I am a licensed clinical social worker and doctoral candidate. I received my undergraduate degree in applied science with a concentration in business administration from Texas A&M-Central Texas before going on to Our Lady of the Lake University to pursue a master's degree in social work. I have experience in different levels of care including inpatient, partial hospitalization and outpatient settings. Working in a range of settings has allowed me to gain experience with several populations in mental health including children and families in crisis, trauma focused military programs for active duty and dependents, as well as dual diagnosis and persistent and severe mental illness. During the course of my career, I discovered my passion for trauma focused work  as it seemed almost every patient/client I encountered had a life story that included unprocessed and unintegrated trauma. This dedication to trauma work has continued in my pursuit of my doctor of education degree in community care and counseling with a focus in trauma counseling. I am in my dissertation phase and am working to actively understand to the greatest extent possible how attachment between children and their caregivers becomes severely ruptured to the point of estrangement.  I am originally from Northern New Jersey, but after serving six years in the Army as a combat medic (68W), decided to call Texas home. I have been settled in Bell County since 2011 and love to enjoy Lake Belton, travel the state in my camper with my husband, remodel thrifted furniture, and spend quality time with my three children.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

Your processing trauma journey will begin with an intake going over history, policies and procedures. We will either complete diagnostic screening tools together, or we will review the results from your completed assessments. Next, you share with me your goals for counseling and we begin the process. I offer weekly or every other week sessions, based on what you feel you need.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

I am most knowledgeable regarding trauma so, if you've experience an event or multiple events that you feel are traumatic, I'm probably worth considering. Within the trauma sphere, I am especially adept in attachment trauma and veteran/military trauma. Attachment trauma can mean experiencing divorce, difficulty connecting with a child, processing your own childhood trauma, parent/child estrangement, or sibling conflict. I also have knowledge regarding blended family and divorce dynamics not only from my personal experience but from the time and effort I have put into understanding the unique challenges of step families such as insider/outsider dynamics and co-parenting conflict resolution. For my veterans, my personal experience in the Army from 2009-2014 is what I rely on to provide an empathetic and safe space for you to process, and I am particularly helpful with moral injury issues.

About Ashten G