WHY I DO THIS WORK
Hi, I’m Ashley
I’m a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), educator, and researcher who helps people navigate the emotional impact of illness, injury, trauma, and loss.
I believe in whole-person care, recognizing that our experiences shape every part of who we are. I've also learned that suffering is part of being human. Not everything can be fixed, and not every difficult experience needs to become a lesson in resilience. Sometimes what matters most is having someone willing to sit with us in the uncertainty, listen to our stories, and see us as more than what we're going through. And that's what I feel honored to do.
The Other Side of the Conversation
I've spent much of my career supporting people through difficult experiences, working in foster care, correctional settings, substance use treatment, and veteran services. Much of that work has centered on trauma and its far-reaching impact.
Then, in 2015, I was diagnosed with a rare tumor, and suddenly I found myself on the other side of the conversation. What followed were years of treatment, medical uncertainty, and lasting physical changes.
Living with a rare disease and disability has given me a firsthand understanding of how body betrayal can affect our identity, relationships, independence, and sense of safety. It has also reinforced my belief that we deserve to be seen as more than our diagnoses.
MY CLINICAL PHILOSOPHY
When our bodies become a source of pain, uncertainty, or fear, the impact can reach far beyond our physical health. It can change how we see ourselves, connect with others, and experience the world. That's why my work considers the whole person— honoring the deep connection between our bodies, minds, relationships and sense of meaning.
A Whole Person Approach to Healing
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The Enduring Somatic Threat (EST) model of PTSD helps us understand how ongoing threats within the body—such as those associated with serious illness—can contribute to traumatic stress, even when there is no clear endpoint. This perspective recognizes how difficult it can be to feel safe when the source of uncertainty is within our own bodies.
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When our bodies no longer feel familiar or safe, finding the words to describe that experience can be difficult. I draw from somatic, polyvagal-informed, and expressive approaches to help people reconnect with their bodies and express what words alone may not capture.
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Making space for the visible and invisible losses that accompany illness, injury, trauma, and life transitions—including changes in identity, independence, relationships, and the future we imagined.
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Exploring how our past and present relationships shape our sense of safety and belonging, and how those experiences influence the ways we connect with ourselves and others.
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Drawing from logotherapy and posttraumatic growth research, I help people explore how to find meaning even when their circumstances cannot be changed. We may not get to choose what happens to us, but we can discover what matters most and what remains possible.
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My training in brain health, SPECT imaging, and LENS neurofeedback informs how I understand the relationship between brain function, emotional well-being, and our lived experiences.
The Story Behind the Fern
The fern in my logo is a little piece of my story. My dad once owned a business called The Fernery, and my parents have been a steady source of love and faith through some of my hardest seasons. I was drawn to the resurrection fern because it can appear lifeless during a drought, yet flourish again when water returns. Its unfurling shape also reminds me of a quill, bringing together two things I hold close: the possibility of renewal and the power of our stories.