Ashley
Speech-Language Pathologist & Founder
Hi! I am a speech language pathologist (i.e. the 'fancy' word for SLP), but more importantly, a passionate, relationship-driven explorer who brings these qualities to my work as an SLP. I believe wholeheartedly that building engaging and individualized connections with my little people is the most important foundation for success in therapy, regardless of their targeted communication goals. Fun, purposeful play, and connection are the cornerstones I strive for during every session. My practice approach is the confluence of a multitude of different therapeutic, learning, socio-emotional, and life philosophies that foster the development of happy, healthy, emotionally regulated humans!
I've worked with children and families in an intervention context for over 20 years, receiving my MSc. SLP from the U of A in 2011, and as a 'front line' support staff for many years prior. I've gained extensive experience providing services in homes, schools (inclusive and specialized sites), and community settings in Alberta and abroad (Uganda!). Assessments and therapy are provided for children with delays or disabilities from birth to teenage years.
When I'm not working, I am slightly obsessed with buying, planting, and propagating house plants, hanging out with my (hopefully) 'therapy-dog-in-training' puppy Harlowe, sneaking away for some time in nature, and fantasizing about my next traveling adventure, which unfortunately is becoming fewer and farther between these days! I'm so excited that I get the pleasure of providing SLP services out of the gorgeous and invigorating spaces of Workshop Studios, and outdoors in the surrounding natural spaces of the neatest and quirkiest little community of Inglewood, where I am also lucky to be a resident!
A career in speech-language pathology challenges you to use your intellect (the talents of the mind) in combination with your humanity (the gifts of the heart) to do meaningful work that feeds your soul -- Dr. Megan Hodge
Why Along Dusty Trails?
How did we get here?
"Along Dusty Trails" is both literal and figurative - a method and a philosophy...
I grew up creating elaborate imaginary worlds on the piles of dirt dug out for new home-build foundations, we "dumpster-dove" for "treasures" (the blessing of alleys!), made potions out of whatever I could get my hands on, giggling as I hoped some unsuspecting fool would taste it, and my personal favorite, "cracked rocks" - which meant, smashing rocks against other rocks to see what "precious gems" might be inside that would make me rich (if only!). My siblings, cousins and friends collected neat scrap pieces of wood and nailed them together to create birdhouses, made go-carts from wagons and farm scraps, and rallied the neighbourhood kids to start a "Kids for saving earth club", complete with unsanctioned neighbourhood bottle drives of which our parents had no knowledge! As a teenager and young adult, I became a passionate crusader for social justice, raising money and awareness for vulnerable people. As an adult, I began travelling & backpacking around the globe, experiencing the richness of connection to a global community and the natural world. I just fell into doing what I loved, which reinforced and cultivated doing more of what I loved.
Then...I went to grad school and started my career. I dove head first into Type A professional life, building my career, giving everything I had to my work, and spent years in what I call "executive mode" - thinking, planning, deciding, organizing, managing - most certainly not connecting to myself, my people, or the world. But also, feeling so frustrated with the stretched resources that made it so challenging for me to do the work I was excited about, and for the little people I worked with to make the gains I knew they could! It left me chronically stressed, burned out, entirely depleted, and physically exhausted.
Looking back, nobody taught me, or told me to do any of these things I did growing up - I ended up there, simply by being in the world, wandering, exploring, observing, and learning from the moments, people and materials I happened upon. As it turns out, the experiences that have shaped me most profoundly, were moments of unplanned, unscripted life...along dusty trails, if you will! The seeds of this private practice started to grow years ago. I knew I wanted to do some things differently. I knew I wanted to see children meet their full potential. I knew I wanted to do work that I was passionate about. I knew I wanted to do work that inspired me to reconnect to 'play' in my own life, as an adult. I don't have all the answers, heck I barely even have some of them, but this little path is unwinding, and I can't wait to see where it might go.