We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Bella Barajas. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Bella below.

Alright, Bella thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I’m a big believer in facing my fears—choosing to “be scared and do it anyway.” While I’m a therapist with knowledge of many tools and techniques for healing, I’m human first. I have fears and struggles too. Personally, I’ve battled performance anxiety and perfectionism throughout my life. So, I decided to face this fear head-on—like exposure therapy. I believe that everything we truly want lies on the other side of vulnerability and risk.

In 2020, I attended my first improv comedy show as an audience member. I remember thinking, Wow, that looks absolutely terrifying as I watched the performers create dialogue and scenes on the spot. The experience stuck with me, especially at the end of the show when they announced a free improv class for anyone interested in trying it out. My immediate thought? I would never.

But a week later, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. A part of me was curious about what that free class would be like—even though a bigger part of me felt terrified. After much contemplation, I kept coming back to how much I valued courage and doing things that scared me. So, I signed up. I still remember my stomach sinking as I hit “register,” second-guessing myself over and over afterward.

I took the free class—and ended up LOVING it. We were taught to clap and cheer whenever someone messed up, creating a really safe and supportive environment. I didn’t expect it, but I had so much fun. And that was just the beginning. Inspired, I signed up for their Level 1 course, which consisted of seven weeks of classes and ended with a live performance in front of a paying audience. Wild. But I did it. I performed. And then I kept going—all the way through Level 4. So far, I’ve performed in three live shows.

There were moments in those early classes when I felt so embarrassed after a scene that I’d have to excuse myself and go to the restroom. I’d stand there, taking deep breaths, trying to regulate myself because I felt like I was going to cry. The shame wasn’t just about making a mistake—it was a reflection of my own wounding. I had internalized messages about perfectionism and failure that made mistakes feel like something to avoid at all costs. And yet, here I was, purposely stepping into situations where failure was inevitable. Over and over again. And it turns out, it was so worth it.

Despite my fear, I could feel something shifting inside me. With each class, my confidence grew, and I started to transform my relationship with fear. Instead of avoiding it, I learned the power of facing it.

Now, I’ve taken what I’ve learned and created an Improv for Anxiety Therapy Group, where I help adults and teens face their fears and build confidence. I’ve also had the opportunity to present a workshop for other therapists, teaching them the skills I learned and how they can incorporate them into their work with clients.

And to think—none of this would have been possible if I hadn’t taken that risk.

Bella , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hi, I’m Bella Barajas and I’m a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and the owner and founder of Mind-Body Trauma Therapy in Orlando, Florida. I earned a Master’s degree in Counselor Education from the University of Central Florida in 2019. I specialize in helping adults and teens heal from complex trauma, childhood abuse, and anxiety, with a focus on nervous system regulation and developing self-trust. I work with teens & adults and see people both in person and online.

My approach emphasizes the powerful connection between the mind and body to promote deep, holistic healing. My 9 year old golden retriever mix, Luna, works with me as my official fluffy co-therapist and sits in on most of my in-person sessions. My clients love her! She helps people feel more safe and grounded as they work through the hard stuff. I’m trained in Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR, and Somatic Therapy (body based healing). I’m also currently in the process of completing my trauma-informed yoga teacher training.

I began studying improv in 2020 to work through my own fears and performance anxiety, discovering the power of spontaneity, presence, and connection. Since then, I have performed in three live shows and continue to integrate my passion for improv into my therapeutic work, offering improv groups and workshops.

Getting personal: I’m a proud first-gen Mexican-American, born in Chicago and raised in FL. My parents’ journey from Mexico taught me the power of resilience. I’m goofy, passionate, brave and adventurous. I’m also a survivor—I’ve lived through complex trauma and personally experienced the therapies I now specialize in. They truly changed my life.

I believe healing isn’t about being perfect; it’s about learning to love and accept all parts of yourself. My hope is to inspire people to move through fear and create a life that feels free, authentic, fulfilling and deeply meaningful.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Resilience has been a theme throughout my life, especially in the face of complex trauma. I’m a survivor of childhood trauma and abuse, and for a long time before I became a therapist, I didn’t understand what I had gone through or why it still felt like my past was haunting me. When I learned about complex trauma, it all clicked. It’s the kind of trauma that’s deep and ongoing, not just a single event but something that shapes how you see the world and yourself—feelings of unworthiness, shame, fear, and disconnection. That was my experience, and it felt like it would never change.

But here’s where the resilience part comes in: I didn’t give up on myself. It wasn’t easy. There were moments when I felt completely lost and like my past would always define me. But over time, through a lot of healing work, I began to see that resilience isn’t about ignoring the pain. It’s about learning to move through it, embracing it, and choosing to heal. I learned how to truly face myself, accept all parts of myself, and most importantly how to cultivate deep inner safety. I made a promise to myself that I would keep showing up for my healing, and that promise turned into a passion—not just for my own growth but for helping others heal too.

What really drives me now is the belief in the ripple effect—that when we heal, we don’t just transform our own lives, but we influence others to heal around us – sometimes even unintentionally. I’m so passionate about this. I’ve learned that healing isn’t just emotional or mental—it’s physical too. When we heal, we change on a cellular level, and that’s something that’s always stuck with me. I know that when I heal, I’m breaking generational cycles of pain and trauma. If I ever have children, they’ll have a better chance at life, at breaking free from the patterns that have been passed down for generations.

With this incredible amount of resilience I’ve cultivated, I’ve been able to create a life that feels authentic, fun, deeply meaningful, and free. And that’s all I want for other people, too.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Unlearning to Avoid Pain:
I learned that growth, abundance, and empowerment often come from sitting in the discomfort first.

For a long time, I avoided discomfort at all costs. I thought that healing meant only feeling good, peaceful, or calm, but the reality is that healing requires us to sit with discomfort, pain, and fear. I had to unlearn the idea that I should avoid painful feelings. I used to push away difficult emotions, but over time, I’ve learned that leaning into discomfort, rather than running from it, is often where growth happens. It’s really interesting actually – the way it all worked. I initially had this strong feeling of resistance to “face my pain” – like it was the last thing in the world I wanted to do.

And then I learned that instead of “forcing” myself to ‘sit in it”, you gotta actually address that feeling of resistance first. Be curious about it – why was I so resistant? What was I afraid would happen if I sat in my tough feelings? And when I realized that this avoidance/resistance was a just a part of me that was trying to protect me from being hurt again – I understood it all more. I learned that when I felt my feelings in the past, bad things happened. Like, being invalidated or criticized or straight up ignored by the people who I needed the most. So, I learned it’s not safe to feel. Of course my system wants to avoid feeling as an adult.

I made friends with the parts of me that I disliked for so long, the parts of me that I thought held me back. And realized that these parts were working hard at keeping me safe. We’re cool now, these parts of me and I – they willingly step back and let me lead the way now. They learned that it’s actually safe to feel – that I got us.

This lesson not only helped me personally, but also deepened my capacity to guide my clients through their own challenging emotions. Healing is pretty awesome.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.traumatherapyfl.com
• Instagram: @therapy.with.bella
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bella-barajas-lmhc-ncc-527a65219
• Other: Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/bella-barajas-casselberry-fl/878199

  Choosing Therapy Author: https://www.choosingtherapy.com/anabella-barajas-lmhc/

Image Credits

Professional photos taken by Amalie Orrange, The Branded Boss Lady