Dr. Ashley Itzhakian, Ph.D.
ABOUT DR. ASHLEY
Thanks for being here.
I want to share a little about myself and the perspective behind my work.
I am a clinical psychologist, a mom of four, and a cycle breaker myself.
I earned my B.A. in Psychology from UCLA and my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Fuller Theological Seminary. My clinical work is grounded in evidence-based approaches, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), while my broader perspective is informed by attachment, interpersonal neurobiology, and nervous system regulation.
But my work is about more than any one therapeutic approach.
I'm deeply interested in the connection between what happens within us and what happens between us.
Our nervous systems influence how we respond.
Our experiences shape our patterns.
Our relationships affect how we understand ourselves.
And sometimes the things happening in our relationships activate something much deeper than the moment in front of us.
Understanding those connections can create space for something different.
A LITTLE ABOUT ME
I'm a mama of four.
And yes, that means I understand that parenting is not always easy.
I know what it is like to have a plan for how you want to respond—and then have a moment where your own emotions get activated.
I know that we can love our children deeply and still feel overwhelmed, frustrated, worried, or unsure of what to do next.
And I believe that's part of being human.
We are all learning.
We are all growing.
We are all doing our best with what we know—and sometimes we need support learning a different way.
Being a psychologist doesn't make me immune to difficult emotions or imperfect moments.
It has taught me to pay attention to what is happening within me, understand what may be happening between us, and find a way to respond more intentionally.
That's also what I want to help parents learn.
WHY I DO THIS WORK
Understanding ourselves changes how we relate.
Much of my work centers around emotional regulation, relationships, attachment, communication, and the patterns we carry into our closest relationships.
I am particularly interested in helping people recognize the difference between:
What is happening right now
and
what this moment is bringing up in me.
That distinction can change the way we respond.
It can help us pause instead of react.
Connect without losing ourselves.
Hold boundaries without abandoning connection.
And repair when things don't go the way we hoped.
My goal isn't to help people become perfect.
It's to help people develop greater awareness, regulation, connection, and intention so they can live more meaningful and connected lives.
MY APPROACH
Mind, Body & Relationships
I believe emotional and relational well-being is interconnected.
Our thoughts matter.
Our bodies matter.
Our emotions matter.
Our relationships matter.
And for many people, their spiritual life matters too.
My approach integrates psychological science with attention to the whole person. I draw from evidence-based psychological treatment while also considering the ways our experiences, relationships, nervous systems, and meaning-making shape our lives.
I don't believe there is one formula for healing.
Instead, I work collaboratively to understand what is happening for each person and what approaches may be most helpful.
FAITH & MENTAL HEALTH
Your faith can be part of the conversation—if you want it to be.
If integrating faith into your mental health journey is important to you, you're welcome to bring that part of yourself into the work.
I believe therapy should meet you where you are.
Regardless of your faith background, I will follow your lead and explore the intersection of faith, psychology, and emotional well-being as much—or as little—as you would like.
You don't have to fit into a particular spiritual framework to work with me.
THE REGULATED RELATIONSHIP™
What happens within us shapes what happens between us.
This idea sits at the center of my developing work, The Regulated Relationship™.
It explores the connection between our internal world and our relationships through four questions:
WITHIN
What is happening inside me?
BETWEEN
What is happening between us?
RESPONSE
How do I want to show up?
REPAIR
What do we do when things don't go well?
The framework is about more than parenting. It can be applied to the relationships that shape our lives—partnerships, families, friendships, and our relationship with ourselves.
OUTSIDE THE OFFICE
Still learning. Still growing. Still parenting.
I'm a mom of four, so much of what I talk about isn't theoretical to me.
I am continually learning what it means to regulate, repair, communicate, set boundaries, stay connected, and break patterns in my own life.
I don't believe we need to have everything figured out before we can create meaningful change.
Sometimes the work is simply noticing.
Then pausing.
Then trying something different.
And when we don't get it right?
We repair.
Connect with MeI share psychology-informed content about parenting, relationships, emotional regulation, attachment, communication, boundaries, and breaking generational cycles.