Becoming a healthier version of ourselves is an inside job.
W E L C O M E
"I am a 3x cancer survivor, I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2021, I transformed my life by losing 110 pounds and continue to focus on the daily work necessary to maintain a vibrant, healthy lifestyle. Now, I want to share my journey with you."
Gretchen Holme, PhD s is a dynamic speaker, author, and host of The Work in Between podcast where she and her guests take a deep dive into the struggles, joys and daily actions that move us toward physical, emotional, and spiritual health. In her twenties, Gretchen worked as a stand-up comedian and continues to use humor to navigate the complexities of life. and was named as one of 100 Successful Women to Know on the Gulf Coast in 2022 by Gulf Coast Woman magazine.
Gretchen is an experienced Graduate Medical Education professional and researcher, having published in top journals including Health Communication, Psycho-Oncology, and Injury Epidemiology. Her published research includes work in obesity management, rapport, provider-patient communication, health literacy, decision-making, and rural cancer health disparities. She has taught Behavior Change Theory at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has served as a national-level patient advocate for the National Cancer Institute since 2002 and serves on the editorial board for the Journal of Patient Experience. Gretchen was also co-creator, co-producer, writer, and on-air talent for WUMR’s “Let’s Talk Health. She was named one of the Top 100 Successful Women to Know in 2022 by Gulf Coast Magazine. .Dr. Holmes holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Arts in Communication from New York University and a PhD in Health Communication with a Graduate Certificate in Medical Behavioral Science from the University of Kentucky.
Accolades for The Work in Between!
About the Literary Titan Gold Book Award
The Literary Titan Book Awards stand as a mark of distinction, recognizing excellence in writing that is both innovative and impactful. The awards are bestowed on books and authors that have captivated minds and hearts with unique literary expressions. Recognized works boast unique writing styles, construction of vivid, immersive worlds, complex characters, and innovative ideas.
The Literary Titan Gold Book Award is bestowed upon books that exemplify exceptional standards in the presentation of original content. This prestigious accolade is a tribute to books that represent an extraordinary achievement in the literary world.
Five Stars for the Work in Between!
Literary Titan Gold Book Award Review:
"The Work in Between is a memoir that follows Gretchen Holmes through decades of illness, loss, trauma, and self-reinvention. She writes about her three rounds with thyroid cancer, her struggles with obesity and diabetes, a childhood marked by alcoholism and chaos, and the long climb toward emotional healing. The story moves through her early years in Michigan, her leap to New York University, her complicated family relationships, and the slow, steady work of understanding who she is and what she deserves in life. It is a book about survival, but also about learning how to live with intention instead of fear.
This is an emotionally stirring memoir. The writing feels honest. I found myself pausing and thinking about how she described fear and shame and the habit of keeping secrets. The scenes from her childhood hit hard. Her memories of her father’s drinking and the “dreads” that sat in her stomach felt painfully real. At the same time, the warmth of her family, especially her mother, shines through and softens the edges. I appreciated how she tells the truth without turning her story into a pity party. She owns her choices. She admits the messy parts. I liked that the book didn’t pretend healing happens neatly or quickly.
The parts about her medical journey brought out a different kind of emotion in me. The dismissal she faced from doctors, the exhaustion, and the way she pushed through school while barely able to swallow or breathe. I caught myself feeling frustrated for her. I also felt a weird sort of awe at her stubborn determination. When she talked about chaos being her comfort zone, I understood it more than I expected. The writing in these chapters has a steady rhythm that mirrors her resilience. Even when she writes about falling back into old patterns, I felt hopeful because she keeps showing up for herself. The mix of vulnerability and grit makes the book stick with you.
The Work in Between is not just a memoir about cancer or addiction or trauma. It is a memoir about the space between those moments and the quiet, uncomfortable work of changing your life from the inside out. I would recommend this book to anyone who has lived through hard stuff and is still trying to figure out what to do with it. It is also a good fit for readers who like personal stories that feel real and unpolished and full of heart."
Contributing Author: Gretchen Holmes, PhD
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The Work in Between - A Memoir About Stepping Out of My Shadows
After losing over one-hundred pounds and surviving cancer multiple times, Gretchen Norling Holmes, PhD, was a new person. The differences in her body were obvious. But the real changes went far beyond her appearance. An extension of her hit podcast, Holmes's inspiring memoir, The Work In Between, recounts her story of transformation. Diving deep into the ways childhood trauma, unregulated emotion, and a lack of self-worth shaped her body and her soul, Holmes traces her journey through some of the cruelest and most beautiful experiences life has to offer.
Witty, frank, and richly thoughtful,
The Work In Between is peppered with wisdom from the author's expertise in the field of Health Communication. Holmes brings an astute eye to the relationship between outward appearances and medical experiences as she draws from her doctoral education and years of service as a hospital executive. And yet, the complex web of stories that characterize The Work In Between extend far beyond Holmes's own experiences. As this memoir makes clear, we carry family trauma in our bones. Until we do the inside work of facing our demons and declaring our worthiness, we cannot live the full, happy lives we were meant to live.