Holly Ellison

Marriage and Family Counseling Intern

Life has a way of taking us down paths, detours, and the occasional unexpected side-quest.

Sometimes those changes are exciting. Other times, they can leave us feeling stuck, overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure of what comes next. You may be navigating a transition, trying to better understand yourself or your relationships, or simply looking for a space where you don't have to have everything figured out.

I believe therapy can be a place to slow down, feel seen and heard, and become curious about the experiences that have shaped who you are.

My approach to counseling is client-centered, Emotionally Focused, and systemic. We all exist within countless systems, including our families, relationships, communities, cultures, workplaces, and identities. Those systems influence how we understand ourselves, how we connect with other people, and how we respond to the world around us.

In therapy, we may explore both the “why” behind the patterns you notice and the emotions underneath them. Understanding where those patterns came from can help us make sense of your past and present while creating more choice about what you want your future to look like.

My own path has included plenty of unexpected turns. After earning an undergraduate degree, moving across states and across the country, and spending nearly a decade in a career I hadn't originally planned for, I found myself beginning another side-quest: becoming a counselor. Those experiences have given me a genuine appreciation for the uncertainty that can come with change and for the possibilities that can emerge when we allow ourselves to imagine a different path forward.

I am currently completing the final year of my master's program in Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling at Duquesne University. After years of contributing behind the scenes to meaningful research, I am excited to now work directly with individuals and relationships through the therapeutic process.

My hope is to create a space where you can show up as you are, explore what has brought you here, and feel supported as we work together to make the path ahead feel a little less daunting.