Dr. Kristy Christopher-Holloway

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Dr. Kristy Christopher-Holloway

Dr. Kristy Christopher-Holloway is a well respected speaker, counselor, educator, and supervisor.

04/24/2026

Perinatal mental health awareness benefits more than individual parents—it impacts entire communities.

When families, providers, workplaces, and organizations understand the emotional realities of pregnancy and early parenthood, support becomes more accessible, timely, and effective.

Education plays a key role in:
• helping people recognize when support may be needed
• reducing stigma around seeking care
• expanding who feels responsible for offering support

Without awareness, many parents navigate these experiences in silence.

With awareness, communities become better equipped to respond with understanding, empathy, and appropriate resources.

Perinatal mental health is not just a clinical issue—it is a community health issue.

Follow for continued education on perinatal mental health and family wellbeing.

04/22/2026

In the medical world, we often define a "successful birth" by a healthy baby and a stable parent. But physical safety is only half of the story. You can have a medically "routine" birth and still walk away with deep psychological trauma. Conversely, you can experience a high-stakes emergency and feel empowered by the process.

Why the difference? Because birth trauma is subjective.

Trauma is not defined by the scalpel, the induction, or the emergency C-section itself. It is defined by the perceived lack of control and loss of dignity during the event.

Research shows that the strongest predictors of birth trauma are:

A lack of communication: Not knowing why things are happening to your body.

Loss of Agency: Feeling like a "vessel" rather than a participant in your care.

Interpersonal Trauma: Feeling ignored, silenced, or coerced by hospital staff.

When we tell a birthing person, "At least you and the baby are healthy," we are inadvertently dismissing their trauma. We are telling them that their emotional safety didn't matter as long as the physical outcome was met.

To heal, we must first validate. We must recognize that the experience of care is just as vital as the care itself.

Have you ever heard someone’s experience dismissed because the medical outcome was "fine"? Let’s shift the narrative. Share this to remind others that their feelings about their birth story are valid.

04/20/2026

You cannot heal the grief you are forced to hide.

This National Infertility Awareness Week, we must shine a light on the unique psychological trauma of infertility within the Black community. For many Black women and couples, the road to parenthood is layered with silences, stereotypes, and systemic barriers.

This experience often culminates in Disenfranchised Grief.

This type of grief isn't marked by a funeral. It isn't met with casseroles or "thinking of you" cards. Instead, it is met with unhelpful platitudes, medical dismissal, or the crushing pressure of the "Strong Black Woman" archetype—demanding resilience when what is actually needed is rest and validation.

The shift: True support requires validating that infertility is a profound loss. It is the loss of a vision, the loss of an identity, and, for many, the loss of trust in their own bodies.

We must stop expecting families to carry this load in the shadows.

Save this post to help validate those suffering from disenfranchised grief. Support requires acknowledging the weight, not telling someone to pretend it isn't heavy.

04/17/2026

In the perinatal space, we often look at "risk factors" like diet or age. But for Black women, we must look at Weathering. Weathering is the physiological manifestation of living in a racialized society. It explains why a 20-year-old Black mother may have the internal "biological age" of a much older woman. When the nervous system is perpetually stuck in "fight or flight" to navigate systemic barriers, the body pays the price in real-time—impacting pregnancy, labor, and postpartum recovery.

Understanding weathering shifts the question from "What is wrong with the patient?" to "What has this patient’s body had to endure?"

How can we better support "rest and protection" for women in our communities? Let’s discuss below.

04/16/2026

The transition back to work after maternity leave is one of the most significant adjustments during the postpartum period.

It’s not just about returning to a job—it’s about navigating a new identity, new routines, and ongoing physical and emotional recovery.

Many parents move through this phase holding multiple emotions at once.
Excitement. Guilt. Anxiety. Relief.

At the same time, they may also be managing:
• sleep deprivation
• shifting caregiving responsibilities
• pressure to perform at work
• concerns about their baby’s care

Workplace environments can either ease or intensify this transition.

Supportive policies—such as flexibility, understanding leadership, and realistic expectations—can have a meaningful impact on parent wellbeing.

When we talk about perinatal mental health, this transition deserves more attention.

What workplace supports help parents during this transition?

04/15/2026

Join the NBCC Foundation for an upcoming session in their Building Professional Excellence Series!

This webinar, “Click, Connect, Care: Leveraging the BC-TMH to Engage Clients in Telehealth,” will explore how clinicians can strengthen connection and engagement in virtual care settings.

Presented by our Founder and Directror, Dr. Kristy Christopher-Holloway, this session offers valuable insight for professionals looking to enhance their telehealth skills and better support clients in a digital space.

🗓 Wednesday, April 22, 2026
⏰ 1–2 PM EDT

Whether you're new to telehealth or looking to refine your approach, this is a great opportunity to grow your clinical toolkit.

💻 Don’t miss out—professional development is an investment in the care you provide.

Tag a fellow clinician who would benefit from this training or save this post as a reminder to register!

04/13/2026

Early parenthood involves more than physical caregiving.

There is a continuous layer of emotional labor—responding, regulating, anticipating, and holding space for the needs of a baby while also navigating your own internal experience.

Staying calm during moments of stress.
Soothing an infant while feeling exhausted.
Managing expectations from others while adjusting to a new identity.

This type of labor is often invisible, but it plays a significant role in overall wellbeing.

When emotional labor goes unrecognized, it can contribute to:
• increased stress
• mental fatigue
• feelings of overwhelm

Acknowledging this aspect of caregiving helps create space for more balanced, realistic, and supportive systems for parents.

What conversations should we be having about emotional labor in parenthood?

04/11/2026

Survival is the floor, not the ceiling.

As we kick off Black Maternal Health Week 2026, we are grounding ourselves in the theme: Rooted in Justice and Joy.

When we talk about the Black maternal health crisis, the conversation often centers on mortality rates and physical complications. While those statistics are vital for advocacy, Reproductive Justice demands that we look further.

Reproductive Justice is the framework that reminds us that every birthing person deserves the right to parent with mental and emotional stability.

True justice isn't just a negative lab result or a successful discharge from the hospital. True justice is:

The autonomy to make decisions about your own care.

The safety to express vulnerability without fear of judgment.

The joy of bonding with your child without the heavy weight of untreated anxiety or depression.

This month, we aren't just fighting against illness; we are fighting for the right to thrive. We are moving from a "crisis" model to a "wellness" model.

What does "Reproductive Joy" look like to you? Share one way you are protecting your peace this week in the comments.

04/10/2026

In many communities, spirituality is the first line of defense against life’s challenges. During the perinatal period, a strong spiritual connection can be a powerful protective factor, offering hope and a sense of belonging when a parent feels isolated.

However, we must be careful to avoid "Spiritual Bypassing."

Spiritual bypassing happens when religious platitudes are used to silence legitimate psychological distress. Telling a parent to "just have more faith" doesn't cure a chemical imbalance or heal birth trauma—it often just adds a layer of spiritual guilt to their existing depression.

The shift: We can integrate faith into the healing journey.

Prayer + Therapy: Both are valid.

Meditation + Medication: Both can be sacred tools for wellness.

Community Support + Clinical Intervention: Both are necessary for a full recovery.

When we honor the spirit without ignoring the science, we create a more sustainable path to healing.

How do you integrate your values into your mental health journey? Let’s discuss below.

04/08/2026

Pregnancy and early parenthood involve more than physical changes.

There is a continuous, often invisible layer of thinking, planning, anticipating, and decision-making that many parents carry every day.

Tracking appointments.
Learning new routines.
Making constant decisions with limited rest.
Navigating expectations—both internal and external.

This mental load doesn’t always get acknowledged, but it can have a real impact on emotional wellbeing.

When we recognize this invisible work, we create space for:
• more realistic expectations
• more intentional support
• and more sustainable transitions into parenthood

Support during this time isn’t just about helping with tasks—it’s about reducing the cognitive and emotional weight parents carry.

What aspects of the mental load of parenthood are talked about the least?

04/07/2026

In the delivery room, the focus is often exclusively on physical safety—heart rates, dilation, and vitals. But psychological safety is just as critical for a healthy recovery. When a birthing person feels ignored, coerced, or silenced, the risk of developing a Perinatal Mood or Anxiety Disorder (PMAD) increases significantly.

For Black and Brown birthing people, advocacy isn't just a preference—it is a tool for survival and equity.

Effective advocacy means:

Slowing down the room: Unless it is an emergency, you usually have time to ask questions.

Naming the feeling: If you feel panicked, say, "I am feeling unsafe/anxious right now."

Using your team: Ensure your partner or doula knows your "Mental Health Rights" as well as you do.

Remember: You aren't "difficult" for asking questions. You are an active participant in your own care.

Save this post to your "Birth Prep" folder or share it with an expecting family.

04/06/2026

In the perinatal space, we often prioritize "functioning" as the primary indicator of well-being. If the parent is back at work, the house is clean, and the baby is hitting milestones, we assume the parent is "fine."

However, for many high-achieving individuals, functioning is the last thing to go.

They will sacrifice their sleep, their peace, and their nervous system to maintain the appearance of stability. This "High-Functioning" presentation is often a sophisticated mask for:

Internalized Anxiety: Where the "over-doing" is fueled by a fear of failure.

Depressive Numbness: Where they are "going through the motions" without any joy or connection.

Hyper-vigilance: Where "productivity" is actually a trauma response.

If you are a provider, a leader, or a support person, remember: A parent who "has it all together" may be the one who needs the most permission to fall apart.

Save this post for your next advocacy meeting or mental health screening. We have to start looking deeper than the surface level of "functioning."

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Atlanta, GA

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+16788298143

Website

http://www.kristycholloway.com/

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About Dr. Christopher-Holloway and New Vision Consulting and Training, LLC

Welcome! We are so glad that you are here! Dr. Kristy Christopher-Holloway is an Assistant Professor at Lindsey Wilson College, the Founder and Director of New Vision Counseling Center, LLC, a group private practice in Douglasville, GA, and the Founder of New Vision Consulting and Training, LLC. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Georgia, a National Certified Counselor (NCC), a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC), and an Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS).

As an educator and trainer, speaker, and consultant, Dr. Christopher-Holloway works with many helping professionals including counselors, counselors-in-training, social workers, as well as medical professionals. She has presented at conferences, workshops, and trainings locally, nationally, and internationally with focuses on cultural competence, African Americans and mental health, the psycho-emotional impact of infertility in African American women, addressing religion and spirituality in the counseling session, the strong Black woman syndrome and generational trauma, operating a successful private practice, incorporating wellness in clinical practice, and more.

Clinically, Dr. Christopher-Holloway’s research focuses on the mental health help-seeking experiences of religious or spiritual African American women diagnosed with infertility, as well as the psycho-emotional impact of infertility in African American women and couples. She works with minority women experiencing infertility trauma, birth trauma, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (postpartum depression, anxiety, etc), and pregnancy and infant loss (also commonly referred to as perinatal loss or reproductive loss). She has worked in settings to include private practice, in home, outpatient, and residential treatment, working with children, adolescents, and adults, providing individual, couple, family, and group counseling.