The Resistant Path
On first Wednesdays we share post(s) that talk about TLA in practice. This week’s article is from our Becoming a TLArtist series—writings from the inspiring people who are in or who have completed our Certificate in TLA Foundations program.
There I sat, having completed my very first TLAN course – “This is Who I Am - Exploring Personal Identity through Poetry and Art” with Angie Ebba – and feeling my soul ignited by a desire I’d held deep inside for over a decade. A desire I had resisted.
Just a few months earlier, my focus was entirely on my coaching business. I was committed to a January plan: a free challenge to kick off the year, leading into a 2-day paid training and then an ongoing course series. It was familiar content that I’d facilitated before. A simple and effective way to build my business. Yet, I was filled with anxiety.
At the same time, my team at work was evaluating resources after conducting a career development survey. We had discovered that our EAP offered free lifestyle coaching sessions for employees, and my director encouraged us all to try it out as part of our evaluation. Initially, I was irritated by her request.
As a coach myself, “trying out” coaching felt uncomfortable – and a bit unethical – without a clear and honest purpose. Tapping into a resource meant for employees didn’t sit right with me either. So, I was determined to be stubborn about this request.
But in truth, I knew the irritation I was feeling was something deeper, something worth exploring. So, I reluctantly scheduled an appointment.
To my surprise, the coach was one of the best I’d worked with. She was adept at drawing out solutions while also supporting me with just the right amount of challenge. In our second session, I confided in her about the stress and anxiety I was feeling. Her response was simple yet profound: she gave me permission to let go of what I didn’t need and rest.
I’d heard this advice before, but something about her words landed differently this time. Perhaps it was the unexpected gift of her honesty or her ability to see through what even I was resisting. Perhaps she was simply the right person at the right time. Whatever it was, I let go of what I’d been planning. I cancelled the classes and I rested, enjoying a rare sense of lightness and freedom that lingered throughout December and into January.
In that space of openness, a new invitation arrived – an email from TLAN about an upcoming course.
I’d first discovered TLAN over a decade ago, during a time when I was rekindling my writing practice. The certification had intrigued me back then, but I wasn’t ready. Writing alongside others felt too vulnerable, too exposed. I told myself it wasn’t the right time and quietly pushed it aside.
Still, I stayed on the mailing list “just in case”. For years, the emails arrived, and for years, I let them pass by—until this one. I don’t remember what it said, but I do remember the flood of remembering that it ignited.
I remembered why I had started writing again. I remembered how much I longed to write in community. I remembered the call I’d felt—the deep pull toward the transformative, healing power of words.
Now, nearly two years later as I approach the completion of my TLA certification, I see my path more clearly. Through each course, every writing prompt, the connections I’ve made with fellow TLA practitioners, my work on the TLAN board, and the deeply nourishing Power of Words conference, I’ve begun to see and dismantle the barriers that have kept my voice – and me – restrained for so long.
I’m becoming more comfortable with the power of my words and the liberation that comes from embracing them without apology or reservation.
Resistance has been a constant companion throughout my life. It has whispered doubts, told me I wasn’t ready, and tried to keep me safely in the comfort of what I already knew. And yet, it’s also been in my resistance to staying the same—small but profound steps like letting go of well-made plans, opening emails I might have otherwise ignored, and finding community outside of my comfort zone—where I’ve found my way to what is good, nourishing, and healing.
Ashley Castle Barnes is a poet, advocate, holistic coach, and leader with a deep passion for the human spirit and its capacity for transformation and growth. The author of three poetry books, she believes deeply in the power of words to heal, connect, and inspire.
Her professional journey spans a wide range of industries and roles, including healthcare, IT, HR, and nonprofit boards focused on women’s empowerment and transformative language arts. After nearly 20 years in corporate leadership development, Ashley returned to her roots in human services, where she aligns her drive for purpose and authenticity with human-centered work.
To connect with Ashley or learn more about her work, visit her Linktree: linktr.ee/ashleycastlebarnes.
Growing Together, Apart: TLAN events & Classes
You can find the full list of classes, free community events, and our annual conference here. Scholarships are available.
Transformative Language Arts Network Community Circles
18 May 2025 5:00 PM • online • free and open to all!
Twelve Poets to Change Your Life // with Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg
04 June 2025 • Online
08 June 2025 5:00 PM • online • free and open to all!
Telling It Slant: The Art of Autofiction // with Elizabeth Chesla
11 June 2025 • Online