Working with Ashley has been nothing short of life changing for me. I was terrified and skeptical to start therapy, but from our first session, Ashley made me feel safe and comfortable, heard and understood. After 1-2 sessions, things started to click and I couldn’t believe I waited so long to begin. Ashley has been there to support me during the darkest times of my life. She’s provided tools to help me better understand myself and to help me cope outside of our sessions. She approaches our sessions with infinite patience and sincere compassion and asks me things that I’ve never considered. From a girl who never knew who she was, I now have a better understanding of who I am and a strong awareness of self. Ashley creates a non-judgmental environment and can somehow make sense of what feels like chaos in my mind. I truly look forward to our sessions and think she’s an amazing therapist, and an even better human. I am forever grateful and would highly recommend Ashley!
-Mary
I found my husband after his suicide by gunshot. I did cognitive behavioral therapy and saw a psychiatrist for the first year after his death. While talking about my trauma helped, it only helped to a point. The medications my psychiatrist prescribed helped too, but only to a point. I was still plagued by depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and persistent intrusive thoughts and images. Frankly, there were times I just wanted to give up. I was desperate to try anything that might help.
I had read “The Body Keeps the Score” by Bessel Van der Kolk, who explained how trauma could become trapped in the body. One method he talked about was EMDR, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. Having a scientific background myself, I was skeptical that something like moving my eyes back and forth while talking with a therapist about my trauma would help. Still, desperate times called for desperate measures.
My psychiatrist referred me to Ashley DePrez for EMDR. The EMDR treatment definitely increased my anxiety at first, especially morning anxiety. I pushed through, and I cried through entire sessions at times. It was not easy, but then I started to notice changes. First, I was having fewer, then no, intrusive thoughts and images. When I did think about how I found my husband, I could do so without being overcome by emotion. I still had lots of morning anxiety and cried a lot, but with more EMDR work, one day I noticed that some days I was waking up without morning anxiety. After more sessions, my morning anxiety resolved altogether. After several months of EMDR, I told Ashley, “It’s strange, but I can’t remember the last time I cried.” It was such a relief for my body and mind to be able to feel peace again.
One additional benefit of doing EMDR that I didn’t expect has been working through some negative thoughts about myself that came from my hypercritical father.and that have persisted throughout my adult life. We’ve addressed thoughts like, “I’m a failure” and “there’s something wrong with me.” I’m seeing positive changes in the way I think about myself and, interestingly, even in my relationship with my father.
For anyone skeptical of EMDR, I totally get it. But as Ashley said, “When it works, it REALLY works.” I now wholeheartedly endorse EMDR, and it can even work if you’re initially a doubter. I’m so glad to feel stability and peace in my life again, and to actually feel like I like who I am now. Sometimes it takes a village to help someone heal, and there’s no shame in that. I’m grateful to my cognitive behavioral therapist, my psychiatrist, and Ashley for taking me through the process of EMDR.
-Anne
Ashley is an excellent EMDR therapist. She made me feel comfortable from the start and guided me through the process with patience. I noticed significant improvements in my emotional well-being. Ashley is compassionate, professional, and truly skilled in this therapeutic approach. I highly recommend her to anyone considering EMDR therapy.
-Theo
I have been seeing Ashley for a couple of years and always look forward to our sessions. She is extremely thoughtful, knowledgeable, and has given me tools to manage anxiety that are invaluable. She also does a wonderful job of making recommendations to books/podcasts that are helpful to specific circumstances that I am facing, which helps me to gain another perspective as well. Overall I would recommend her to anyone! She is amazing.
-Hannah
Ashley is the best, hands down. I've seen multiple therapists in my life & none hold a candle to Ashley. I learned of her through a good friend & co-worker who had lost her dad & that is one of the many things she helped me through over the last several years I've seen her. Weather it's individual work, grief counseling or marriage therapy, she is my Go-To. You won't find anyone else more intelligent, skilled in what they do, compassionate & that truly cares for your well-being.
-Chelsea
Years of childhood trauma has controlled my life and left me with a string of broken relationships and insecurities. After years of therapy, I finally was able to meet a therapist to help guide me through my past and start my progress towards healing my inner child. Ashley has helped me to gain confidence in myself, has provided me with tools to understand why I behave as I do, and most importantly how to work through my issues. I would highly recommend Ashley if you're willing to do the work it takes to grow and become your best self!
-LC
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