Michelle Barsky, LMHC - Psychotherapist

03/01/2026

People pleasing might actually be your nervous system trying to keep you safe by using the fawn response. In my new post I break down how trauma therapy and IFS can help you heal and reclaim internal safety.

https://www.mytherapyspace.net/single-post/people-pleasing-and-the-fawn-response-a-trauma-therapy-perspective

People pleasing may be a trauma response. Learn how trauma therapy and IFS therapy help heal the fawn response and restore internal safety.

02/12/2026

Feeling so grateful (and excited!) to serve as a Program Assistant in next week’s IFS Level 1 training. Honored to help support this powerful work and the clinicians stepping into it. 💛

01/25/2026

How does Anxious Attachment show up in relationships?

Anxious attachment isn’t a character flaw - it’s an adaptive response that keeps us seeking connection when safety feels uncertain. From an IFS lens, we can learn to notice the parts driving fear and longing, and respond with curiosity instead of shame.

https://www.mytherapyspace.net/single-post/how-anxious-attachment-shows-up-in-relationships-a-trauma-informed-ifs-perspective

Anxious attachment is often misunderstood as being “too much,” “needy,” or overly dependent. From a trauma‑informed, Internal Family Systems (IFS) perspective, it looks very different. Rather than a flaw or personality problem, anxious attachment is an adaptive strategy, one that developed...

11/06/2025

IFS curious? Wanna nerd out together about IFS and meditation? This one’s for you.

🔗 link to register: https://www.madronameditation.com/ifsworkshop

We’ll share:

🤓 Foundations of IFS
🌱 How IFS can enhance meditation practice — and vice versa
🧘🏻‍♀️ Experiential IFS meditation practice
🙋🏻‍♀️ Q + A time. Ask us anything!

Hope to see you there! And all registrants will receive a recording, so feel free to sign up if you’re curious, even if you can’t join live.

Huge shoutout and thank you to for hosting — and for the mission of integrating contemplative and therapeutic practices!

10/08/2025

Have you or someone you know been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, Treatment-Resistant Depression, or Bipolar Disorder? 🤔 It's crucial to look beyond the labels and understand the trauma behind these conditions. Discover insightful perspectives in my latest blog that sheds light on the real issues at hand.

Read more here: https://www.mytherapyspace.net/single-post/when-borderline-personality-disorder-bpd-treatment-resistant-depression-trd-and-bipolar-are-ac

For many people, receiving a diagnosis like Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD), or Bipolar Disorder can feel both validating and devastating. It can bring language to years of suffering, but it can also feel like a life sentence. These labels often imply a fi...

08/13/2025

Living with Complex PTSD often feels like an internal tug-of-war: part of you yearns to trust and connect, while another part remains guarded, forever on the lookout for threats.

In this post, we explore how one well-meaning inner “Figure It Out” part tries to mediate between those two extremes, and how healing begins not by picking a side, but by leading with gentle curiosity and compassion.

https://www.mytherapyspace.net/single-post/the-inner-tug-of-war-trust-fear-and-the-c-ptsd-figure-it-out-part

If you live with Complex PTSD (C-PTSD), you may know the exhausting inner dance between parts of you that seem to be in constant conflict, especially when it comes to relationships and trust.On one side, there may be a part of you that is open, forgiving, and willing to give people the benefit of th...

08/13/2025

I’m so incredibly excited and honored to share that I’m officially a Certified IFS Therapist!

Being an IFS therapist means so much to me, and I’m deeply grateful for all those who have supported me along the way! Here’s to continued healing, growth, and inner connection!!

02/27/2025

Some people experience the world with heightened sensitivity–feeling emotions intensely and absorbing the energy around them. Explore why neurodivergent individuals may be more prone to attachment trauma and how to heal these wounds.

Read more here: https://www.mytherapyspace.net/single-post/neurodivergent-and-deeply-feeling-individuals-why-they-are-more-prone-to-attachment-trauma-and-how

Some people experience the world with heightened sensitivity—feeling emotions intensely, absorbing the energy of those around them, and noticing details others overlook. Many of these individuals are neurodivergent, whether they have ADHD, autism, OCD, or heightened sensory processing. While this ...

01/26/2025

*NEW* IFS Skills Group beginning in February 2025!

Check out https://www.mytherapyspace.net/groups-workshops for more info!

01/26/2025

New Blog Post: Recognizing the Signs of Trauma You May Be Overlooking

Discover subtle indicators that can affect our daily lives. Don't wait until it manifests in distressing ways. Read more about it here: https://wix.to/9W8qATF

Trauma is often associated with visible, dramatic events like natural disasters, accidents, or violence. However, trauma doesn’t always announce itself in obvious ways. It can hide in plain sight, woven into our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.Recognizing the subtle signs of trauma can be the fi...

01/09/2025

Blog Post: Understanding Rumination as a Protective Mechanism for Attachment Trauma: An IFS Perspective

Are you stuck in a cycle of repetitive thoughts? Discover how rumination can act as a protective mechanism against attachment trauma. Explore the insights from an IFS perspective and learn to break free from the endless loop.

Read more here: https://wix.to/t2vUgmT

When you find yourself caught in the endless loop of repetitive thoughts, replaying scenarios, or anxiously predicting worst-case outcomes, it can feel like a frustrating and overwhelming cycle. This mental habit, known as rumination, often gets a bad rap for its draining effects on emotional well-b...

12/18/2024

Blog Post: How to Navigate Holiday Depression with Self-Compassion

The holiday season is upon us, and while it’s often dubbed as the “most wonderful time of the year,” it can also exacerbate existing mental health issues like depression.Between shopping for the perfect gifts, attending festive gatherings, and navigating family dynamics, it’s easy to find yo...