About Ashley

Trauma Therapist for Adults and EMDR-Certified Therapist San Francisco and online in California

Trauma Therapist for Adults

After months and years of therapy, you are still feeling that there are old, deep-seated issues that haven’t been addressed.

You become the little child again who feels hurt and harmed. There are just so many parts you don’t like about yourself. You’re exhausted. You are crying for help inside. Nothing is changing on the outside. You are overwhelmed with your emotions. You are afraid of breaking down. You may have done CBT or DBT and learned some great skills for managing your emotions and practicing distress tolerance. 

But, your individual therapist finally tells you that you may have trauma and need a trauma specialist for trauma therapy.

You are ready for a real change 

Hi, My name is Ashley.

Trauma Therapist Ashley Lee, LCSW

Ah Hyun “Ashley” Lee, Licensed Clinical Social Worker #105879 in California

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of California. I’m an EMDR Certified Therapist, a Relational Therapist, and a Trauma Therapist.

Did you know? Not everyone is a trauma therapist. But I love working with trauma. I am not an eclectic psychotherapist or a generalist. I focus on psychotherapy for adults, orient from an attachment-based relational approach, and use EMDR therapy.

What you can expect from trauma therapy with me is weekly individual sessions that are trauma-focused. Don’t get intimidated! I work at your pace. Therapy is not about me. It is about you, for you, and by you. What you will experience from each session is Hope, Relief, Expression/Release, and Empathy. You will not waste your time but get to the heart of trauma. You will be off therapy then so that you can go back and live your life, keep your job, and pursue your goals.

Ashley’s treatment approaches in individual therapy for adults

  • Relational / AEDP

    Using the power of the relationship between the Therapist and the Client through building a sense of Safety and Trust. Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP™) further facilitates the experience of deep empathy, connection, and healing.

  • EMDR

    Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy is a highly effective evidence-based treatment approach, targeting distressing memories of the past that continue to drive the current ongoing issues in the present moment

  • IFS

    Internal Family System explores the relationships among the different parts (e.g., the angry one, the analytical one, the emotional one, etc.) in us and helps us become compassionate toward ourselves.

  • Emotion-Focused

    Emotions cannot be separated from trauma work. We pay careful and caring attention to emotions. It is the process of healing trauma through emotional attuning, tracking, and validating.

  • Somatic

    Somatic work is an essential part of healing trauma, connecting the body and mind, fully and wholly experiencing memories stored in the body

A relational therapist is NOT a relationship therapist. A relational therapist attunes to you in the therapy space, notices changes in your emotions, comfort level, and pays attention to the dynamics in the relationship, and gently opens up the space for you to attune to yourself. I deliver and transfer what I have learned and experienced from specific, advanced training for trauma treatment to the therapy space and to you. 

Individual Psychotherapist for Adults

Therapy is where I get to deeply connect with my clients emotionally. We get to be honest with ourselves. You are bringing out the vulnerable and authentic part of you, even welcoming the sense of numbness and leaving out the fake mask that you hold to protect yourself.

EMDR Certified Therapist for Trauma Therapy

“What is EMDR Therapy? How Do I Know If It’s Right for Me?”

EMDR Therapy is structured and trauma-focused in an expedited process with lasting results. It encourages you to attune and pay attention to all aspects of your memories and your reactions in the present moment. All aspects refer to images, physical sensations, emotions, thoughts, and beliefs. You get to listen to and care for your inner child. Its process of healing also asks you to be creative in your unique way.

As an EMDR Certified Therapist, I connect with you emotionally, welcoming the honest self through vulnerability. I love the heavy work because I get to witness the beautiful process of transformation of the traumatic narratives into compassion and empathy toward self. It does not tire me out. It energizes me and motivates me to continue this work. The transformation through EMDR Therapy is inspiring and empowering. It truly shows the evidence that therapy works!

I continue to seek training for best practices and evidence-based treatment, invest my time and money, and stay passionate about trauma work. 


Here is a little bit more about my background!

I earned my Master’s in Social Work from the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago. Before that, I earned my Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area right after graduation for my first job as a mental health counselor. I love it ever since!

 

Get started with trauma-focused therapy and trauma counseling, today.

Take the first step toward healing. Schedule a trauma counseling session in San Francisco with our empathetic therapist. Your journey to recovery begins here.