Hi, I’m Ashley Germann LISW-S, PMH-C! I am a licensed social worker in Ohio providing psychotherapy to moms and birthing persons!

I work best with Millennial and Gen Z moms who are navigating the complex, often messy transition into motherhood and the early years of raising tiny humans. Whether it’s the loss of identity, the social isolation, feeling the pressure to be a “perfect” mom, crippling anxiety, mom rage, or navigating the mental load of being the one who always has it together—I know that we all mom better when we have a village of support!

I strive to create a space where you can come just as you are- messy bun, covered in spit up, dropping f bombs if you need to (and most moms need to), baby in your arms if that’s what feels good.  And also a space where it’s not only safe but encouraged to say the scary thoughts out loud, a place where you can drop the social media filter and say that being a mom is hard, that it’s not what you expected or were told it would be like and that you’re struggling with rage or intrusive thoughts that you were not prepared for. In this space, we examine the experience of motherhood through an intersectional feminist lens and call out the patriarchal bullshit when we see it- because you aren’t failing but society is exiling your needs and dismissing your value and there’s something you can do about it!

Even though I can relate to coping with the new normal of parenthood and attempting to raise good humans (twin preschoolers are no joke- equally the greatest and hardest thing I have ever done), YOU are the expert on your own life story. I will hold space for all your parts, no matter how messy they are. We will laugh. We will probably cry some too. We will curse the patriarchy together. And I will definitely remind you to give yourself some grace numerous times along the way. My style is laid back and relational, so if you’re looking for a super structured approach, I might not be the best fit for you (but I’m always happy to play therapist matchmaker to help you find the best fit).

I believe that even with overlapping themes, all clients deserve a customized approach to counseling, so treatment with every client looks a little bit different depending on their goals, presenting concerns and personality. I have advanced training in dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), systems theory, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), brainspotting, mindfulness, internal family systems (IFS) and tend to root my work in my own unique blend of psychodynamic theory, feminist theory and relational theory (but I promise Freud would be really pissed off at my version of psychotherapy, so know we aren’t brining any of his energy into this space, but know that it is nearly impossible to talk about YOUR experience mothering without talking about your experience being mothered, so we are definitely going to talk about your parents at least a little bit haha).

I feel like my social work professors would literally hit the floor if they read this next part, but I also think it’s important for you to understand my values as a human prior to working with me. I don’t believe that therapists are supposed to be blank slates and I firmly believe (and the research indicates) that the relationship between the therapist and the client is one of the most, if not the most, important factor is predicting treatment outcomes. I strive to help people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, races, ethnicities and body sizes feel respected and safe with me. I believe that as a provider it is my job to center in anti-oppression in my work; carefully examining and scrutinizing my own beliefs and biases, seeking out ongoing education from those with lived experiences much different than my own and always doing my best to validate and understand the experiences being shared with me. As a provider who specializes in working with women in their reproductive era, I am strongly committed to upholding the ideals of reproductive justice, which is defined by SisterSong as “the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities.”

My goal is to join your village, help you bravely own your story and support you on your journey of being a “good enough” mom!