Allen Holmes (he/him)

I selected Expressive Art Therapy not as a traditional definition of an art therapist, but as a counselor who understands the parallel between the path to developing creativity with the path towards personal growth. As a professional musician, I have investigated how a daily practice in an any form of creativity can become more effective and lead to insight into personal growth and development. Intervention focuses on developing a daily practice and gaining insight into these parallels.

I selected Expressive Art Therapy not as a traditional definition of an art therapist, but as a counselor who understands the parallel between the path to developing creativity with the path towards personal growth. As a professional musician, I have investigated how a daily practice in an any form of creativity can become more effective and lead to insight into personal growth and development. Intervention focuses on developing a daily practice and gaining insight into these parallels.

I interpret anxiety as the body's way of knocking, pointing towards needed lifestyle changes and/or trauma attempting to surface. Initially, treatment focuses on eliminating and mitigating symptoms with longer term focus on connecting the roots of anxiety with past experiences.

Depression is especially difficult due to its vicious cycle like nature. It's crucial to pursue help when struggling with symptoms. Depression is often misrepresented in the media as sadness but actually is a disconnect from emotions. Treatment initially focuses on lifestyle changes that may be contributing such as sleep, nutrition, exercise routines, spirituality, addiction and, perhaps most importantly, forging meaningful relationships with family, friends and community.

Recently, we have learned that familial generational patterns become woven into the fabric of our DNA. Gaining insight into the dynamics of our relationships frees us from replaying destructive patterns and enables us to embrace those that are conducive to our growth. When working with couples, I have each spouse talk directly to each other at times, focusing on more effective communication, but also discovering generational patterns that might be contributory factors to unwanted conflict.

I selected Expressive Art Therapy not as a traditional definition of an art therapist, but as a counselor who understands the parallel between the path to developing creativity with the path towards personal growth. As a professional musician, I have investigated how a daily practice in an any form of creativity can become more effective and lead to insight into personal growth and development. Intervention focuses on developing a daily practice and gaining insight into these parallels.

We struggle to see the impact of addiction while we are engaged in it. This highlights the importance of getting help and stopping the addictive behavior. The same 5 characteristics exist in all addiction: the inability to set boundaries, denial, deception, and it being destructive, but most importantly, addiction is avoidant behavior. We avoid precious aspects of ourselves through the addictive behavior. Treatment focuses on establishing strong communal connection towards recovery.

I interpret anxiety as the body's way of knocking, pointing towards needed lifestyle changes and/or trauma attempting to surface. Initially, treatment focuses on eliminating and mitigating symptoms with longer term focus on connecting the roots of anxiety with past experiences.

Depression is especially difficult due to its vicious cycle like nature. It's crucial to pursue help when struggling with symptoms. Depression is often misrepresented in the media as sadness but actually is a disconnect from emotions. Treatment initially focuses on lifestyle changes that may be contributing such as sleep, nutrition, exercise routines, spirituality, addiction and, perhaps most importantly, forging meaningful relationships with family, friends and community.

Recently, we have learned that familial generational patterns become woven into the fabric of our DNA. Gaining insight into the dynamics of our relationships frees us from replaying destructive patterns and enables us to embrace those that are conducive to our growth. When working with couples, I have each spouse talk directly to each other at times, focusing on more effective communication, but also discovering generational patterns that might be contributory factors to unwanted conflict.

I selected Expressive Art Therapy not as a traditional definition of an art therapist, but as a counselor who understands the parallel between the path to developing creativity with the path towards personal growth. As a professional musician, I have investigated how a daily practice in an any form of creativity can become more effective and lead to insight into personal growth and development. Intervention focuses on developing a daily practice and gaining insight into these parallels.

Fundamentally, addiction is avoidant behavior. We avoid precious aspects of ourselves through addiction. By creating an effective support system with meaningful connections to family, friends and community we can step out of destructive patterns.

Anger isn't the problem itself. How the anger is expressed, however, may be problematic. Anger management isn't only for those who experience outbursts or dump it on others but also for those who "don't do anger." Anger is moving energy and strategies must be learned to express in a manner which honors the self and loved ones. Often, anger is a secondary motion for pain and sadness. Treatment delves into anger's root causes and healthy forms of expression are learned.