Ashley Bartenhagen, LISW

Ashley Bartenhagen is a licensed independent social worker with nine years of experience practicing in Iowa. She focuses on practical ways to reduce stress and manage anxiety. She also helps people dealing with grief, low self-esteem, depression, and major life changes. Ashley works in a straightforward, supportive style. She treats each person as the expert on their own life and builds on the strengths they already have. Sessions focus on clear, achievable steps that fit a person's daily routine. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, is one of the main approaches she uses. That means she helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviors to change how they feel. The work is active and goal-directed rather than purely talk-based. Ashley also has experience supporting people facing end-of-life decisions and hospice-related concerns. In those situations she emphasizes practical coping skills and emotional support tailored to each person's needs. Many people come to her when they feel stuck, overwhelmed, or uncertain how to move forward. She aims to make therapy feel doable and relevant. Her approach is collaborative, steady, and focused on small changes that add up over time.

CBT and practical support through online sessions

CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviors to change how they feel. It is useful for anxiety, depression, stress, and low self-esteem because it focuses on skills and small changes that can be practiced between sessions.

Ashley emphasizes collaborative planning in her online work. She will discuss goals, try approaches that fit a client's life, and adjust the plan based on what is most helpful. Finding the right approach is part of the process and happens together over time.

Online sessions are offered as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy flexible. Video calls are good for a full session with visual cues. Phone sessions can work when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text-based messaging are useful for shorter check-ins, quick skill practice, or fitting therapy into a busy schedule. These options help people access consistent support while balancing work, caregiving, or other responsibilities.