Ashley Bozeman,LPC

My name is Ashley Bozeman, LPC 2943. My approach to therapy is very person-centered and strengths-focused. I have experience with a plethora of mental health illnesses, including anxiety, depression, self-harming, relationships and boundary setting, addiction, and behavior change.

I tend to use a lot of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). There is strength in radical acceptance and being able to identify your needs without feeling guilt or shame for asserting those needs. I believe there is importance in prioritizing immediate needs while identifying ways to increase overall quality of life. I have seen that incorporating art therapy into sessions can be helpful, and I do like to give homework so that we can see a physical representation of what was and what is.

I have worked with children, adolescents, adults, and families for various reasons. I feel most comfortable working with adolescents (age 13-17) and adults in individual therapy sessions, but am not uncomfortable with PRN family or couples sessions. My experience in a variety of settings has led to comfort working with persons experiencing anxiety, depression, self-harm, and chronic suicidality.

This is a safe space. I am not here to shame you or minimize your thoughts, feelings, or actions. I am here for you, with your needs in mind. I like to begin sessions with a brief recap since our previous sessions and then we dive right in. If you're here, you've taken the first step. You are choosing to be uncomfortably happier instead of comfortably unhappy. You are the captain of our journey, and I will keep track of our map. Welcome.

I have struggled with my own depression and anxiety for years. In doing such, I did not have opportunity for therapy consistently and mental health was certainly not well-received in my home community. I witnessed mental illness, especially severe mental illness such as psychosis, and the stigma around it negatively impact many people and families. I saw a need for someone to embrace persons with mental illness and provide a loving and caring environment. The very environment I longed for myself. Since I could not find that environment as a younger person, I chose to create that environment as an adult.

We will generalize all intended goals and then prioritize based on both client preference and immediate need. I do things very collaboratively and prefer for clients to take the lead in saying what they need. Goal-setting can be difficult in general, so I always like to throw in some general goals that all people could use, including boundary setting and improving communications skills.

First session is an opportunity for us to get to know each other a bit and build rapport while identifying expectations for what we will be doing in our time together. The first session is mostly information gathering and demonstrating the safety that is provided in our sessions.