THERAPEUTIC COUNSELING & CONSULTING
Ashton Barnes
Resident in Counseling, EMDR Trained
✶
Student Intern Supervisor
Hi there! I’m Ashton, a Nationally Certified Counselor and Resident in counseling who is lucky enough to work with fellow therapists on their unique supervision journey. I believe useful and supportive supervision to be one of the most valuable tools in becoming a confident and capable therapist, and I do not take this title lightly!
My clinical experience has spanned the last 6 years and began with me supporting folks diagnosed with a serious mental illness in a high acuity, community based setting, shifting to then working with individuals experiencing chronic homelessness and systemic instability, and finally to outpatient psychotherapy as both an intern and resident. I gravitate towards adults with life stories that include anxiety, ptsd, relational concerns, self-worth and self-esteem challenges, attachment trauma, and interpersonal issues.
Both my prior clinical experience and the incredible supervision I have personally received inform my approach and style in a supervisor role. As a deeply relational being, I approach supervision in an appropriate but similar way to psychotherapy as we are all humans learning and growing from one another. I value what I call the 4 C’s: Curiosity, Compassion, Calmness, and Challenging. As your supervisor, I will ensure I am approaching you and your clinical concerns with curiosity, meeting you and your emotional responses with compassion, remaining calm and grounded so as to coregulate when needed, and challenging you to identify any blind spots or countertransference that might be influencing potential stuck points. Supervision will be both a safe landing space as well as an opportunity to push past discomfort in order to grow your clinical skills. I can’t wait to be a part of your journey!
Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in criminal justice from James Madison University
Master of Science in Rehabilitation & Mental Health Counseling with a concentration in clinical mental health counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University
EMDR Trained - Spring 2025
Resources
Come As You Are
Come As You Are
By Emily Nagasoki
While the cover of this book generalizes its content to your overall sexual wellbeing, it’s really about female empowerment, female sexuality, self-acceptance, and the science behind the interconnectedness of our brain and bodies. It’s unfortunate that the concept of sexuality and feeling confident in your body with all of its parts has become taboo; people often are afraid to discuss challenges they are experiencing or even joyful moments, too. I have frequently heard a recurring theme of shame in women who have had the full spectrum of experiences regarding their sexuality, and many don’t have knowledge of how their nervous system and stress response impact their physiology. This book uses a blend of science and compassionate psychoeducation to assist readers in gaining insight and understanding into their instinctual stress responses and drives that can influence desire, confidence, and sexual and physical wellbeing. Emily Nagoski does an excellent job in destigmatizing awkwardness or shame in the dialogue surrounding sexual health and reminds readers that female sexuality - which can go hand in hand with self-love and self-acceptance - deserves to take up space in the mental health world and the societal landscape at large. Regardless of your sexual health, preferences, orientation, or levels of curiosity, this book offers a great amount of knowledge and education as well as open-ended reflections to guide you in expanding your self-awareness and confidence, which hopefully can lead to a restored and trusting nervous system and overall improved relationship with your body.
And How Does That Make You Feel?
To all therapists and any person seeking therapy: read this now! What an absolutely exceptional and human look into a therapist’s mind as they sit across from four clients while simultaneously managing their inner dialogue to provide the best care possible. Joshua Fletcher, a psychotherapist based in the UK, seamlessly interweaves chapters with psychoeducation on many common mental health concerns into a larger narrative that includes content from sessions and his inner monologue showing his humanity as a therapist.
