Erica Bonham
Licensed Professional Counselor, EMDRIA -consultant and trainer, nervous system regulation coach at A.V.O.S. Counseling Center and Training Institute
Mental Health Care
Education: B.A. Sociology CU Boulder - Masters Counseling Psychology, Counselor Education University of Colorado, Denver
Arvada, CO, USA
Biography
Erica Bonham is passionate about inspiring leadership rooted in equity and joy and walking with folks through the messy, but beautiful process of healing and remembering their true nature. If we can embrace the paradoxical truth that we are always and already enough, loveable, worthy and connected to every living thing on this planet just as we are and we all have some work to do. She is a certified EMDR clinician, consultant and trainer, nervous system regulation coach, and a licensed professional counselor in the state of Colorado. She is also the author of the book, Always Enough, Never Done: Volume I: Heal Your Nervous System, Turn Wounds Into Wisdom, and Cultivate Your Inner Badass.
Whether speaking to corporate leaders, educators, healthcare professionals, or community changemakers, Erica’s mission is to bridge the gap between personal healing and collective transformation. Let’s redefine leadership—not as a position of power, but as a practice of presence, resilience, and joy.
Passion
*Leadership Rooted in Equity, Joy, Accountability, and Innovation
* Healing the Collective: Bringing in the Healing Power of Our Nervous System to Create Lasting Change
* Trauma-Informed Practice and Embodied Approaches: The Importance of Bottom-Up Work
Best Story
One of my "catchphrases," if you will, is, "Trauma doesn't give a crap what you know." This shows up especially in parenting for me. So I have read about 15 parenting books- talking about the importance of staying calm and attuning to your child's experience, even if you are setting boundaries. But... "Trauma doesn't give a crap what you know." So when my kids are throwing tantrums about not having blueberry cream cheese in the fridge, all of that beautiful knowledge goes right out the window. I have to do preventative nervous system regulation practice in order for me to stay in the best and most regulated parts of my brain.
Origin Story
I have always been someone that people have felt safe to disclose their trauma history. My mom was a survivor of childhood sexual trauma and that, along with my own trauma history, being an adoptee, and my identity as a queer person led me to want to the importance of trauma-informed and systemic work.
Example talks
Embodied Leadership: Creating Teams Rooted in Accountability, Joy, Equity, and Innovation
Transformative, inspiring leadership—the kind that fosters thriving, innovative, and resilient teams—begins with embodiment. Erica explores how trauma-informed practices, nervous system regulation, and a deep understanding of accountability can transform the way we lead and collaborate.
Drawing from neuroscience, somatics, and psychology, this talk will guide leaders in:
Regulating Their Own Nervous System to lead from a place of clarity, presence, and emotional intelligence.
Embedding accountability and honest feedback without by discerning between toxic shame and healthy ownership.
Delivering Feedback That Fosters Growth rather than triggering defensiveness or disengagement.
Building Cultures of Joy and Innovation by creating safety, trust, and equity within teams.
Erica inspires leaders to shift from reactive management to embodied leadership—where accountability is a shared commitment, and teams feel empowered, creative, and deeply connected.
Featured Video
I am willing to travel
More than 100 miles
When it comes to payments
I always get paid for speaking
Topics
Best Story
One of my "catchphrases," if you will, is, "Trauma doesn't give a crap what you know." This shows up especially in parenting for me. So I have read about 15 parenting books- talking about the importance of staying calm and attuning to your child's experience, even if you are setting boundaries. But... "Trauma doesn't give a crap what you know." So when my kids are throwing tantrums about not having blueberry cream cheese in the fridge, all of that beautiful knowledge goes right out the window. I have to do preventative nervous system regulation practice in order for me to stay in the best and most regulated parts of my brain.
Origin Story
I have always been someone that people have felt safe to disclose their trauma history. My mom was a survivor of childhood sexual trauma and that, along with my own trauma history, being an adoptee, and my identity as a queer person led me to want to the importance of trauma-informed and systemic work.
Example talks
Embodied Leadership: Creating Teams Rooted in Accountability, Joy, Equity, and Innovation
Transformative, inspiring leadership—the kind that fosters thriving, innovative, and resilient teams—begins with embodiment. Erica explores how trauma-informed practices, nervous system regulation, and a deep understanding of accountability can transform the way we lead and collaborate.
Drawing from neuroscience, somatics, and psychology, this talk will guide leaders in:
Regulating Their Own Nervous System to lead from a place of clarity, presence, and emotional intelligence.
Embedding accountability and honest feedback without by discerning between toxic shame and healthy ownership.
Delivering Feedback That Fosters Growth rather than triggering defensiveness or disengagement.
Building Cultures of Joy and Innovation by creating safety, trust, and equity within teams.
Erica inspires leaders to shift from reactive management to embodied leadership—where accountability is a shared commitment, and teams feel empowered, creative, and deeply connected.