Hi there! My name is Ashley (she/they) and I’m a full spectrum doula and somatic practitioner in Madison, WI. I work with parents and caregivers who are struggling to feel at home in their bodies before/during/after pregnancy or birth and are overwhelmed by the anxiety, panic, fear, anger, or grief that they are feeling. Sometimes this is due to a traumatic pregnancy/birth experience, and sometimes it feels like it is coming out of nowhere, but our weird & wise bodies have so much wisdom to offer if we can learn how to listen! This can be so difficult though since many of us weren’t really taught how to hear what our bodies are saying.

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One way to learn how to listen to our bodies is through somatic support (somatic = “of the body”) which addressed the fight/flight/freeze responses of the nervous system and works with the physiology of stress in the body. It is similar to talk therapy in a few ways: we meet for an hour, sessions can be virtual or in-person, what you share is kept confidential, and you’re welcome to bring your whole self and all your challenges & joys into the space. It’s also different from talk therapy though—instead of talking about difficult experiences and trying to understand these stories with our thinking brain, in a somatic session we are listening for the story the body is telling (through different sensations) and (re)learning to feel safe in our own skin in the present moment.

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If you’re curious about if somatic support is a good fit for you, you’re welcome to set up a free consultation to ask questions, share about where you’re at now (and where you hope to go!), and get more information about what to expect. Sessions are priced on a sliding scale ($40-$120) so that this support is hopefully accessible to anyone who wants it. I’d love to meet you and hear about your experience—reach out anytime!

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Training

• Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, Somatic Experiencing International, 2023-2026

• TRE Global Certification, Red Beard TRE, 2021

• Pet Hospice & Death Doula, Pet’s Point of View, 2020

• Holistic Birth Doula, The Matrona, 2019

• BA in Gender & Women’s Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2016-2019

• Abortion Doula, Spiral Collective, 2018

• Holistic Pregnancy Loss, Molly Dutton-Kenny CPM, 2017

• Fertility Awareness Educator, The Well, 2012-2014