How Kindness Became My Healing Practice

By Claudia Barton, BCBA, LBA, CTP

 

For most of my life, I was known as the strong one.

The one who could handle anything. The one who showed up. The one who pushed through, no matter how heavy the moment. On the outside, I was grounded, helpful, dependable. But inside, I was often carrying emotional weight that no one could see. And like so many of us, I didn't always know how to put it down.

Over time, I became curious about what healing really looked like. Not just for others — but for me. What would it mean to truly be kind to myself?

This question didn’t come with an answer. It came with practice.
And like most healing practices, mine didn’t start in a perfect place. It started in the small, quiet moments — when I laced up my running shoes just to feel my feet move forward. When I sat at my table making jewelry, threading pieces of my spirit into every bead. When I started gardening and felt, for the first time in a long time, the sun touch my skin without rushing. These moments weren’t hobbies. They were therapy.
They were the places where I remembered me.

From Burnout to Behavior — Why I Needed More Than Coping

As a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Certified Trauma Professional, I have always believed in the power of science, routine, and structure. I’ve supported countless families, guided behavior change, written strategic plans — all with love and purpose.

But somewhere in that process, I realized I wasn’t writing myself into the story.

I was helping others regulate their nervous systems, while mine was screaming for rest. I was coaching families to build meaningful routines, while I lived in constant urgency. I was teaching the importance of reinforcement and joy, while rarely reinforcing my own.

I needed a new way.
I needed to be kind to myself in behavior — not just intention.

And that’s when I created The Kind Body™ — a collection of rituals, products, and practices rooted in compassion, behavioral wellness, and sensory nourishment.

 Why Luna & Lavender™ Exists

I didn’t just want another skincare line. I wanted to create meaningful tools for emotional regulation and nervous system support — things that paired science with softness.

So I went back to my roots: natural ingredients, sensory-rich rituals, and behavior-based routines.

I began formulating with herbs, oils, and botanicals — not just for what they could do for the skin, but for how they made me feel when I used them. Chamomile to calm. Lavender to ground. Rose to soften. Peppermint to awaken. The combinations became daily reinforcers, carefully blended into balms, sprays, and body oils that held the intention: Be kind to your body. Be kind to your nervous system. Be kind to your journey.

What Kindness Means Now

Kindness isn’t just something I offer others. It’s how I speak to myself when I’m tired.
It’s how I choose products that feel gentle and grounding.
It’s how I give my body time to recover instead of pushing it harder.
It’s how I sit down to craft, garden, stretch, or simply breathe — because those small rituals aren’t “extra.” They’re necessary.

And now, it’s what I offer you.

An Invitation to You

Whether you're a parent, a professional, or simply someone learning to slow down — Luna & Lavender™ is for you. These products were made from my healing, for yours.
They are more than body care. They are behavioral care.

If you're navigating trauma, fatigue, stress, or just life in a very human body — I see you. I’ve been there. And I made this with you in mind.

Let this journal be our place to share practices that feel good, rituals that regulate, and stories that remind us we’re not alone in healing. You deserve softness. You deserve peace. You deserve to feel whole.



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The Science Behind Health & Wellness

Why behavior matters. Why healing is possible. Why small steps work.

When we think of health and wellness, we often think of the body — nutrition, sleep, hydration, movement. But at the core of every lasting change is something deeper: behavior.

As a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and Certified Trauma Professional (CTP), I view health and wellness through a scientific and compassionate lens. I don’t just ask what someone is doing — I ask why.

That’s where the real healing starts.

Why Behavior Matters in Wellness

Every time you choose to care for yourself — by applying a salve, setting down your phone, or pausing to breathe — you’re engaging in a behavior. These actions might seem small, but over time, they shape patterns. Patterns become habits. Habits become a lifestyle.

Behavior analysis teaches us that change doesn’t happen all at once — it happens one moment at a time, with reinforcement, consistency, and care.

The Nervous System & Trauma-Informed Support

For many of us, especially those with trauma histories, even the simplest self-care routines can feel overwhelming or unfamiliar. That’s why trauma-informed care matters. It reminds us that healing isn’t just about doing more — it’s about feeling safe enough to begin.

Behavioral wellness honors the body’s signals, works with the nervous system, and builds safety through predictable, gentle routines. When we approach wellness with compassion and structure, we help the body and mind slowly unlearn survival and relearn connection.

The Foundation of Behavior-Based Wellness

In behavior science, we use tools like:

  • Reinforcement to encourage healthy habits (rewarding what we want to see more of)
  • Prompting and shaping to help build routines gradually
  • Environmental design to make wellness easier and more accessible
  • Data and reflection to track what’s working — and why

These aren’t just clinical strategies. They can show up in your daily life as:

  • A lavender roller next to your bed to signal rest
  • A gentle balm you use after brushing your teeth to mark the end of your day
  • A sensory spray that helps your child transition more smoothly
  • A mantra you whisper each morning as a private moment of grounding

Why This Matters

Because true wellness isn't about extremes.
It’s about repeatable, nourishing actions that help you feel more like yourself.

And the science is clear: when we build wellness routines around behavior, not pressure, we make healing more accessible — for children, for parents, for everyone.

This is the foundation of my work and the intention behind every product I create. I want to help you feel safe in your routines, confident in your care, and connected to the deeper why behind the choices you make.

Mini Mantra:

“Small acts. Safe patterns. Lasting change.”

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