JESSICA C. ASHLEY

Jessica C. Ashley, MA, is an accomplished mental health professional with a broad background in her field. She has worked in numerous relevant areas, including residential treatment and community-based care, during a span of more than 15 years. After garnering experience directing multiple mental health agencies, she deepened her knowledge of the challenges facing health care providers. Driven by a desire to take on a more involved role, Ms. Ashley founded her own Virginia-based agency, JC & Ashley Counseling LLC, in 2023, and is the chief executive officer. She and her team offer services to individuals in periods of acute psychiatric crisis and respond via mobile dispatch when clients call the national suicide prevention hotline. She handles emergencies and meets clients where they are, whether services are needed at clients’ homes, workplaces, or other locations.

At JC & Ashley Counseling LLC, Ms. Ashley is proud to manage more than 10 staff members, including a clinician. Her many responsibilities include responding to staff issues and marketing her business in her community, including with her local department of social services, community service boards, local hospitals, and law enforcement departments. As a leader, Ms. Ashley remains mindful of the fact that mental health professionals are often overworked and stressed. She encourages her staff to prioritize their own well-being and mental health to provide the best possible standards of care for their clients.

Ms. Ashley credits her professional achievements to the constant support she has received from the people closest to her throughout her career. She is grateful to her family and for her colleagues in the mental health field. In addition, Ms. Ashley attributes her success to her incredible work ethic and unparalleled dedication to serving those in need. Known for her natural compassion and empathy, she often receives heartfelt messages of gratitude from her clients, which she says validates her efforts as a mental health professional and inspires her to continue her path of serving others and positively impacting her community. JC & Ashley Counseling LLC has been instrumental in consulting with other mental health providers to help them start and manage programs and services. In this vein, Ms. Ashley is proud of her significant contributions to the growth of her industry.

Before launching her business and venturing into the mental health field, Ms. Ashley was educated at North Carolina Wesleyan University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology. She went on to study at Liberty University, graduating in 2013 with a Master of Arts in human services with a concentration in marriage and family therapy. For her incredible accomplishments, Ms. Ashley has been featured in the Brunswick Times-Gazette and in Marquis Who’s Who Millennium Magazine. She is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Chi Omega Chapter and has contributed to the Rotary Club of South Brunswick Islands.

When starting her agency, Ms. Ashley’s vision was to create a business in which the owner was just as involved in the day-to-day operations as the staff. By bringing this dream to fruition, she has helped JC & Ashley Counseling LLC stand out as a leader in mental health. She plans to expand JC & Ashley Counseling LLC by opening locations in different states, including Texas. She also hopes to develop new programs and services for her clients. Though she has no plans to retire, Ms. Ashley seeks to build her company and eventually take a step back from her work in the long term and leave a legacy as a committed and highly effective mental health provider. Aside from working to grow her business and improve the lives of her clients, she enjoys spending time with her family and children, watching movies, cooking, and listening to music.