Beth Barrington, LCMHC, LPC, CPTT-C, APSATS-C

“Our wounds are often the openings into the best and most beautiful parts of us.” – David Richo

I primarily work with clients who have suffered betrayal and trauma as the result of sex addiction, typically within their intimate partnerships. Working together in individual, couples, or family counseling, my clients experience a safe space to explore their pain and anger while developing strategies for overcoming codependent patterns in their relationships. 

In my experience, progress is often like patchwork. It’s not always pretty, seamless, or linear, but healing and reconnection can help you see your worth, creating a healthier, more compassionate self-image. 

My Background

I grew up in a family where addiction, codependency, and trauma were ever-present. Conditioned with a Don’t Trust, Don’t Talk, Don’t Feel, Don’t Touch mindset, I was not given very many options for emotional awareness. I soon developed unhealthy coping skills, leading to anxious, depressed thinking throughout my adolescence and then later manifesting as codependent behaviors in my relationships. Later on, I experienced betrayal, where the same issues of trauma, addiction, and codependency resurfaced. 

It wasn’t until my twenties when I first began going to therapy that I learned about healthy boundaries. Working with my therapist inspired personal and professional change in my life, leading me to pursue a career in helping others the way that Jane helped me. 

My Approach

“Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” – Reinhold Niebuhr

Betrayal is not just about the physical and emotional acts of infidelity—hiding, keeping secrets, and leading a “double life” are all components of betrayal. These are common occurrences that happen in all kinds of relationships, including the early attachments we form with parents and caregivers. 

My approach to therapy peels back the layers of trauma—particularly how it is experienced in the body—to locate the source of emotional pain. As we gain a deeper awareness of your emotions and sensations, we can begin to challenge skewed narratives, internalized shame, and unhealthy coping mechanisms. We will also use creative outlets to process feelings of anger and betrayal, allowing for newfound growth and clarity. Your unique treatment goals will be met with a solution-oriented focus, and counseling is always individualized to each client’s experience and needs.

Dedicated, concentrated time in counseling accelerates the healing process, which is why I strongly suggest intensive therapy for clients before moving to weekly sessions. By addressing urgent needs in intensives, we can lay a strong foundation for ongoing sessions, whether as an individual or for couples and families. In addition to the engaged, customized support and resources I offer in therapy, I also recommend that clients participate in 12-step programs for matters of betrayal, addiction, and codependency. 

I confidently stand by my treatment approach. Tools like effective boundary-setting, detachment, and The Empowerment Wheel by Dr. Sheri Keffer have been vital to my recovery from codependency and betrayal. And while the insights and skills I’ve gained through therapy are invaluable, I credit 12-step programs and my safe support system for saving my life. 

A Deep, Empathetic Understanding Of Trauma

Because my clients come to me during periods of significant distress and transition, I believe it’s absolutely essential to get the right kind of help in treatment. I specialize in areas where I have experience so that I can relate to my clients in a meaningful way. It can be detrimental to the healing process to work with a therapist who is not trauma-informed or has not been adequately trained in betrayal trauma. Oftentimes, the betrayed partner is wrongfully accused and blamed for the addict’s behavior. This is simply not true! You did not cause the addict’s behavior–and you cannot control it, either. 

From my perspective, there are always opportunities for growth. I am devoted to continuing my own personal work so that I can be an authentic, relatable, and supportive clinician.

Beyond my clinical and recovery work, I treasure time with my children, traveling, and reading. Connecting with my kids through play, fun, and learning has awakened my own inner child, further enhancing the emotional repair I’ve accomplished in my relationships. Ever committed to growing and developing better awareness, I always welcome opportunities for self-care, whether that means a walk or treating myself to a day at the spa. Healing is an ongoing process that takes work and maintenance—and I’d be honored to bring my personal and professional perspectives on your healing journey. 

Trust The Process

I offer intensive therapy, couples therapy, and individual counseling for partners affected by sex addiction, codependency, and betrayal trauma. To find out more, contact me for a free consultation.

Beth Barrington is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) in North Carolina and a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Tennessee. In addition to her Masters of Arts in Professional Counseling from Liberty University, she is a Certified Partner Trauma Therapist Candidate (CPTT-C) through the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals (IITAP). She is also an APSATS-Candidate through the Association of Partners of Sex Addicts Trauma Specialists (APSATS). Beth also has extensive training in psychodynamic, psychodrama, and experiential models through Onsite Workshops based out of Tennessee.