Ashley McKinnon, AMFT

Why I became a therapist

I’ve always had a lot of curiosity about people — even in high school, I was the friend giving everyone personality tests. When I first went to therapy as a kid navigating divorce, something clicked. Later, after experiencing trauma as a young adult and healing through therapy, that calling became even clearer. I’m so glad every winding path led me back here.

Why I love this work

I love the stories I get to hold and the absolutely wonderful people I get to know and love through doing this work. One of my favorite professors in grad school said that a huge part of our job is to find love inside ourselves for each and every client. That part of this work has been easy for me- seeing the immense courage in my clients to face their challenges, and the transformation that happens in both long stretches and short spurts inspires me every single day.

Who I’m most drawn to supporting

I love working with women at every stage of life — teens growing into themselves, new moms adjusting to an entirely new world, and anyone navigating identity or life transitions. My heart is especially in trauma work, including religious trauma, and in supporting highly sensitive people and deep feelers as they learn to honor the ways their unique brains and stories shape their lives.

My therapy style (and how I balance warmth & accountability)

First and foremost, I show up as a human. I bring my real self into the room. My work draws heavily from parts work (like IFS) and mindful returning to the body to help emotions come alive in a tangible way — we have to feel to heal. I also come from a depth tradition, so I love exploring what lives beneath the surface through dreams, symbols, and imagery.

People usually describe me as calm and grounded, but not too serious. I love when humor or playfulness naturally shows up. I follow what feels most alive in the moment. Warmth and accountability go together — the safer and more trusted the space feels, the easier it becomes to explore the harder stuff with honesty and care.

Approaches & modalities I use

I draw from EMDR, IFS, AEDP, mindfulness, and somatic approaches. I also use ERP when it's helpful. I tend to tailor sessions to what each person needs most in the moment.

How we’ll begin

During the first few sessions, we’ll ease into things by exploring your story and the experiences that have shaped you along the way. I like to get a sense of what you’re carrying and what feels most important right now, and from there, we can begin to find the direction that feels right for our work together.

What therapy with me feels like

I hope my clients feel as comfy as they would in their own living room with a most trusted friend to show up exactly how they are. I hope they feel a sense of deep safety even with holding the hard stuff, and feel truly witnessed and supported.

What helps people heal

I tell everyone that the most important part of therapy is that it feels meaningful for you. The biggest indicator of growth is often how connected and understood you feel by your therapist. More than any specific technique, it’s the relationship that creates change. If something ever feels off or not quite right, I always invite you to say so — therapy works best when we can be real about what’s working and what isn’t.

What I hope you take with you

I hope our work helps my clients feel more grounded in who they are, more self-compassionate, and connected to their own inner wisdom which will guide them long after therapy ends. I hope they leave therapy not only with insight or healing, but with a deep sense of self-trust that continues to unfold in their lives.