Ashley

Ashley McCleery, MSc

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

“I am perinatal therapist (PMH-C), focusing on matrescence (the process of becoming a mother).”

About Me

Hello there, mama. It's okay to not be okay. It's okay to feel touched out, overwhelmed, exhausted, confused, angry, sad, and anxious. You are in matrescence: the process of becoming a mother. Think adolescence but with a lot less sleep and a lot more responsibility. A word that makes space for the hormonal, physical, emotional, mental and social upheaval that accompanies any and all stages of becoming a mother: fertility struggles, conception, miscarriage, pregnancy, birth, infant loss, surrogacy, adoption, and the post natal period. I am a PMH-C (perinatal mental health certified) and have 10+ years of training in psychodynamic therapy. I help make sense of the overwhelm in motherhood and identify triggers that may stem from your experience with your own mother/prominent caregiver. Together we make sense of your experiences, highlight your strengths, and find more avenues of support.

Approach

I'd love to come alongside you in the process of matrescence, offering you a warm space to rediscover buried parts of yourself and integrate them with this new version of you.
Contact Ashley

Ask a quick question or arrange a time to meet.

Basic Information

In-person & Online

Services

I offer relational depth oriented therapy to expecting, new, and seasoned mothers. Additionally, I offer parent coaching, in which I help parents reflect on their child's emotional, physical, and sensory needs and discover ways to adjust parenting to fit their unique profile.

Services Offered:

  • Psychodynamic Therapy

    A therapy that explores how past experiences and unconscious patterns shape current feelings, relationships, and behaviour.

    Learn more about Psychodynamic Therapy
  • Family Therapy

    A form of therapy that works with family members together to improve communication, resolve conflict, and strengthen relationships within the family system.

    Learn more about Family Therapy
  • Individual Therapy

    One-on-one therapy sessions between a client and a therapist, focused on that person's specific concerns and goals.

    Learn more about Individual Therapy
  • Individual Psychotherapy

    In-depth one-on-one therapy that explores the deeper roots of a person's difficulties, often drawing on psychodynamic or psychoanalytic models.

  • Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy

    A therapy grounded in psychoanalytic theory that explores unconscious patterns, early experiences, and the therapeutic relationship, typically at a lower session frequency than full psychoanalysis.

  • Psychoeducation

    Structured information provided about a mental health condition (what it is, why it occurs, and what strategies can help) as part of the therapeutic process.

    Learn more about Psychoeducation

Works With:

  • Adults
  • Families
  • Individuals
  • Elderly
  • Parents

Area of Expertise

Scope of Practice:

  • Grief & Loss

    The emotional, physical, and psychological response to the death of a loved one or another significant loss.

    Learn more about Grief & Loss
  • LGBTQI+ Support

    The unique psychological experiences of LGBTQI+ individuals, including identity exploration, coming out, discrimination, minority stress, and relationship dynamics.

  • Identity Issues

    A person's sense of who they are, including their values, beliefs, roles, and self-perception, and the distress that arises when this sense is unclear, fragmented, or negative.

  • Parenting Support

    Guidance for the psychological challenges of raising children, including discipline, communication, co-parenting, and managing the emotional demands of parenthood.

  • Self-Esteem

    A person's overall sense of their own worth and value. When chronically low, it can drive self-doubt, avoidance, and difficulty in relationships.

    Learn more about Self-Esteem
  • Child Behaviour

    Behavioural difficulties in children, such as tantrums, aggression, withdrawal, or defiance, that signal emotional distress or developmental needs.

  • Women's Issues

    Psychological challenges more commonly experienced by women, including gender-based stress, reproductive health concerns, body image, caregiving burden, and societal expectations.

  • Depression

    A mood disorder marked by persistent low mood, loss of interest or pleasure, and changes in energy, sleep, or appetite that impair daily functioning.

    Learn more about Depression
  • Pregnancy & Fertility Issues

    The emotional and psychological dimensions of pregnancy, fertility treatment, pregnancy loss, or the transition to parenthood.

    Learn more about Pregnancy & Fertility Issues
  • Postnatal or Perinatal Depression

    Depression occurring during pregnancy or in the months following childbirth, affecting mood, energy, bonding with the baby, and daily functioning.

    Learn more about Postnatal or Perinatal Depression

Professional Title:

  • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

    A therapist licensed to work with couples and families on relationship difficulties, communication, and family dynamics.

Credentials

Registrations

California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS)

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)

Registration: #103077

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Qualifications

Master of Science (MSc)

Fuller Graduate School of Psychology

Year: 2014

Service Areas

Ashley McCleery, LMFT

In-person & Online

South Arroyo

Pasadena, California 91105

United States

South Arroyo, Pasadena, United States