- ACT and CBT methods
- DBT skills training
- Gottman-informed work
About Tara
Tara Ashley is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in Montana with 16 years of experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, relationship strain, trauma and abuse, parenting challenges, and anger. Her practice also covers grief, intimacy issues, sleep problems, self-esteem, career concerns, and mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder.
She uses several evidence-based approaches to help people manage reactions and improve day-to-day functioning. Tara blends Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients notice difficult thoughts and take values-based steps. She also draws on Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills to teach emotion regulation and distress tolerance techniques that reduce reactive behavior.
Tara offers a client-centered way of working that focuses on practical skills and clear goals. Sessions often include skill practice, small behavioral experiments, and conversational problem-solving. For relationship concerns she incorporates Gottman Method ideas to improve communication and reduce recurring conflict.
Her background includes long-term work with people navigating life transitions, pregnancy and childbirth, and the effects of trauma. She also helps those dealing with compassion fatigue and professional burnout. Tara’s style is collaborative and straightforward; she helps people build manageable habits that lessen anger, resentment, and stress.
People seeking a first session are guided through a short matching questionnaire and scheduling process. Costs vary by location and use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How her approaches translate to online work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice painful thoughts and choose actions that match their values. It is useful for irritability, ongoing resentment, and anxiety that fuels reactive responses. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on patterns of thinking and behavior and includes practical exercises to change unhelpful reactions and improve sleep and mood. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) teaches concrete emotion regulation and distress tolerance skills that reduce impulsive responses and help manage anger in the moment.Finding the right approach is part of the work. She will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their goals and daily life. That means trying skills, reviewing what helps, and adjusting techniques based on progress and preferences.
Confirm the current session options before booking since formats are not specified here. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, for example by removing travel time, allowing shorter check-ins during a work break, or letting someone choose audio-only if bandwidth is limited. The focus remains on practicing skills between sessions and applying them to real situations, so the work fits into everyday life rather than being left at the office.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
16+ years
Listed in
Minnesota, Montana
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, relationship strain, trauma and abuse, parenting issues, anger, grief, sleep problems, self-esteem, career concerns, and mood disorders including depression and bipolar disorder.
How would you describe her therapy style?
She uses a client-centered, practical approach that focuses on skills, small experiments, and clear goals. Therapy emphasizes noticing reactions and building step-by-step habits.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 16 years of experience working with people on life transitions, trauma recovery, relationship issues, and stress-related concerns.
What are her credentials and where does she practice?
She holds LICSW and LCSW credentials and practices in Montana.
Does she offer sessions in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
Are international clients accepted?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are sessions scheduled and billed?
Costs vary by location and therapy uses a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.