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.
when dating becomes a performance: How to Break out of old roles and choose real connection
Most women I work with aren’t confused about what they want. They’re exhausted from trying to be chosen by people who are emotionally unavailable. Here’s where the message of this article comes in: Learning to prioritize dating men (and partners) who want to be in a relationship, as opposed to men who are looking for a partner to fulfill a role.
Is It Relationship Anxiety or Intuition? How to Tell the Difference When You’re Highly Sensitive
When you're a highly sensitive person (HSP), dating and relationships often feel more intense than they seem to for others. You pick up on every nuance: the silence between texts, the shift in tone, the way your stomach flips when they pull away.
Your mind might spiral with questions:
Is this my intuition telling me something’s off? Or is this just anxiety speaking?
This is the crossroads many sensitive women arrive at—and staying stuck there can feel exhausting. Let’s explore how to discern the difference between relationship anxiety and true intuition—and how to start trusting yourself again.
Loving Without Losing Yourself: A Somatic Guide to Interdependent Relationships
What if intimacy didn’t require self-sacrifice? What if love could feel nourishing, spacious, and empowering instead of overwhelming?
This is the foundation of interdependent relationships—where you can experience deep connection without losing yourself. In this guide, we’ll explore a somatic and attachment-based approach to building relationships rooted in self-trust, mutual care, and embodied presence.
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.
how to set boundaries for self care and healthy relationships
When you set a boundary, you are not closing a door to connection. You are opening a door to deeper, more authentic relationships—with others and with yourself. You are saying, “My needs matter too,” and that is an act of self-love.