Rusty Holmes

Self-Leadership Coach

Enjoy being alive.

I believe our purpose is to create beautiful, meaningful lives while learning what it feels like to be fully alive in the process.

We’ll explore what continues to hold you back or cause you to play small. You’ll discover what lights you up and what gives your life purpose and meaning.

I use IFS, mindfulness, spirituality, and self-leadership to help you understand and transform the parts of yourself that hold you back.

The goal is to build deeper trust in yourself and move toward the person and life you want to become. I’m here to provide the support, guidance, and space you need to face your fears, grow into your fullest self, and create a life of beauty and meaning.

Contact me about coaching

Professional Certifications:

  • Professional Life Coach Certification (Certified Life Coach Institute)

  • Fundamentals of Mindfulness Meditation Certification (Jack Kornfield)

  • Professional Certification in College Student Wellbeing, Trauma, & Resilience (Florida State University)

My Qualifications

Full Bio

What’s coaching like?

Coaching gives you space to get clear about what you actually want, understand what’s getting in the way, and develop the inner trust to go after it.

We’ll explore

  • What does your ideal life actually look like?

  • What do you want more of?

  • What's getting in the way?

  • What patterns keep showing up?

  • What beliefs are shaping the way you see yourself and your possibilities?

  • What parts of you are trying to protect you, hold you back, or keep you safe?

  • What would become possible if those parts could take on more helpful roles?

Contact me about coaching

Working with Rusty is like this…

  • "My son has experienced significant benefits from his sessions with Dr. Holmes. Since beginning weekly appointments in January, he has noted that his last semester of school was markedly better than previous ones. Throughout this period, my son has shown noteworthy improvements in several key areas, including: • Time Management: He has developed strategies that enable him to adhere to schedules and meet deadlines more effectively. • Goal Setting: He has learned to establish both short-term and long-term goals, which he actively tracks to measure his progress. • Social Confidence: His interactions with friends and peers have become more positive, and he feels more willing to engage in social activities, enhancing his overall enjoyment of these experiences. • Emotional Regulation: Not only has his anxiety improved, but he has also learned to better manage strong emotions at both home and school. My son has ADHD, and the overarching aim of his work with Dr. Holmes has been to develop skills that bolster academic performance, emotional regulation, and social interactions. This comprehensive approach has helped him minimize the challenges associated with ADHD and improve various aspects of his daily life."

    Angela, Parent of student in weekly Mental Fitness coaching sessions with Dr. Holmes

  • "The content, planning, and thought-provoking questions that are presented would not be the same without Rusty's experience, thoughtfulness and energy. Yes, he has the experience of being a professional musician, but he brings so much more insight to optimizing life as a musician (or in any other profession!). I look forward to our sessions every week and even as a professional musician 15+ years into my own career, I find this time really helpful for navigating life and my own goals, especially as a new parent. Everyone has aspirations to constantly improve their life and Rusty is so helpful with realizing the next steps."

    - Rose

  • “Over the last few years, Rusty has had a front-row seat to an enormous amount of growth in my life — as a musician, teacher, leader, and person. What I value most about working with him is that he has never tried to tell me who I should become. He listens, asks the question underneath the question, and helps me see things I often can’t yet see for myself. He has witnessed my growth, guided me through difficult moments, challenged me when I’m getting in my own way, and supported me as I’ve taken risks and made meaningful changes. And somehow, through all of it, he has also been one of my biggest cheerleaders. Rusty has helped me trust myself more, recognize how much I’ve already grown, and understand that progress doesn’t always mean pushing harder or doing more. Some of the most important changes I’ve made have come from learning to listen to myself differently — and Rusty has been an incredibly important part of that process. I’m deeply grateful to have had someone beside me who could guide, support, witness, and genuinely celebrate the person I’ve been becoming.”

    -Jena

Rusty Holmes

Self-Leadership Coach

Enjoy being alive.

Coaching is not psychotherapy, counseling, or medical treatment. I do not diagnose or treat mental health conditions. If you need clinical care, I’m glad to be one part of a bigger support team.

You are exactly where you are meant to be to get where you want to go.