Gary Ashley
Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate
You are welcome here.”
About Gary
Therapy can be helpful when you know something needs to change but are not quite sure what that change should look like. You may be feeling overwhelmed by anxiety or stress, navigating a difficult transition, carrying experiences from the past, or noticing patterns in your relationships that continue to leave you feeling stuck.
I work with people who want a better understanding of what is happening beneath those patterns and practical ways to move forward. My role is not to tell you who you should be, but to help you explore what has shaped you, recognize the strengths you already bring with you, and develop new ways of responding to the challenges in your life.
I want therapy to feel approachable and collaborative. I bring curiosity, encouragement, and respect into the room while also helping you identify concrete steps toward greater clarity, healthier relationships, and meaningful personal growth.
My Approach
My approach is collaborative, strengths-based, and grounded in the belief that people make more meaningful changes when they feel genuinely understood.
I draw from Person-Centered Therapy to create an environment built on empathy, acceptance, and respect. Adlerian Therapy helps us explore how early experiences, relationships, and beliefs may continue to influence the way you understand yourself and interact with others today.
Depending on your needs, I may also incorporate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, and other evidence-based strategies. Rather than applying the same method to everyone, we will use the approaches that best fit your goals, experiences, and circumstances.
Working With Couples
Relationships can become stuck in patterns that neither partner intended to create. Conversations may become defensive, one person may withdraw while the other pursues, trust can become strained, or couples may simply begin to feel less connected than they once did.
I have completed Level 1 Gottman Method training and draw from Gottman-informed relationship principles to help couples better understand the patterns underneath their conflict and develop healthier ways of communicating and connecting.
I work with couples who may be navigating recurring conflict, relationship transitions, communication difficulties, trust concerns, or simply wanting a stronger relationship. The goal is to help both partners understand what is happening between them and develop practical tools for creating a relationship that feels more secure, respectful, and connected.
Working With Adults
Adults often come to therapy because something that once felt manageable no longer does. Anxiety, depression, grief, relationship difficulties, stress, major life changes, or unresolved experiences from the past can begin affecting how you feel about yourself and the way you move through everyday life.
Our work may involve identifying patterns in your thoughts, relationships, and behavior; understanding where those patterns originated; and deciding which ones still serve you. We can also work on boundaries, self-esteem, coping skills, and the practical changes that can make life feel more manageable.
Therapy does not have to be limited to solving a crisis. It can also be a place to better understand yourself, clarify what matters to you, and intentionally decide what you want the next part of your life to look like.
Working With Children & Teens
Children and teens often experience stress in ways that are different from adults. School pressure, friendships, family changes, anxiety, grief, identity, behavior concerns, and big emotions can all become difficult to manage, especially when they do not yet have the words or tools to explain what they are feeling.
I work with children age 6 and older and teens in a way that is supportive, developmentally appropriate, and collaborative. Therapy may focus on understanding emotions, building confidence, developing coping skills, improving communication, navigating relationships, and finding healthier ways to respond when life feels overwhelming.
For younger clients, caregiver involvement can also be an important part of the therapeutic process. The goal is to support the child or teen while also helping the adults around them better understand what they may be experiencing and how to reinforce progress outside of sessions.