Holly Tuesday Baxter
Marriage and Family Therapist
Individual Psychotherapy
It's time to write your story
We all have stories that we have been told and that we tell ourselves about who we are, where we're going, and what we deserve. Often, these stories are written by past selves and based in stories of survival - emotional, physical, mental, or all three. These stories can show up as anxiety, depression, dissociation, or relationship struggles.
I want to get to know your story and help you to clear the path towards your own healing and growth. When we are in the depths of our pain, it is difficult to see a way out. I have the wonderful privilege of being witness for you from a place of perspective. I think of my job as holding up a mirror for you to see a truer version of yourself.
Together we'll examine the events and relationships in your life that brought you to where you are today. We'll identify strengths that you may not know you have and better understand patterns which may be keeping you stuck. I work with teens and adults and I look forward to being a part of the process of authoring your own story.
Couples Therapy
Communication, connection, compassion
I believe in three key elements of communication, connection, and compassion and begin by focusing on these foundational concepts and skills in my work with couples.
Our first task is to understand how you communicate as partners - where are the breakdowns in communication and how does each partner process and take in words, actions, and decisions. We will also be focusing on connection and how you, as individuals, feel supported by and valued by each other. The third element of our work will be developing and expressing compassion towards each other and in the relationship as a basis for love, understanding, and respect.
Relationships are complex and often those we love the most are those than can cause the greatest hurt. Investing in your relationship is the greatest gift you can give to each other.
Life Transitions
Who is the 'you' that you're waiting for?
The only constant in this world is change. Whether it be launching grown children, stepping into parenting, career reevaluation, leaving relationships, retirement, or menopause, transitions are the crossroads of our lives and often they are missing signposts. Giving these moments the gravity and importance that they deserve, while also keeping in balance the other parts of our lives that require daily attention and care, takes grace, intentionality, and balance.
Stepping into new versions of ourselves also requires a shedding of old mindsets and patterns. Together we will reflect on the events that brought you to this precipice and what are the tools you have or can develop to take your next steps into the life you always wanted.
What is it you plan to do with your one wild and previous life? - Mary Oliver
Affirmations
Authenticity as the cornerstone of joy
A lack of authenticity can manifest in a variety of ways - anxiety, depression, self-harm, and addiction, to name but a few. Gender identity, in particular, can be confusing and difficult to explore and affirm. As a Transgender Mental Health and Gender Affirmative Practitioner, I have spent close to a decade working with children, teens, young adults, adults and the families of gender diverse individuals, supporting identity understanding and providing guidance and education along the way.
I am an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, and provide parent and educator trainings throughout Ventura County. I believe that there is not any one path or "right way" to affirm your gender identity. Exploring who you are, in all of your many facets, in a safe and welcoming space is essential to finding your own identity euphoria.