitions, and what you want the next year to look like, remember this: your mental health matters.

At Counseling in the Holler, LLC, my goal is to make quality, compassionate mental health care accessible and affordable. I understand that therapy can feel financially overwhelming, and cost should never be the reason someone goes without support.

That’s why I accept a wide range of insurance plans, including Medicaid, Medicare, EAPs, and many commercial providers.

💜 You deserve support.
💜 You deserve care that meets you where you are.
💜 And you don’t have to navigate it alone.

If you’ve been thinking about starting therapy in the new year or continuing the work you’ve already begun, reach out and let’s talk about your options.

Ain’t no healing like a Holler-Healing.

📞 (606) 658-0710
🌐 www.hollercounseling.com
📧 info-support@hollercounseling.com

12/21/2025

🎉 Some exciting news!! 🎉

I am now accepting Aetna Medicaid for therapy services!

This is a big step toward making mental health care more accessible for our community. If you’ve been wanting support but insurance was a barrier, help may be more within reach now.

✨ Telehealth sessions
✨ Compassionate, judgment-free care
✨ Serving clients across Kentucky

If you or someone you love has been thinking about starting therapy, now’s a great time to reach out.

Ain’t no healing like a Holler-Healing!

12/21/2025

Coping Skills You Can Try Today

The holidays can be joyful and overwhelming. If your nervous system feels a little frazzled, you’re not doing anything wrong, your body may just be asking for some care.

These simple, festive coping skills are like little gifts you can unwrap anytime you need a moment of calm:
🫂 Cozy Hug (Butterfly Hug)
❄️ Snowflake Cool-Down
🎄 Ornament of Joy
🔔 Jingle Bell Shake

You don’t have to use all of them, even one small pause can help your body feel safer and more grounded.

If the season feels heavy, support is available. You don’t have to carry it alone.
🖥️ Online counseling across Kentucky

✨ Ain’t no healing like a Holler-Healing ✨

💚❤️

12/18/2025

Finding Peace This Holiday Season

If the holidays feel more stressful than joyful, you’re not alone.
For many people, this season brings pressure, grief, complicated family dynamics, financial strain, and emotional exhaustion.

This holiday resilience guide was created to remind you of something important:
You are allowed to protect your peace.

Inside, you’ll find gentle tools for:
• Rewriting stressful holiday thoughts
• Setting healthy boundaries without guilt
• Honoring grief and mixed emotions
• Anchoring yourself with realistic self-care
• Remembering your Holiday Bill of Rights

The holidays don’t have to be perfect to be meaningful.
Your well-being is the most important gift you can give yourself.

💚 Support is here when you need it.
📎 Visit www.hollercounseling.com
📞 (606) 658-0710

If this resonates, consider sharing it with someone who may need a little extra support this season.

12/16/2025

The holidays can bring joy, connection, and meaning , but they can also bring stress, exhaustion, and emotional overload.

In the hustle and bustle of preparing for the upcoming holidays and visiting family, don’t forget that self-care still matters. Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish, it helps you show up more grounded, present, and regulated.

A few gentle reminders this season:
• It’s okay to step away for a few quiet minutes when things feel overwhelming
• Keep at least one small routine that helps you feel like you (a walk, music, journaling, deep breaths)
• Set limits around conversations or plans that drain you. Boundaries are a form of self-care!

As the season unfolds, take a moment to check in with yourself. Pause and ask: What do I need more of right now to feel supported, rested, or steady?

Self-care doesn’t have to be big or perfect, sometimes it’s simply noticing what’s missing and giving yourself permission to meet that need. Let this holiday season be one where you listen inward just as much as you show up for others.

12/08/2025

The holidays can be especially painful for LGBTQ+ folks navigating loss, grief, or family rejection. While everyone else seems wrapped in warmth and celebration, you might be carrying wounds that feel heavier this time of year and that doesn’t make you weak. It makes you human.

My newest blog, “When the Holidays Hurt: Navigating Loss & Family Disowning as an LGBTQ+ Person,” offers gentle, affirming ways to cope from building chosen-family traditions and creating new rituals, to setting boundaries and reframing painful holiday narratives.

You deserve safety. You deserve belonging. You deserve a holiday season that doesn’t shrink your light.

Read it here: www.hollercounseling.com/blog/when-the-holidays-hurt-navigating-loss-amp-family-disowning-as-an-lgbtq-person

The holidays are painted as a season of warmth, family, and togetherness, but for many LGBTQ+ individuals, this time of year can bring up grief, loneliness, or the painful reminder of family rejection. Whether you’re mourning the loss of someone you loved, the end of a relationship, or the ache of...

12/01/2025

The holidays can shine a harsh light on grief. The empty chair at the table, the missing laugh, the memories that linger, sometimes joy and sorrow share the same space.

If your heart feels heavy this season, please know you’re not alone. 💜

My newest blog, “Tending to the Empty Chair: Navigating Grief and Loss During the Holidays,” shares compassionate ways to honor your loss while still taking care of yourself. From creating new rituals to giving yourself permission to “opt out,” this piece offers gentle guidance for getting through the season with grace and love.

Read it here: www.hollercounseling.com/blog/tending-to-the-empty-chair-navigating-grief-and-loss-during-the-holidays

The holidays are supposed to be merry and bright, but when you’re grieving, they can feel unbearably heavy. Whether you’ve lost a loved one, ended a relationship, or find yourself mourning the life you once knew, this season can bring waves of emotion that catch you off guard. Grief doesn’t fo...

11/06/2025

The holidays don’t have to be perfect to be peaceful.

If you’re feeling more stressed than joyful this season, you’re not alone. Between financial worries, family dynamics, and the pressure to “make it magical,” the holidays can take a real toll on mental health.

Check out my latest blog post, “You’re Not Alone in the Holiday Haze: Coping with Stress and Family Expectations,” for practical, realistic tools to stay grounded, from setting healthy boundaries to simple mindfulness tricks that help calm the chaos.
Give yourself permission to have a “good enough” holiday. You deserve rest, peace, and a little holler-healing. 💜💙

Read it here: www.hollercounseling.com/blog/wwoc55cfx3vpbyoxygj7vcdlw6vrnn

The holidays aren’t always the picture-perfect scenes we see on TV. For many, they bring a mix of stress, financial worry, family tension, and grief, and that’s okay to admit. As a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, I remind my clients (and myself) that you don’t have to chase perfectio...

10/30/2025

WE'RE ALL WE'VE GOT!

Go to Bit.ly/appalachianfood or visit the link in our bio to check out our list of food resources across West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina!

We couldn't have made this list without our friends , , and other folks across the region. SNAP benefits being paused affects us all. Donate to mutual aid and help out where ya can.

Please share this with your kinfolks and take care of each other.

10/27/2025

Happy Halloween from Counseling in the Holler, LLC! 👻🎃

This week’s all about spooky fun, sweet treats, and maybe a few friendly frights! As you head out to celebrate, remember to have a blast, but stay safe out there.

And if this season stirs up more than just a few chills, remember…

🕸️ Even the scariest feelings aren’t too spooky for counseling.

Every ghoul, ghost, and goblin deserves a little guidance and care. 💜💙