Ashley Ferguson

Welcome! My name is Ashley Ferguson. I am a licensed professional counselor (LPC) and the owner of Garland and Gladness Counseling, LLC in Clanton, Alabama. I have a Master of Science in Counseling from Faulkner University, and I have been practicing therapy since May 2021. I consider myself a person-centered therapist, but I am certified in cognitive behavioral therapy approaches. I specialize in trauma but have training in a number of areas including anxiety, attachment, crisis, and various play therapy strategies. I welcome persons of any age in need of therapeutic intervention in various seasons of life.

I believe the best therapy happens in a trusted working alliance between a client and a trained therapist. When the client feels they have a confidential relationship with a professional counselor, together the two can identify goals and action steps to reach those goals. There are barriers to reaching those goals that can be treated in therapy, and I enjoy walking with a client to problem solve and celebrate solutions within my scope of practice. Should a barrier be outside of my training, I do my best to assist a client in finding a treatment that best fits their needs.

A first session is exciting to me for so many reasons! I find that a first session is filled with possibilities and hope for a client. Many clients know what problems they want to solve, but they need help in determining how to solve them. Some clients are unsure of what the problem even is. Through relationship with a trained professional and assessment, goals can be identified for therapy for clients that don’t even know how to communicate their goals. I enjoy the opportunity to offer hope for future treatment. In many ways, I treat a first session as a job interview as I share my experience and training in meeting the needs that clients express. I use the time to build connection and buy-in with someone new to therapy. I want the experience to feel inspiring, warm, and promising for what is possible.