Trauma Therapy for Children, Teens & Women
Ashley Hamby Counseling supports children, teens, and women navigating anxiety, overwhelm, life transitions, relationship struggles, painful experiences, and emotional stress that can feel difficult to carry alone.
Using trauma informed approaches such as EMDR therapy, Play Therapy, and practical tools drawn from CBT and DBT, counseling is tailored to support healing in developmentally appropriate, compassionate, and meaningful ways.
These challenges may show up as anxiety, burnout, perfectionism, ADHD, emotional overwhelm, difficulties in relationships, feeling disconnected from yourself, or patterns that feel hard to change.
Therapy offers a space to slow down, better understand yourself, process difficult experiences, and move toward greater clarity, confidence, healing, and connection.
In addition to in person counseling for children and teens in Mount Airy, virtual therapy services are available statewide for young adults and women seeking flexible, supportive care that meets them where they are.
Not sure where to begin? A complimentary 15 minute consultation offers a chance to connect, ask questions, and see if working together feels like the right fit.
My Approach
I specialize in trauma therapy for:
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Children and Teens (Integrating Play Therapy & EMDR)
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Young Adults Navigating Anxiety, Life Transitions, and Identity Development
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Women Across North Carolina Seeking Trauma-Informed Therapy
What this means:
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A space to slow down (in-person or virtual)
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A space that feels comfortable and steady
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Support in making sense of overwhelming experiences
How I work:
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Trauma-informed and developmentally appropriate
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Grounded in relationship and trust
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Client-led… not rushed or forced
Modalities I use:
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Play Therapy
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Person-Centered Therapy
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CBT, DBT, Art/Creative Therapies, IFS
What therapy feels like with me:
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You (or your child) are seen, heard, and understood
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I walk alongside you… not ahead of you
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I don’t “fix” or direct… I support discovery and growth
Areas of experience:
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Single-incident trauma
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Complex trauma
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Patterns that feel:
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overwhelming
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confusing
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hard to put into words
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The heart of my work:
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Building a sense of comfort or safety first
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Creating space for clarity
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Supporting resilience and inner strength
You do not need to have everything figured out before starting therapy. You are allowed to take up space, ask for support, and begin exactly where you are.
"Ashley truly listens. She's very empathetic, really present, and makes you feel heard, like your thoughts and feelings matter."
Shared Anonymously
"Ashley is a warm compassionate person who meets you where you are. She listens without judgement and provides thoughtful, honest guidance while genuinely caring about your well-being."
Shared Anonymously
"Ashley is organized, deeply insightful, and has a calming presence that makes you feel safe and supported."
Shared Anonymously
I had the pleasure of working with Ashley as her supervisor and was consistently inspired by her creativity, commitment to her clients, and genuine love of learning. She is a deeply caring and insightful clinician whose thoughtfulness and dedication show up in every aspect of her work.
Paige Bentley, Ph,D., LCMHCS, ACC, SEP, RYT
Signs You or Your Child is Struggling
For Women
Many of the women I work with come in already carrying a diagnosis… or with a long history of trying to understand what’s been going on beneath the surface.
I frequently support adults who have been diagnosed with:
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PTSD or Complex PTSD
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Depression, anxiety, or other mood-related concerns
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ADHD or long-standing attention and focus difficulties (often newly recognized in adulthood)
Sometimes, though, what brings someone in isn’t a diagnosis… it’s a pattern, a feeling, or a story that hasn’t had space to be understood yet.
I often work with women who are experiencing:
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Feeling like past experiences were misunderstood or labeled incorrectly
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Panic attacks or intense anxiety, especially in work settings
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Difficulty maintaining jobs due to stress or emotional overwhelm
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Challenges in romantic relationships, including trust, safety, or emotional closeness
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Strained or complicated relationships with a parent
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Lingering effects of religious trauma, including shame, fear, or feeling disconnected from faith
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The impact of a single overwhelming event (such as a car accident or sudden loss)
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The effects of ongoing emotional, verbal, or sexual abuse
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Sharing trauma for the first time, sometimes years later
For Parents
Children don’t always have the words to explain what they’ve been through… so it often shows up through behavior, emotions, and play.
I frequently work with children who may have diagnoses such as:
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PTSD, Anxiety
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ADHD or attention-related concerns
And many children I see are struggling with:
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Big emotions that feel hard to manage or come out in intense outbursts
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Difficulty following rules or directions, even when they know what’s expected
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Strong reactions to limits, correction, or discipline
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Seeming defiant, oppositional, or quick to say “no”… especially with parents or authority figures
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Behavioral concerns at school or daycare
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Experiences of abuse, whether within the family or by someone they trusted
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The impact of a single traumatic event
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Ongoing or repeated trauma over time
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Involvement with CPS, foster care, or kinship placements
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Adoption-related challenges and attachment difficulties
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Grief and loss, including the death of a loved one
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Sudden shifts in mood or behavior… where it feels like a different child from one moment to the next
Why I Do This Work
I became a therapist not just through education, but through lived experience. I know what it means to carry pain, to feel uncertain about the future, and to step courageously into a space hoping to be understood. My own journey through therapy is what led me here. I’ve sat in the client seat, and I know how transformative it can be to feel seen, supported, and truly cared for. That experience ignited my passion to help others do the same.
While our sessions will always be centered on *you* and your story, I want you to know that I bring not only professional training but genuine empathy and hard-won hope to our work together. This is more than a job to me, it’s a calling rooted in compassion, truth, and a deep belief in your ability to grow.
Professional Experience
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6+ Years of Counseling Experience
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EMDR-Trained, Play Therapy Trained, Trauma-Informed Therapist
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I've supported children, adolescents, and adults through assessment, diagnosis, and therapy in a variety of settings, including:
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Schools
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Day treatment programs
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Community mental health
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Appeared in Court as Trauma Specialist
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Outpatient services
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I've walked with clients navigating trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, ADHD, personality disorders, dissociation, and substance use. Each experience has strengthened my belief in every person's capacity for healing and growth.
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Ongoing learning, training, and consultation with a Certified EMDR Consultant and Registered Play Therapy Supervisor to continue deepening my skills and providing high-quality care.
Location
1427 Edgewood Dr.
Mt. Airy, NC 27030
Serving all of North Carolina
Ashley Hamby Counseling, PLLC
Ashley Hamby Counseling provides trauma informed therapy for children, teens, and women in North Carolina. Services include EMDR therapy and Play Therapy for children and adolescents in Mount Airy and throughout Surry County, as well as virtual EMDR therapy statewide for women navigating anxiety, overwhelm, ADHD, trauma, relationship challenges, burnout, and life transitions including college, career, and early adulthood.
Ashley Hamby Counseling PLLC
1427 Edgewood Drive
Mt. Airy, NC 27030
In-Person or Online/Telehealth
Phone: (336) 756-7258
Email: hello@ashleyhambycounseling.com
Fax: (336) 738-1435
