“We can’t impact how kids learn in school until we first address how they feel. We must first heal the trauma that disrupts processing the information in the cortex in the brain. The best prescription to heal the brain, body, and soul is love and safety”. Relationships anchored in love and safety is the most powerful medication to foster healing from trauma”. ~ Dr. Holt
Dr. DaMond Holt is an author, researcher, clinician and national trauma expert, Certified Traumatologist through Traumatology Institute, and a Certified Mental Health Specialist, Trauma Crisis Specialist through the American School Counselor’s Association, and a Licensed Restorative Practice/ Justice Trainer through IIRP. He is a Board-Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner through American Academy of Functional Health and American Association of Drugless Practitioners and member of the Institute of Functional Medicine.
Dr, Holt is also the trauma expert and part of this year’s faculty for the 2023 Judicial Conference of the Arizona Supreme Court. He will be responsible for training the AZ Judiciary in Trauma-Informed Care for the courts.
Dr. Holt is Amen’s University Licensed Brain Health Trainer. His work and research are an asset-based approach to trauma that has a strong focus on resilience above trauma instead of a deficit-based approach. Chronic Stress, Complex Trauma, PTSD, and Long-Term Grief can have neurological and psychological effects that can impair brain development in children, adolescence, and adults. We must ensure that individuals with trauma are supported with the latest and most robust strategies for not just surviving trauma but thriving above trauma.
“Trauma may not be your fault, but certainly it is our responsibility to heal from it. If we don’t heal from our trauma, we will bleed on people that didn’t cut us. Hurting people, hurt people.” ~ Dr. Holt
Dr. DaMond T. Holt also the founder, president, and CEO of Fresh Start International. Fresh Start is a faith-based non-profit organization that helps at-risk youth in the school to prison pipeline and the formerly incarcerated adult population to rebuild, redevelop, and restart their lives with providing felony-friendly job, and housing. Plus help people with felony records to restore their voter’s rights, expunge their convictions, and resolve pending warrants. Last year, Dr. Holt and is organization was able to serve 1,000 people at his lost Fresh Start Expo event without no being arrested or brought into custody. The Fresh Start Expo is Tucson’s largest public safety event.
Dr. Holt is the host of FRESH START SHOW/PODCAST with Dr. Holt. A show and podcast that discusses the struggles of the formerly incarcerated and the need for justice reform every Saturday mornings at 7:30am on 106.3 FM THE GROOVE.
Finally, Dr. Holt is the Senior Pastor of the Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church in Tucson Az and accomplished published author with two books.