Sexual Abuse Therapists in Minneapolis, MN

As a Marriage and Family Therapist since 2011, I have experience working with , youth, adults, families and couples dealing with communication issues, concerns about child development, family conflict, childhood/adult trauma, and life transitions. The goal of our work will be to identify effective behaviors & improve the ability to communicate and work towards healthier relationships. I do brief solution-based work as well as long term in-depth work and incorporate psychodynamic, attachment, and cognitive behavioral approaches. My goal is to create a nurturing, open and honest environment, where we face life's challenges together.

I help people find the tools they need to navigate the changes and challenges that occur in life. I believe every individual's therapeutic journey is unique. In my sessions we work to create a customized approach that builds on strengths and helps create a reliable platform for meaningful growth. I integrate a number of techniques including mindfulness and other skills that can be used in everyday life. I enjoy working with individuals of all ages, including young adults, older adults, couples, families, and adolescents 16+.

Having someone listen to you, without judging or minimizing what you feel and think, is powerful. I provide a safe, supportive and collaborative environment where you can develop a greater understanding of yourself and your relationships, improve your emotional health and well-being, and develop new ways of responding to life's challenges. While searching online for a therapist can be overwhelming, I encourage you to go with your gut and trust in your ability to find the right person to help.

Welcome. It is your time to address whatever is holding you back, expand your self-awareness, set goals, and follow through. Maximize your strengths. I will combine my compassion, openness, and attentiveness with my 29+ years of experience and knowledge to help you become more of the person you want to be. Address low motivation, trauma, codependency, self-criticism, anxiety, imposter syndrome. Improve mindfulness and life-work balance. I offer a space where oppression and injustice are understood as having a direct correlation to our health and well-being. A relaxed confidential space where you are welcome to be your whole self.

When I think about my ideal clients, I think about all the folks I used to serve as a sex educator. Having spent the past 10 years in sex education, I believe that many of us carry cultural stigma due to sex negative ideals perpetrated by our society. As a therapist I specialize in working with: Kinky clients, non-monogamous clients, clients that work within the sex industry, and clients that are figuring out their sexuality. My ideal clients are looking for a therapist that is affirming of their relationship with sexuality and who will not shame you for your sexual identity.

I've been working with adults and teens for over 45 years. My approach is empathic, direct, and thoughtful. Given I have a wide background in my training, I adapt my therapeutic approach to your needs. I find that effective therapy is a collaborative approach where we work together to understand your concerns, their origins and most importantly what can be done to bring about both the internal and behavioral changes that will be beneficial to you. My goal in therapy is to help integrate your shame and vulnerabilities into a healthy identity grounded in self-esteem and pride.

I have current openings for both in-person and telehealth appointments. Being willing to work on bettering yourself takes a lot of bravery and hard work. I am here to help you along this journey. To support, validate, and lift you up. To help you gain a better understanding of yourself. To teach healthy ways of coping with life’s hardships. To encourage you when things are tough, and hope seems lost. To challenge you to do, think, and feel different as you work towards having a life that feels worth living.

My approach is strength-based, client-centered, and trauma-informed. I strongly believe that treatment is most effective when it is collaborative, and clients are met where they are in their journey towards healing and recovery. Together we will build a strong therapeutic alliance to address the struggles and stressors that are present in your life.

Feeling a little lost and ready to make a change? Maybe your relationship or career isn't going in the direction you had hoped? Perhaps you're not quite sure why you feel the way you do or even know where to begin? Many of my clients have pondered the same questions or found themselves in similar situations. Sometimes, a second set of eyes on a problem is all that is needed to restore hope and get back on track.

Do you feel as if you spend your life trying to recover from past trauma, make current trauma stop, or get your life under control? Do you find the same painful patterns repeating in your relationships or in your life? Do you feel numb or find yourself "zoning out" with mindless activities? Do you want to overcome your past or improve your present so that your life truly fulfills you, that fits your true nature and your potential?

I consider it an honor to be allowed entry into someone's life as a therapist. People come to me when some suffering or limitation has opened them up enough to ask a perfect stranger for help. My hope is to provide a safe and respectful place for them to begin to look at the various strands of their lives and stories. Then, as we unravel past and present contributions to the fabric of their lives, we can examine these threads and, with new understanding, weave them back together into a new tapestry which includes fresh possibilities.

Relationships require continued trust, communication, and deep awareness of each other’s worlds. I work with couples, including polyamorous, non-monogamous, kinky, etc., to build connection, trust, and intimacy in their relationships. I also help partners learn to manage conflict more effectively. I help partners find ways to communicate about difficult and sensitive issues. This is important when partners struggle to connect around each other's unique sexual wants and needs. These conversations need an atmosphere of trust, acceptance, and non-judgment, as partners learn to validate and respond to each other's sexual selves.

I provide collaborative, respectful psychotherapy for adults struggling with a variety of concerns including: trauma and abuse, intense anxiety or depression, relationship struggles, persistent negative beliefs and unwanted intrusive thoughts, body sensations and emotions that are overwhelming and/or confusing. My clients often find that they get relief from the patterns and symptoms they've had for years and for which regular talk therapy has helped, but not sufficiently resolved. I use a whole brain, relational approach that is creative and responsive to my clients' unique needs, strengths and circumstances.

I focus on helping you build and maintain healthy relationships: personal, professional, romantic and sexual relationships. This includes individual counseling, couples counseling, and sex therapy. In individual counseling we can talk through trauma, negative thoughts, adjustments, questions of identity, happiness, or life goals. If you are having questions about intimacy, desire, shame, kink, sexual performance or desire, sex therapy may be right for you. You may be feeling a loss of connection, a wall of miscommunication and a mountain of unmet needs within your relationship and I will help you find that connection and joy.

Ashley takes an approach to therapy that emphasizes the individual experience and strives for every person to feel welcomed, honored, and respected. She focuses on inclusivity and empathy in session by using both complementary health approaches and evidenced based practices. Ashley is gender-affirming with a proactive social justice lens and has a background working with adults and adolescents with trauma, mental health, and substance use concerns. Ashley is credentialed as a pre-licensed clinical counselor under supervision and an alcohol and drug counselor.

I am a trauma-informed bodyworker and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner offering a body-centered approach for the healing of trauma and chronic pain. Traditional therapy approaches often have difficulty addressing the bodily effects of trauma, anxiety and depression. Habits and patterns that get "stuck" in the body can keep these types of issues from resolving, even after many years of successful therapy. As an adjunct to traditional therapy, my body-centered approach to Somatic Experiencing provides a unique opportunity to support the physical integration of mental and emotional change that help people recovering from trauma to truly FEEL better.

As a human navigating this ever-changing world, it is my belief that we each hold knowledge, power, and peace within ourselves. However, it is fair to say that we don't always feel this way. I have experience working with individuals experiencing anxiety, shame, depression, life change, and trauma. My therapeutic goal is to hold space for you, support you, and help you enrich your life. I am committed to social justice and believe that systemic dynamics influence a person's mental health. I continually strive to have a validating space for all identities, and I advocate for anti-oppression on both community and systemic platforms.