Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Shovel.
Hi Ashley, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
In my early childhood, I experienced two very different worlds – chaos and disconnect disguised as independence. The conflicting messages led to hyper-independence as well as a lot of confusion and internal conflict as I tried to make sense of the world. As the only daughter in the family, paired with the hyper-independence, it became my role to caretake and while as a child I loved and embraced it, the older I got, the more difficult it became to separate myself from that role. This role in my family shaped a huge part of my personality, and honestly, how I viewed myself. People-pleasing became a priority, I was not thinking for myself, rather, doing things to make others happy, gravitating towards people and situations that caused internal chaos because that was familiar – that was all I knew.
I had just gotten my Bachelors degree (first generation on my mom’s side of the family) and was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, so while I knew I wanted to pursue a Masters degree because I found validation and purpose in learning, I wanted to take time off from school and explore what options were out there. That led me to a Marketing position where I was to be replacing a wonderful woman who was leaving that job to pursue her Masters degree in Counseling. I was so inspired by who she was as a person, her journey, and learning more about what being a counselor entailed (I was never exposed to or taught mental health support growing up), that after only a couple of months in that position, I applied for Graduate school and began the program shortly after that.
Through Graduate school, I was challenged in ways I never knew were possible. I was encouraged to think for and understand myself for the first time in my life; I discovered who I am outside of the caretaker role. My life and world truly changed for the better and I will forever be grateful for Graduate school.
A few months before graduation, I met the love of my life, my now husband. I worked as a Therapist in a PHP/IOP facility, then transitioned to different private practices and felt very content with where I was at. It wasn’t until we decided to move to the Prosper area and I was interviewing at different practices, when I decided to shift out of complacency, be brave, and start something new. I found Findlay Therapy Services, a practice that encouraged me to build and establish my own practice while offering office space and a collaborative approach to therapy; I began doing just that and here we are!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t think anyone can say it’s been a smooth road to perceived success, but I think that’s what makes success so unique, beautiful, and fulfilling. My biggest struggles were honestly my trauma and myself, which feels so cheesy to type out, but I genuinely feel like my inability to think for myself held me back in so many ways. If I had never took a hard look at myself and challenged my existing beliefs, worked through all of the childhood trauma and subsequent beliefs of who and how I should be, I think I would have stayed stuck in those unhealthy patterns, continuing to gravitate towards chaos and internal conflict. I wouldn’t have had the self-worth or confidence to push through the fear of “what if this doesn’t work out” and, as we say in the therapy world, trust the process.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am the Founder and Owner of Allied Therapy Center. I see clients across the lifespan, so ages 3-100 years old. I specialize in childhood trauma and court, but see clients with a wide variety of struggles such as Anxiety, Depression, low self-worth and confidence, co-parenting issues, etc. I utilize different modalities such as Play Therapy, CBT, TF-CBT, IFS Informed, and EMDR trained.
I am most proud of my human-first approach to therapy. With each client that comes into my office, I am intentional about connecting with them, making them feel seen and heard before I focus on their diagnoses. I view the diagnoses as evidence of something much deeper and in order to heal at the root, I believe that we need to feel unconditional care and safety, which begins with connection.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Growth happens in discomfort. I think that being able to feel the fear, shift to logic brain and truly ask myself, “What is this fear trying to tell me? Am I actually in danger or is this a new idea or experience and I am just worried because of the uncertainty?”. There’s no certainty in life, so reflecting in that way reminds me to GO FOR IT! Because if it doesn’t work out, there will be a lesson learned that will help you reach your goal in a more authentic and beautiful way in the future.
Pricing:
- I accept Aetna and UHC insurances
- Private Pay is $150/session
Contact Info:
- Website: https://alliedtherapycenter.com
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/alliedtherapycenter
