About Me
For many years I lived with a persistent cast of inner critics running rampant in my head.
My journey to peace has taught me a lot about non-contingent worth and belonging. It showed me that even if we've lost touch with our goodness and wisdom, they are in fact unbreakable and ever present.
I learned that levity and a bit of sass go a long way, that joy too can be medicine, and that when we forge a kind self-relationship we pave the way to wellbeing and fulfillment.
Through it all, I've come to deeply appreciate that we're more than just bodies passing through this world. We are each experiencing a whole human adventure, with all its mess and beauty—profound beings with big hearts and innate wisdom navigating life's complexities. And when we start from this understanding, the work of quieting those critical voices in our head becomes less about fixing what's wrong. Rather, it becomes rediscovering that we're already - and will always be - whole and worthy.
This work is close to my heart. I'm genuinely honored to partner with you in exploring your lived experience alongside your heart longings, tapping into your creative and spiritual depth, and creating space where you can heal and bring true meaning and wholeness to your life.
Ashley Dahl, MSW, LSWAIC, CMT-P
Modalties
Mindful Self-Compassion
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Positive Psychology
Buddhist Psychology
Mindfulness
Humanistic Therapy
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
Nature Therapy
Spiritual Therapy
Somatic Relaxation
Existential Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Results and Solutions-Based Therapy
Narrative Therapy
Nonviolent Communication
Motivational Interviewing
Coaching
My Background
My therapy practice has been shaped by years of education and training, woven together with my own path through mindfulness and contemplative traditions. My extensive leadership experience brings additional depth to my executive therapy sessions and work with professionals.
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I’ve long been passionate about supporting people in their experience of purpose, belonging, and joy. Through my studies in philosophy and political science at Boston University, I came to realize the importance of reducing social and political barriers that can interfere with our capacity to live such lives of dignity and meaning.
This recognition inspired me to pursue a Master's degree in Social Work, with a focus on clinical practice from the University of Washington. My education was further enriched through the University of Washington's Graduate Training in Interdisciplinary Collaboration as well as Core Leadership programs, where I also received certification in Human Services Management. To expand upon my therapeutic approach, I completed ICF-accredited Professional Coach Training through Seattle Coach.
My practice is additionally informed by advanced training in Mindful Self-Compassion, Buddhist Psychology, Non-Violent Communication, and Somatic Relaxation.
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My contemplative journey began in childhood through experiences in the natural world that taught me about inherent belonging, beauty, and awe—how nature offers perspective, shows paths for resilience, and simply holds us as we are. As a young adult, I began practicing meditation in the vipassana (insight) tradition, deepening this understanding of healing. This path led me to become accredited as a Mindfulness Teacher through the Mindfulness Training Institute. I further specialized through the Awake in the Wild Teacher Training apprenticeship program with dharma teacher Mark Coleman, focusing on the healing intersection between contemplative practices and natural environments.
My training also includes One Earth Sangha's Eco Sattva program, exploring how Buddhist teachings and practices can support meeting climate crises with compassionate presence. These influences inform my therapeutic work, bringing curiosity, wonder, and spacious presence to our sessions.
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My path to executive therapy has been guided by decades of leadership experience. Before establishing my therapy practice, I served as an Executive Director for ten years and developed expertise as a mental health, life, and leadership coach for twenty years, supporting executives and founders navigating complex professional environments.
This extensive firsthand experience has given me unique insight into the delicate balance between professional demands and personal wellbeing, and the importance of an integrative therapeutic approach for professionals seeking to enhance resilience, decision-making capacity, and authentic presence while fostering whole life health. The combination of lived leadership experience, coaching facility and therapeutic depth allows me to offer executives and other professionals something potent: a space where they can explore their whole selves across all aspects of their lives.
CREDENTIALS
Washington State LSWAIC / SC 61676395
Clinical Supervision with Ariana Lloyd, LCSW / LW60908173
