A nurse practitioner’s reflection on trauma, meaning-making, and healing inside systems that don’t understand us. Courtney Holmes, DNP, APRN, “The Alchemista” Some wounds don’t belong to a single moment in time. They follow us through the chapters of our lives, linking the child we once were with the person we are still becoming. This is […]
Healing Out Loud: When the World Gets It Wrong Read More »
Today would have been my mother’s 74th birthday. She passed away far too young at 68. My mother was a nurse, and in many ways she is the reason why I became one too. I grew up inside the world of healthcare. Both of my parents worked at Yale New Haven Hospital, my mother as a nurse and
The Nurse Who Raised Me — and Why I Fight for Women’s Health Today Read More »
Dementia Prevention in Women: A Menopause and Brain Health Perspective from Connecticut Dr. Courtney Holmes, APRN, Founder of Milford Med Spa & Wellness I am angry. I am angry at the continuing education on dementia that I pursued in good faith, at the geriatric specialist certification that I earned, the conferences I attended, the journals I
I Was Trained to Treat Dementia. No One Ever Taught Me to Prevent It in Women. Read More »
Why Understanding Beauty Matters for Medical Aesthetics In the 1990s, before I became a nurse practitioner, I studied Aesthetics, the philosophy of beauty and art, to explore questions like: What is beauty? Is beauty subjective or objective? Why does it matter? One idea that stayed with me all of these years is Diotima’s ladder of love , described by a woman
Diotima’s Ladder of Love & the Alchemy of Beauty | Milford Med Spa Read More »
Back: Mr. Med Spa, Alison, Dawn, Kelly, Elizabeth, Bob. Front: Nicole, Michele, Diana, Logan, Ashley, Courtney, Dana As 2025 comes to a close, I find myself less interested in tallying accomplishments and more drawn to honoring what this year asked of us, and what we became in the process. This was not just a year of
2025 at Milford Med Spa: A Year of Becoming Read More »
A personal reflection on starting estradiol hormone therapy and restoring emotional resonance, connection, and vitality during perimenopause and menopause. When Estradiol Woke Me Back Up: Restoring Emotional Resonance Through Hormone Therapy A reflection from The Alchemista There’s a moment I didn’t expect when I started the estradiol patch. Not fireworks.Not instant bliss.But a quiet re-inhabiting
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By Dr. Courtney Holmes, APRN, The Alchemista The Fear: “Will Hormones Give Me a Clot?” If you’ve ever been told you have Factor V Leiden or a “clotting gene,” you’ve probably heard that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is off-limits. The truth? That’s not entirely accurate anymore. Modern research shows that the route of estrogen administration
✦ The Hormone Trinity ✦ Learn how estrogen, progesterone & testosterone shape women’s health. Discover benefits for brain, bone, mood, libido & breast cancer risk reduction. Milford Med Spa & Wellness explains the importance of balanced hormones for perimenopause & menopause. Understanding Estrogen, Progesterone & Testosterone in Women When we talk about hormones, most people
Behind the name The Alchemista stands Dr. Courtney Holmes, APRN, a visionary nurse practitioner, entrepreneur, and creative force who has transformed the way beauty, wellness, and medicine intersect. With a foundation shaped at Smith College, Johns Hopkins University, and Quinnipiac University, Courtney blends scientific expertise with an artistic, almost mystical approach to care. At Milford
Who is The Alchemista? | Dr. Courtney Holmes at Milford Med Spa Read More »
Top 5 Benefits of IV Vitamin Therapy in Milford, CT Wellness is alchemy — and at Milford Med Spa, transformation begins from the inside out. While facials, injectables, and skincare rituals create beauty on the surface, true vitality starts deeper — in your cells. That’s why we created The Alchemy Drip Bar, Milford’s destination for
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