Holly Markley

I help adults understand where their shame comes from, often old trauma they've never fully processed, shame that can look like anxiety, depression, grief, or simply never feeling like enough. Together, we work through it from the beginning instead of just managing it on the surface.

My style is honest, curious, and down-to-earth, direct, but compassionate. No psychobabble, no pretending you should already have this figured out.

I also welcome clients who want to explore their faith alongside their mental health, without having to check either one at the door. You are not broken. Understanding what's driving the pattern is how you learn to trust yourself again.

Sessions are online only, for adults located in Virginia or West Virginia.

I take a thoughtful, collaborative approach to therapy that looks beyond the symptoms you're experiencing. Together, we'll get curious about the trauma and shame that may be driving your anxiety, depression, grief, or feeling stuck.

Rather than assuming there is something 'wrong' with you, we'll work to understand why certain reactions developed and how they may have helped you cope at one point in your life. As you begin to understand those patterns more clearly, we can work on helping you respond differently, with more awareness, choice, and compassion for yourself.

I also pay attention to what is happening in your body, not just what you're thinking. Our work may include slowing things down, noticing what comes up emotionally or physically, and finding ways to help you feel more grounded as we work through difficult experiences.

Before our first session, you’ll complete an intake questionnaire so I can begin getting to know you and what brings you to therapy. When we meet, I’ll ask if there’s a particular place you’d like to start. If not, I’ll use what you shared in your questionnaire to help guide our conversation.

Our first session is also about getting to know one another and beginning to understand what has been happening in your life. We’ll go at a pace that feels manageable. If you’re feeling especially activated or overwhelmed, we may also take a few minutes to slow things down with a breathing or grounding exercise before we end.