Ashley Church, LMSW, CAADC earned her Masters of Social Work from Grand Valley State University in 2007. She currently serves as the Director of DBTIMI Residential where she is also a Mental Health Therapist. She works with adults navigating intense emotions, trauma, addiction, and patterns of self-destructive behavior.
Ashley joined the DBT Institute of Michigan in November 2022 after leaving Sparrow Hospital, where she spent four years completing emergency psychiatric evaluations and suicide risk assessments. During her time in the ER, Ashley often referred patients to DBTIMI because she believed in the model and saw the need for structured, evidence-based treatment. Joining the DBT Institute of Michigan felt like a natural transition. When Ashley began at the DBT Institute of Michigan, she started as an outpatient therapist, shortly after transitioned into the role of primary residential therapist, and later became the Director of DBT Residential. DBT fits Ashley’s direct, compassionate, practical, and motivating therapy style. She believes DBT gives both clients and clinicians the structure and tools needed to understand emotions, build skills, and keep moving toward a life worth living without shame. Ashley’s background also includes family prevention services, facilitated trauma groups, pregnancy and adoption counseling, and intensive home-based therapy. She is trained incomprehensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy under Josh Smith, LMSW, DBT-LBC, and is also trained in EMDR and Trauma-Focused CBT.
Outside of work, Ashley enjoys cheering on her kids, gardening, caring for her plants and flowers, and keeping up with the bird drama in her backyard. She loves tattoos, piercings, bright colors, and leopard print.