My Bio
Hello and welcome! My name is Ashley and I believe the therapeutic alliance between client and therapist is the foundation of successful therapeutic work. I believe in a collaborative working relationship, trusting that you are the expert on your experience. I strive to provide a welcoming space where you can move at your own pace while feeling safe, understood, and supported on your healing journey.
My therapeutic style is somatically focused around learning to notice, recognize, and regulate your emotions by befriending your nervous system. Strengthening emotional regulation skills helps reduce emotional suffering. While our nervous system is programmed to protect us from harm, there are many times when the effects of past trauma can cause us to respond in ways that are inconsistent with what is actually happening in the moment. Learning to be present, to notice your own experience, recognize, and regulate your emotions is a powerful and effective way to facilitate recovery from the effects of trauma. We will work together to discover and utilize the therapeutic tools that will best serve you and move you forward toward feelings of safety and connection.
I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Sociology and have over 20 years of therapeutic massage experience. I am currently working on my Master of Social Work degree from Texas State University. I practice yoga weekly, and in my free time I enjoy listening to music that moves me (emotionally and physically), spending time with loved ones, going for short walks, hiking in the PNW, and visiting the Oregon coast.
My Focus
- Adults
- Adolescents
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Emotion Regulation
- Grief and Loss
- Life Transitions
- Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)
- Childhood Trauma
- PTSD + Complex PTSD
- LGBTQIA+ community
- Identity Development
- Dissociative Disorders and DID
My Approaches
- Trauma Informed
- Gender Affirming
- Mindfulness
- Mindful Self Compassion
- Strengths Based
- Polyvagal Theory
- Cognitive Behavioral Restructuring
- Somatic Experiencing
- Attachment Theory
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Supervised by Catherine Sims, LPC