Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Halverson.
Hi Ashley, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I have always been passionate about reproductive knowledge and justice. I began my career as an intern working in domestic violence where I saw a lot of postpartum depression and violence in pregnancy. I became more and more interested in supporting people through this very transformative time of life.
In 2019, I was lucky enough to work for a brand new community mental health program addressing pregnancy and postpartum mental health disorders. I completed home visits with individuals struggling with pregnancy/postpartum mental health disorders. The experience was beyond rewarding, and I could see the changes for the clients.
Upon obtaining my license, I was able to build my skillset by working for a group practice and as a hospital social worker at Sharp Mary Birch. In these roles, I learned how to support individuals going through reproductive and pregnancy loss, infertility, NICU admissions, and birth trauma. I am grateful to have had these experiences prior to opening my own practice in 2022. Three years later, I’m more passionate than when I began!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Far from it! I struggled with imposter syndrome and putting myself out in the world. I had to learn a whole world of business operations that weren’t taught in graduate school. I made mistakes and learned a lot about my limits and abilities.
Personally, since opening my practice, my husband had been laid off from a job while I was building clientele, I went through my own reproductive grief with infertility and a miscarriage, and I was diagnosed with a few autoimmune disorders. Thankfully, my husband was quickly hired at a new company, and I am finally in a good place with my health after navigating a complicated health system to get appropriate treatment.
I have had to learn to embrace who I am and navigate feelings of shame, vulnerability, and inadequacy. I thought people wanted a perfect therapist who had it all together. What I found was that people wanted to know that they are understood — nobody is perfect. This has led me to slowly open up about my own experiences with infertility and pregnancy loss. I think that through all of my challenges, I have become a stronger therapist who can use real life examples to support my clients in their hardships.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Inclusive Reproductive Healing is a Mental Health Therapy Practice to provide individual therapy to those looking for support in their reproductive journeys. I founded Inclusive Reproductive Healing because I believe all reproductive stories deserve care.
Too often, these stories are met with silence, dismissal, or judgment. But the truth is, every reproductive journey is unique—and every story is worthy of compassionate, affirming care.
Our reproductive narratives don’t start and stop with pregnancy. They begin in childhood and continue to evolve throughout our lives, influenced by our identities, our bodies, and our life experiences. From early conversations about menstruation or sex, to decisions about fertility, parenting, or ending a pregnancy—these experiences shape who we are.
All reproductive choices and transitions deserve care and support without judgment.
At Inclusive Reproductive Healing, we believe in holding space for all of it: the beauty, the heartbreak, the complexity. Whether you are excited about becoming a parent or unsure of what’s next, we will walk beside you with compassion, respect, and evidence-based support.
We support people through a range of reproductive and perinatal mental health concerns from trying to conceive to end of reproductive years and menopause.
I have obtained specialized training to become a certified perinatal mental health therapist as well as received training to offer EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) to address trauma.
The word inclusive is important to me because I want to include ALL reproductive stories and lived experiences.
This includes LGBTQIA+ families, single parents by choice, people using surrogacy or donor conception, people choosing to remain child-free, and people with disabilities navigating reproductive healthcare.
Your story is honored here—no matter your background, identity, or path.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
There are a few qualities that have guided me in my journey. I think my curiosity has kept me asking questions and prompted me to try new things and learn. I am always trying to learn new things, sometimes out of necessity and other times to satisfy my own curiosity.
Perseverance has kept me from quitting or wanting to hide amongst the crowd. Some may call it stubbornness, but those who have been through infertility know that something inside of you takes over in ways you never thought you were capable of.
I also love learning about new cultures and practices. I lived in Thailand for 8 months during graduate school and am married to an Indian man. I love how language, food, and openness can lead to new worlds and experiences.
Pricing:
- 55 Minute Sessions -225
- Some Insurances Accepted
- You may qualify for out of network benefits through your insurance plan. I can provide a “super bill” to submit to insurance for reimbursment.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.inclusivereproductivehealing.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inclusivereproductivehealing/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inclusivereproductivehealing
Image Credits
Alyxandria Usle
