Ashley Floyd, LMFT
Hello! If you’ve found yourself here, I’m guessing you are considering setting up a therapy session with me, or you found me on Instagram (@ashleyofmultitudes) and are wanting to learn more about the therapist behind the page. Either way, I am glad you’re here!
I want this article to give you an idea of who I am as a therapist, but I’m not sure that’s such an easy task. There are so many ways to answer that question. I could talk about my theoretical orientation, my credentials, the therapeutic interventions I use, my philosophy of change, etc., but these things say nothing about how I show up “in the room”. So, I want to try to talk about both here: how I do the therapy and the energy I bring to sessions. Can we fit all of that into a single blog post? Let’s find out!
Let’s start with how I like to show up in the therapy room. Admittedly, this is a tough question to answer because it will honestly depend on what you are looking for in a session. For example, you may want me to be active in steering conversations or you may prefer to have me be a sounding board. You may be ready to dive right into deep, emotional conversations, or we may need to build up to that slowly. I am happy to tailor my approach based on what exactly you’re looking for. (And if you’re unsure what you’re looking for, that’s okay too.)
While those specifics may vary, there are absolutely consistencies that I bring to session, that I consider core to myself as a therapist. My number one priority is creating a space that feels calm, non-judgmental, and safe. Therapy should be your time to bring up whatever is present for you, without fear of judgment. My second priority is creating a session that aligns with what you need. Sometimes that’s a decompression session, sometimes that’s venting, and sometimes that’s a really good cry. I am flexible with what our sessions look like and, while I will come to session with a plan, I’m always open to throwing that plan out the window to do the work that needs to be done in that moment.
So, what exactly would a session with me look like?
Generally, I will use an Internal Family Systems (IFS) approach in our therapy. While it would be too much to lay out here, essentially this means that I help you develop a deeper understanding of yourself so you can use this understanding to make the changes you want to see. I believe that change happens when our thoughts and emotions no longer have control over us, when we can learn how to work with our internal system in a way that isn’t self-blaming or shaming, and when we are able to experience and show ourselves true self-compassion.
Specifically, I will ask you about how you have been since our last session and ask if there are any recent events or situations that you would like to talk about. We might revisit past conversations to dig deeper into previously discussed issues. I may teach you new skills, such as mindfulness, that can be used in and out of the therapy room. We may get some in-session practice on regulating whatever emotions come up during session. We might end session with a meditation or casual conversation to allow you some time to decompress after difficult conversations. Each session naturally looks a little different, but I do create consistencies from session to session so you can feel more at ease.
While my credentials don’t tell you much about who I am as a therapist, I did want to include them here in case you were curious as to my training. I graduated with my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from UW-Madison in 2016 and with my Master’s in Human Development and Family Studies (with an emphasis on Couple and Family Therapy) from the University of Rhode Island in 2019. I became a fully licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in 2020. Until 2022, I was working for a fantastic group practice in Michigan (Perspectives Therapy Services). My husband and I moved to Wisconsin and I started Multitudes Therapy Practice in the summer of 2022. I will be going back to school in the fall of 2022 to obtain a Master’s degree in Human Sexuality from Widener University.
I hope getting a glimpse into my training, how I show up in the room, and how I typically conduct therapy has given you an idea of who I am as a therapist. Of course, personal interaction is a significantly better way to get an idea of someone’s personality and way of working, and I encourage you to give me a call to set up a free consultation to see if we are a good fit for each other. I look forward to meeting you!