ashley's background

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology UNC-Wilmington
Master in Social Work East Carolina University

Ashley works with individuals, couples, and families who have experienced major life adversity, including grief, abuse, violence, medical complications, and life-threatening events. She primarily utilizes EMDR Therapy, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Emotionally Focused Therapy, and Ego States Therapy to attend to clients’ needs and self-directed goals. Energetic and genuinely expressive, Ashley is skilled at holding a safe space for others’ suffering, allowing you to explore stressful experiences that may be hindering you from living the life you desire.
 
The vision for TIDE Associates evolved from Ashley’s own recovery from professional burnout. Her specialty interest is working with health and human service professionals who may be wrestling with burnout, compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, workplace toxicity, or career angst. Whether you engage in the therapeutic setting or attend one of her trainings, Ashley’s hope is that you realign with your values, reconnect with your purpose in the field, and create congruent action towards that purpose.
 
In addition to direct service, Ashley is passionate about education. She has held an adjunct faculty position in the School of Social Work at UNC-Wilmington, is a favored educator with the South East Area Health Education Center, develops virtual educational curriculums with Healthcare Academy for the healthcare industry, and she offers individual professional consultation and customized workshops for organizations that highlight 4 key areas of professional development: trauma-informed care, provider sustainability and organizational wellness, attachment-informed EMDR therapy, and healthcare leadership. Ashley collaborates closely with other providers in healthcare to cultivate action towards sustainable practices that will optimize provider wellness, improve client outcomes, and yield overall business success.

For those who are interested in EMDR consultation (Basic Training, EMDR Certification, Consultant in Training), Ashley is certified by the EMDR International Association as an EMDR Approved Consultant to provide these services.

Featured publications and interviews

Roberto, A. & Swinson, A. (2021). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy. In Bolton, K., Hall, J., & Lehmann, P., Theoretical Perspectives for Direct Social Work Practice: A General-Eclectic Approach. Springer Publishing.

Brooks, L. (Host). (2020, March 29). Ashley Swinson (No. 2) [Anchor audio podcast episode].In Nothing fancy. 
    
White, T. (Host). (2021, April). Well beings featuring Ashley Swinson (No. 69) [Apple audio podcast episode]. In Well Beings.