That ah-ha moment—that moment when a woman finally sees beyond the sense of worthlessness and powerlessness and sees that her life is worth living—that’s what drew Dove House’s newest staff therapist Ashley Jackson, LMHC, to this essential recovery work. And she’s found that the Dove House staff is full of like-minded people who care about helping the women we serve find that hope.
She’s known since she was in middle school that she wanted to do this type of work.
“I’ve always genuinely enjoyed seeing the release that people get when they fully trust somebody to divulge the most private and intimate parts of their life,” Ashley says. “Many times, people don’t even want suggestions or recommendations. They just want somebody to listen. I enjoy being that person for people.”
To Ashley, what makes Dove House different from other treatment and recovery programs is the focus on the women as people—not their disease. Providing the women with autonomy and teaching them that they have the power to make their own choices, versus staff making the choices for them, is another differentiator according to Ashley.
“We understand that ‘messing up’ is a human thing, not only an ‘addict thing,’” Ashley says. “We are cognizant of the stigma associated with substance abuse and mental health and stay aware of that when it comes to our interactions and decision making.”
The process at Dove House is strength-based and puts the focus back on the individuals that are being served. Ashley’s primary goal is to always humanize the individuals she’s working with. She likes to remind the women that she’s not the expert of their life—they are. She personally believes that all individuals are capable of change and, within the context of interpersonal safety, the process of healing can occur freely and naturally.
Ashley has been so pleased how self-care is highly emphasized at Dove House, not only for the ladies, but also for staff.
“In this field, we talk about self-care, but I think it’s hard for people to implement,” Ashley says. “Self-care is a conversation that is being had daily here, and it is appreciated!”
With an extremely active four-year-old son, Vincent, she definitely needs self-care. She often finds that in time with family … and cleaning! If you have the opportunity to meet Ashley, be sure to ask her if she enjoys shopping or cleaning more. She may surprise you.
Her wish for the women seeking help at Dove House is to feel empowered to make decisions for their lives and for them to know and feel that they are worth the help available to them.
We’re so glad to have Ashley on our team!
