Ashlyn Karre (Intern Therapist)

Ashlyn Karre is an intern therapist at The Center for Growth from January 23, through April 24, 2025 while obtaining her Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling from Eastern University.

Professional Background

Ashlyn earned her bachelor’s degrees at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, North Carolina in Biology and Chemistry before becoming a Paramedic. Ashlyn has a wide array of professional experience ranging from public relations to health care.

Ashlyn has worked in emergency services since 2018 and in 2019 she started at Duke University as a Peer Health Coach. Within her role at Duke University, she has provided health and life coaching to adolescents and young adults with congenital heart defects through a virtual platform. She specializes in working with clients during the transition period from pediatric health care to adult health care. She helps them to navigate the transition regarding their health care and the life transitions that come with being a young adult. She has also served as a peer supervisor to new coaches and helps develop training programs for coaches. Currently she manages the control group for the study and helped develop the educational materials the control participants receive. Both of these jobs have played paramount parts in Ashlyn’s desire to obtain her degree in Clinical Counseling.

Clients

Ashlyn's focus is on individual counseling. She works with clients of all ages, genders, and cultural backgrounds and presenting issues, such as anger, anxiety and stress management, mood disorders, grief, chronic illness and chronic pain, personality disorders, and sex therapy. She is particularly interested in working with teenagers and young adults during transition periods in their lives as well as artists, creatives and first responders, military personnel, veterans, and their spouses/partners.

As a trained paramedic Ashlyn’s focus is on helping other first responders and veterans. She understands “the job” and how it influences all aspects of someone’s life and the life of their spouse/partner. As a paramedic, she understands the dynamics of the lives of those who are first responders and how their job can affect their wellbeing and the wellbeing of their families. Ashlyn also works with military personnel and their families. As a paramedic she values helping the clients and prioritizing their needs. She is trained in assessing the severity of client needs and is able to help shape the order in which clients may choose to work through their problems if presenting with more than one.

Ashlyn works well with those who are considering life transitions, have transitions coming up, or have recently been through a life transition. Transitions are an inevitable part of life and are often accompanied by stress and anxiety. Ashlyn can provide techniques to ease the stress of life transitions whether the transition is only temporary, like going to college, or permanent, like transitioning from pediatric health care to adult health care. Ashlyn has experience working with chronically ill teens and young adults during those transitional seasons of their lives.

Ashlyn has held a variety of jobs in different markets and is able to converse with people from all walks of life and empathizes with those who feel lost in their current job or are looking to transition to a new job. Ashlyn also works with individuals searching to find their calling.

Ashlyn works with individuals and couples relating to sexual function issues, infidelity, polyamory/open relationships, and premarital counseling. Ashlyn believes that the mind-body connection is key to treating issues of anorgasmia, erectile dysfunction, painful sex, and low sexual interest.

Perspective on Therapy and Clinical Approach

Ashlyn is a firm believer in the benefits of therapy. She is an advocate for both physical and mental wellbeing. While the thought of going to therapy may feel scary at first, Ashlyn’s aim is to make the process as painless as possible.

A common saying in the sciences is “structure equals function,” Ashlyn believes that saying can be applied to mental wellbeing. The way people structure their thoughts ultimately affects their behaviors. Working though maladaptive cognitions can lead to a more fulfilling and healthy life. As an artist and scientist Ashlyn sees the beauty in life and wants to help others see the beauty in their own lives, and therapy is one of many tools that can be of assistance.

Making the choice to go to therapy, or suggest therapy to a loved one, can be a scary decision and Ashlyn aims to make that process as painless as possible. The initial sessions will aim at building a therapeutic bond with the client that will ultimately form the basis for further treatment. Ashlyn is respectful of cultural differences between herself and her clients. She has training in multicultural counseling and effectively counsels people from different cultural, ethnic, or socioeconomic statuses.

From her prior training as a coach, she uses motivational interviewing and similar techniques to bring forth short-term, solution focused changes in clients. She looks forward to working with clients for either short-term therapy or long-term therapy based on the clients’ needs. Ashlyn knows that goals of therapy are often dynamic and can evolve over time. Ashlyn is flexible to clients’ needs and is open to working on whatever the most pressing issue at the time is. She is described as kind, inquisitive, empathetic, and nonjudgmental by clients, coworkers, and patients alike.

Theoretical Approach

Ashlyn uses an integrative approach to therapy combining techniques and practices from Solution Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Person Centered Therapy.

Solution Focused Therapy – Solution Focused Therapy is a model of therapy born out of Adlerian theory. It is a goal-oriented approach. The therapists work with clients to identify goals through a collaborative therapeutic relationship. An emphasis is placed on encouragement to help aid in the development of a strong therapeutic relationship and to help facilitate change in the client. The therapist embraces an optimistic view of the client and focuses on building up the strengths of the client.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is derivative of Adlerian theory that emphasizes the relationship between the belief system of the client and their emotions and behavior. It is a combination of cognitive theory and behavioral theory. Through CBT distorted thoughts will be identified and the maladaptive behaviors sustained by the thoughts will be identified and modified. Therapy is seen as an educational adventure, and it strongly emphasizes the therapeutic relationship.

Person Centered Therapy – Person Centered Therapy, also known as Rogerian Therapy, where the client is an active member in the therapeutic treatment. It emphasizes the client’s autonomy and self-determination. Similar to coaching, the therapist views the client as an “expert” on themselves and they are the “expert” on the therapeutic process. In person centered therapy the therapist provides a non-judgmental atmosphere for the client to explore their thoughts and emotions. Unlike traditional forms of therapy, the therapist does not direct the conversation, nor do they try to alter the clients’ thoughts or beliefs. The therapist allows the clients to develop their own solutions to their circumstances and establish their own conclusions to their thoughts.

Using an integrative approach to therapy is not strictly problem-focused but is an exploratory approach. In addition to discussing the issues and problems the client may be facing, Ashlyn will aim to explore what is beneath those problems. Ashlyn will not give advice to clients or tell them how to change their lives, but she will assist her clients in a self-discovery process so that they will know themselves more deeply and intimately. That process of self-discovery can lead to clearer directions for where the client wants to make changes in their life.

This approach to therapy may feel slightly different than traditional therapeutic approaches because the dialogue will not feel like an ordinary conversation between friends. In this approach the client is invited to talk freely about whatever is on their mind, whether it is a specific problem or thoughts and feelings they are having. Ashlyn will not direct the client to tell them what to talk about, instead she will listen carefully and help her client gain a fuller understanding of their true self.

Ashlyn believes that the focus of the session should be on the client and that they should “drive” the session. Ashlyn believes that the client is the expert on their experience and she is the expert on the therapeutic process and together they can make valuable changes within the clients’ life. While the sessions will be focused on the client, they will not be a monologue. Ashlyn will interject and ask questions to be sure she truly understands the clients’ problems and concerns. Ashlyn might not answer questions directly, because she believes it is more important to understand why the client asked the question, rather than knowing the answer. Ashlyn asks that the client tries to be open and honest during their sessions in order to go deeper within them.

Ashlyn is very excited to be working at The Center For Growth and looks forward to the opportunities to work with other therapists and clients. She is available for in person sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays and virtual sessions on Wednesdays.