about ashley
Ashley has had unique journey that led her from a career in oceanography to become a prominent psychedelic-assisted psychotherapist, trainer, and researcher in Southern California. The through line has been an unbounded sense of curiosity and deep empathy for a struggling planet. Her passion is to foster people’s connection to a deeper sense of themselves, and through that, to something bigger and more awe-inspiring.
You can learn more about her and her work at:
Why I Wrote Quieting the Storm Within
I wrote Quieting the Storm Within out of a desire to make the powerful concepts of Internal Family Systems (IFS) more accessible to those just beginning their journey toward self-discovery. After being introduced to IFS during my MDMA-assisted psychotherapy training through The Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), I was immediately struck by how intuitively it resonated with me and my work as a psychotherapist. However, I also found myself wishing for a resource that would help my clients quickly grasp the key ideas of parts work without needing multiple sessions just for orientation.
As someone with a background in creative arts, I decided to create a playful, engaging introduction to IFS that would provide an accessible entry point for clients new to the model. Throughout this process, I focused on highlighting the essential, benevolent nature of our parts, emphasizing their core human needs rather than the burdens they carry.
One of the key metaphors I used in the book is the image of clouds and the sun, which deeply resonated with me, especially as it aligned with my own spiritual experiences through psychedelics.
My hope is that this book helps others explore the concept of multiplicity within the mind and ultimately fosters greater internal and external harmony. I continue to believe that IFS serves as a gateway to deeper spiritual understanding, and I’m excited to keep exploring this in future works.
-Ashley
