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ABOUT ME

I built my career around life’s hardest moments.

Not because I’m brave or unaffected by grief, but because I understand it.

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As a hospital social worker in the family birth unit, I supported families experiencing the heartbreak of stillbirth and traumatic births. Working in community mental health, I supported young families navigating trauma. And now, in my private practice, I choose to walk beside people like you: those experiencing a kind of pain that doesn’t always get spoken about out loud.

I specialize in infertility and reproductive grief because I understand the unrelenting cycle of hope and disappointment that it brings.

I know the way it feels when your life is put on hold while everyone else seems to move forward with ease. I understand the mental weight of always having "the next step" somewhere in the back of your mind. I recognize how hard it is to navigate painful questions from people who don't quite understand. And I understand what it's like to feel a lack of control with your own body and in your own life, and how disorienting that can be.

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I became a therapist because I wanted to bridge the gap between what my clients were going through and what the people around them knew how to hold. I wanted my clients to be able to sit in a room where their pain finally made sense to someone else.

So I decided to build one…

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Ashley Sullivan Therapy is a space where the full weight of this experience is welcome.

Whether you’re a woman pursuing her dream of motherhood or you’re a hopeful LGBTQ+ parent navigating surrogacy or donor conception, I've sat with all the questions: when to keep going and when to imagine a different kind of beautiful future. 

Because of that, some days this work means sitting in the hardest parts of grief. Other days, it means witnessing something remarkable – a parent finally holding the baby they fought so hard for. 

Both are why I do this.

I’m Ready To Help
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Ashley Sullivan, LCSW (she/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Ashley Sullivan is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Oregon (License #L6245) and the owner of Ashley Sullivan Therapy, a private practice near Mt. Tabor in SE Portland, specializing in fertility counseling and reproductive grief.

    • BS, Psychology | University of Idaho, 2009

    • BS, Child Development & Family Relations | University of Idaho, 2009

    • Master of Social Work (MSW) |  Saint Louis University, 2011

  • Fertility Related Certifications

    • Private practice owner, Ashley Sullivan Therapy | 2024–present

    • Outpatient mental health therapist, adult & child populations | 2019–2024

    • Pediatric hospital social worker, Pediatric ED & Family Birth Unit |  2018–2019

    • Early Childhood Mental Health Therapist, community mental health | 2011–2016

  • Ashley's approach is strengths-based and compassion-focused, blending steady emotional attunement with gentle, honest guidance. 

    Her work draws on attachment theory, trauma-informed care, and mindfulness-based self-compassion to help clients feel safe enough to be fully honest and supported enough to move toward growth.

    • Internal Family Systems (IFS) | This approach helps us understand the different parts of you, like the part that's still hopeful, the part that's exhausted, and the part that's angry. This ensures none of your emotions have to be pushed aside.

    • Attachment-Informed Therapy & Trauma-Informed Care | Fertility treatment and loss can bring up old wounds around control, safety, and trust. I bring an understanding of how past experiences shape present pain.

    • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) | Infertility can leave you stuck fighting thoughts and feelings you can't control. We'll work on making room for that discomfort instead of battling it, while getting clear on what matters most to you and taking steady steps toward it.

    • Narrative & Schema Therapy | Together, we can gently examine the stories you've been told and tell yourself about your body, your worth, and your future, and begin to reshape the ones that no longer serve you.

    • Mindful Self-Compassion | Especially in seasons of grief and waiting, learning to meet yourself with the same compassion you'd offer a friend can be transformative.

    Other modalities I use in my practice :

A circular logo for Fertility Counseling Certification from 2025 to 2026, featuring a cluster of cells in the center, with the names Laura Covington and Kristy Koser, and the text indicating 30-hour postgraduate training. 
ARE YOU READY TO FEEL BETTER?

Your next step doesn't have to be your final answer.

Let’s explore the possibilities together.

Reach Out