About holly markley, lpc
When we understand ourselves more clearly, change becomes possible.
I'm Holly, a Licensed Professional Counselor providing online therapy to adults throughout Virginia and West Virginia. I work with people who are ready to move beyond simply managing symptoms and begin understanding the shame that’s been driving them.
what i want you to know
You don’t have to have it all figured out before we begin.
Therapy isn’t about having the right words or knowing exactly where to start. Some days, you may need to vent. Other days, you may not even know why you feel upset, stuck, or overwhelmed.
That’s okay.
My job isn’t to judge you or rush you toward answers. It’s to help you slow things down, notice what may be happening underneath, and begin understanding yourself with more honesty and compassion.
what you can expect
You can be honest here.
Some days, you’ll come in knowing exactly what you want to talk about. Other days, you may not know where to begin. Either way, that’s okay.
I’ll give you room to say what you need to say without judging you or expecting you to make it sound neat and reasonable.
There is room for serious work here, but therapy with me is not stiff. Humor sometimes helps us breathe, stay grounded, and talk honestly about difficult things.
Sometimes what is happening now touches something older.
I know personally that changes in the present can stir up pain you thought was behind you. During a season when I had to step away from work and rethink who I was beyond my roles and responsibilities, I realized that many of my reactions weren’t just about the present—they were connected to beliefs I had carried since I was younger.
It wasn’t okay for a while. But taking the time to look underneath what was happening helped me understand myself and heal in a deeper way.
That experience strengthened my belief that our present struggles often begin to make more sense when we understand what they are connected to.
I’m a Christian, and my faith shapes the compassion, honesty, and respect I bring to this work. You do not have to share my beliefs to be fully accepted here.
Therapy with me is…
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I want therapy to feel like a place where you can exhale. You don’t have to impress me, hide parts of yourself, or worry about saying something wrong.
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Instead of assuming a reaction is irrational or wrong, I want to understand what it may be trying to do for you. We’ll get curious about where it came from and whether it still fits your life now.
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I’ll be straightforward with you, but I won’t shame you. When I notice something that may be keeping you stuck, I’ll bring it into the conversation so we can look at it together.
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We won’t rush into deeper work before you’re ready. As trust builds, we can explore the memories, beliefs, and experiences that may still be shaping how you feel and respond today.
areas i help with
Childhood Trauma
Grief and Loss
Depression
Therapy for Christians
Experience that shapes how I work
Over the past 25 years, I’ve worked in many different settings and with people in different roles and stages of life. My experience includes group homes, schools, community mental health, outpatient counseling, intensive outpatient treatment, case management, court and detention settings, supervision, and higher education.
Working with children and teenagers taught me to look beyond behavior and become curious about the pain or unmet needs behind it. Today, I bring that same curiosity to my work with adults—helping clients understand the patterns, beliefs, and experiences that continue to shape their lives.
I never want to stop learning. Every role, every client, and every training has shaped the therapist I am today.
Education & Credentials
Licensed Professional Counselor - Virginia
Licensed Professional Counselor - West Virginia
Master of Education in Counseling Psychology
Certified Dialectical Behavior Therapist (C-DBT)
Certified in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Currently completing EMDR Basic Training through the EMDR Institute
My Approach
My work blends EMDR and parts work with a close look at how your past, especially your childhood, still shapes what's happening for you now. I'll also bring in DBT and other tools when they're a good fit for what you need.