Welcome to the Erica Barton Counseling Blog
A space for reflection, healing, and growth. Here you’ll find insights on trauma recovery, nervous system regulation, attachment healing, and somatic therapy written to support sensitive, intuitive people on their path toward wholeness. Explore topics like Anxiety, Relationships, Trauma, Brainspotting, IFS therapy, and embodied mindfulness practices that help you reconnect with your true, whole, authentic self.
Whether you’re seeking trauma therapy in Bend, Oregon, virtual therapy in Oregon state, or online Yoga Therapy anywhere you are, these articles offer guidance, education, and gentle encouragement for your healing journey.
What makes online therapy for women great
Most women already deal with enough pressure and demand in their daily lives. And having access to therapy online, where you can be in your own space, can be one less thing that is adding to those demands.
You are not having to navigate traffic, social performance, or the subtle vigilance of being in a new environment. That gives us more access to what is actually present, not just what is managing the transition.
A letter to cycle breaking women during the holidays
If you are reading this and have been feeling the holiday pressure looming, you are in good company. Perhaps even, you are not just noticing the pressure, but already pushing back against it, finding quiet ways to unhook form patterns that have been running your life for years.
This season has a way of amplifying every role you fill for others. Caregiver, planner, emotional buffer, provider, magic maker, peacekeeper. You may feel that you become so defined by the roles you perform that your own identity feels more like an idea or a part in a play, than something embodied from the inside out.
Is Anxiety a Trauma Response? What You Should Know
Many of my clients come to me exhausted. Not because they’re falling apart, but because they’re done pretending they’re fine.
They’ve already done some therapy. They’ve read the books. They can name their patterns. But something still feels stuck. Underneath the surface, there’s a constant hum of worry, pressure, tightness. That quiet panic that never really goes away.
And most of them carry a secret fear: What if I’m just too sensitive? What if this is just who I am? What I’m just broken?
Here’s the truth: if you feel anxious all the time- especially in relationships, in groups, when resting, or when you're alone- it’s not a flaw in your personality. It might be a trauma response. And that means there’s nothing wrong with you. It means your body has been working overtime to protect you.
Burnout and the ADHD Brain: Why So Many Women Are Exhausted
There’s a specific kind of burnout that lives in the bodies of women with ADHD. It’s not just mental fatigue. It’s nervous system depletion. It’s a full-body no after years of masking, overfunctioning, and trying to keep up in a world that doesn’t see the effort behind your every move.
You might be the one everyone counts on. The one who remembers the details, carries the emotional labor, keeps the plates spinning. You’re praised for your sensitivity, intuition, or brilliance, but underneath all of that there’s a quiet overwhelm no one else sees.
You’re Not Bad at Boundaries: You Were Just Taught to Feel Guilty
Because the hard part isn’t setting boundaries—it’s building up the courage to speak one's truth, and then navigating what happens afterward. It’s the panic and shame (sometimes rage) that arises when others react to boundaries poorly. It’s the deep-seated belief that others' emotional responses mean they have done something wrong. That they are bad, mean, or too much. That maybe they are crazy for expecting their boundaries to be honored at all.
Embodying Self-Love: How to Cultivate Compassion for Your Body
Many of us carry deep-seated beliefs shaped by past experiences, trauma, or cultural trauma. These beliefs can disconnect us from our bodies and leave us feeling inadequate. But here’s the truth: your body doesn’t need to be fixed. It needs to be heard. By engaging in practices that center the body, you can begin to release these patterns and replace them with compassion and trust.
Say Yes to Yourself: Boundaries for Emotional Balance and Autoimmune Support
Boundaries are not just about relationships or time management. They are about saying yes to yourself and your body and creating a life that supports healing from the inside out. Cultivating a trusting, loving relationship with your body is essential, and boundaries play a key role in that process. Think of boundaries as a practice that can help reduce stress, break intergenerational patterns, and create the emotional balance your body craves for deeper healing.
How Trauma Impacts Self-Trust (and Gentle Steps to Rebuild It)
Trauma doesn’t just affect what happened in the past—it shapes how we experience ourselves and the world in the present. Whether it came from a single life-altering event, ongoing harm, or subtle but persistent wounds, trauma can disrupt our ability to feel safe within ourselves. It can leave us second-guessing our perceptions, disconnected from our emotions, and unsure of our own inner guidance.