Ashley Oakes

As a licensed independent clinical social worker, I’m all about making mental health care feel more accessible, human, and a little less intimidating. Reaching out for support can feel like a big, brave leap, and I’m here to make that first step feel lighter and more doable.

I’ve spent the last decade in Social Work and Crisis Care, and over the past two years, I’ve shifted my focus toward the work I love most—helping people understand how their attachment patterns, trauma histories, and family‐of‐origin stories shape the way they move through the world today. Whether you’re carrying old wounds, stuck in people‐pleasing, or exhausted from trying to “hold it all together,” our work will center on helping you feel more grounded, connected, and genuinely yourself.

Everyone comes in with their own story, their own patterns, and their own way of moving through the world—and I believe your care should reflect that. Once we decide to work together, we’re a team. We’ll build your goals side‐by‐side, check in often, and adjust as we go. I genuinely welcome feedback throughout the process; it helps us stay aligned and keeps the work honest.

I lean on motivational interviewing to explore the space between what you want and what you’re doing, and together we’ll get curious about the habits, fears, and protective strategies that show up along the way. My goal is to make the work feel collaborative, empowering, and even a little energizing as you start to see things shift.

My goal is to create a space where you can exhale a little—a place that feels safe enough to be honest, curious, and even a bit messy as you explore new perspectives and ways of being. We’ll hold each other accountable with compassion, not pressure, and we’ll stay open to learning from whatever comes up along the way.

As a white, cis‐female therapist, I’m intentional about naming and acknowledging the differences in identity and lived experience that may exist between us. These differences matter, and I’m committed to approaching them with humility, transparency, and a willingness to keep learning.

All emotions and experiences are welcome here. Truly. My aim is to offer an empathetic, grounded space where you can share your goals, your fears, your hopes—and we can make sense of them together.