Hidden Gems: Meet Ashley Harmon of Harmony Healing

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Harmon.

Hi Ashley, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
When I think back on my story of how I got here, I find it so hard to condense down all of the experiences I’ve had that have led me to where I am. When I think back on my story, I think about the late nights I spent studying (and then falling asleep literally on top of my textbooks sometimes). I think about all of the therapists around me that I learned from, and my friends and family that supported me during the moments I wanted to give up. I think about my younger self, who had no idea what was ahead!

Growing up, I didn’t always know how to socialize with others and I often felt like the odd one out. But I was always drawn to others’ stories, and I knew I could always connect with someone by listening and holding space. I know now that I was a neurodivergent queer person trying to navigate a world that was not set up for me. At the time however, it meant I was often living in survival mode. The thing that kept me going – the “light at the end of the tunnel” – was becoming a licensed therapist, and I am so grateful every day that the younger version of me made it through the tunnel!

After completing graduate school, I worked in many different settings, from community mental health, private practice, to supervising a large mental health clinic serving thousands of clients. I owe so much to the supervisors and peers I met at each of these places; I would not be the therapist I am today without their guidance and support. With that said, the mental health field is not always set up for therapists and their clients. Therapists are leaving the field every day because of poor work environments, a culture that normalizes underpaying helping professionals, and a healthcare system that actively works against therapists and their clients. I wasn’t immune to this struggle, and I knew I needed to find a way to change my environment if I wanted to sustain this career.

After a lot of reflection on how I could continue this work that I love so much after experiencing years of burnout, I took a huge leap and opened my own practice, Harmony Healing, earlier this year! It has transformed my life in ways I couldn’t have imagined. The issues in the mental health field have not disappeared. But, in my little corner of the world, opening my own practice has meant that I get to show up for both myself and my clients.

I am so honored every single day that my clients trust me with their stories.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not at all! When I started graduate school, I had no idea what I was about to face. I worked in different settings, with different populations, and different specialties – I had no idea where I fit in professionally. I experienced intense burnout multiple times. I nearly quit the field twice!

As I mentioned before, the healthcare system is not set up to support therapists and their clients. And, I also want to acknowledge that while that is true, it is also true that I hold a lot of privilege as a white person navigating this field. The field is overwhelmingly white, the licensing exams are set up for and written by overwhelmingly white people; as I share my story and my personal struggles, I want to acknowledge the privilege I hold, and the grace and opportunities that were offered to me that others may not have had.

On a personal level, I’ve struggled with my mental health from a very young age. I experienced trauma throughout my life, and I had no idea how to ask for help, or even what I needed. I struggle with perfectionism, and as a young therapist trying to figure out my career and how to work with clients, I never felt like I was doing enough.

Throughout the last few years however, I’ve done a lot of personal growth. I’ve created a working environment that supports my needs. I’ve created a community (including finding a therapist of my own!) and learned how to ask for help and lean on them when I need to. I’ve learned to give myself compassion when I make mistakes, how to celebrate successes, and that I deserve to take up space – both during the mistakes and the successes.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Harmony Healing is a solo therapy practice – it’s just me for now!

My focus is working with folks with trauma and anxiety. My approach is very relational and attachment-based; it’s incredibly important to me and my clients that we develop a safe, trusting relationship in the therapy room. I am trained in EMDR and parts work, and incorporate this with most of my clients.

You’ll find me laughing and making jokes with my clients, and sitting with them and holding space for them in the thick of it – get you a therapist who can do both!

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
The best advice I could give for someone who’s looking for a mentor in this field, is to build a community with those around you. If you’re working in a space with a lot of other therapists – learn from those peers and supervisors! Reach out to that therapist you follow on Instagram! Accept the invite to that local networking event! This field is full of incredible therapists that love to share their knowledge and connect with others, myself included. Learning from peers, supervisors, and mentors have shaped who I am as a therapist, and leaning on that community is such an important part of self-care as a therapist!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.harmonyhealingaz.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harmonyhealingaz/
• Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/ashley-harmon-mesa-az/1439266