Ashley Gleason

I work with children and adolescents, ages 5 to 15, and it's genuinely the work I was built for. I've spent years in intensive settings - residential treatment, partial hospitalization programs - so I'm not thrown off by kids who present with big behaviors, trauma histories, or complex family situations. I bring warmth and real energy to sessions because children are perceptive: they know when someone actually wants to be there. I'm a South Jersey LCSW offering virtual sessions across New Jersey, which means no commute and no schedule gymnastics - just consistent, quality support from the comfort of home. I work with Aetna, Cigna, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of NJ, and Carelon, and I'm accepting new clients now.

Kids don't sit across from a therapist and talk about their feelings like adults do - and I don't expect them to. I use play therapy, art therapy, Trauma-Focused CBT, and behavior-based approaches because those are the tools that actually help children feel safe enough to do real work. Sessions are guided by where each child is that day - some days it's structured skill-building, some days it's creative exploration. For adolescents, I bring more direct conversation and problem-solving into the mix. I always keep parents in the loop. Family involvement is part of the process, not an afterthought. My goal is never to just manage behavior - it's to help your child build the internal skills that stick with them long after therapy ends.

The first session is a chance for us to get to know each other - no pressure, no agenda. For younger kids, I keep it light and let them lead through play or drawing. For older adolescents, I'll ask some questions about what's been going on and what they're hoping to get out of therapy, but there's no script they have to follow. I usually check in briefly with parents before or after to make sure we're all aligned on goals. By the end of that first session, your child should feel at ease and you should have a clear sense of how I work. If it's a good fit, we'll talk about a plan. If it's not, I'll help you find someone who is.