Have you ever felt hopeless?
Have you ever felt alone?
Have you ever wondered if you were the only person being dealt an unfair hand?
Have you ever wanted to give up?
Have you ever felt unsupported, even when you were always there for others?
Have you ever questioned yourself as a parent?
Have you ever struggled to trust others and held everything inside?
Have you ever felt like you had to work harder than everyone else just to be seen, heard, or treated fairly?
 

I have too.
 

In 1998, at the age of 7, my life changed when my father was sentenced to 28 years in prison. A year later, at 8 years old, I moved in with my maternal grandmother and aunt. From that point, I experienced what it felt like to grow up without my parents present and had to learn independence at a young age.

That independence shaped me. Some days it became my strength, while other days it felt heavy. I learned how to survive, how to rely on myself, and how to keep going even when I did not always feel supported. I struggled with trusting others, carrying the fear of repeating generational patterns, being hard on myself, and wondering what it would have been like to have the family experiences I saw others have.

As I grew older, my perspective began to change. I learned forgiveness and gained a deeper understanding of my parents. Now that I am a parent myself and have gained knowledge about mental health, I recognize that my parents were doing the best they could with the experiences, resources, and challenges they faced.

Life can be demanding, painful, and overwhelming. When mental health is not prioritized, the impact can extend beyond ourselves and affect the people we love most. I know what it feels like to live with unanswered questions, to struggle with trust, to experience sadness without understanding why, and to carry pain silently.

My experiences are not what define me, but they have shaped my purpose. As a clinician, I understand the power of healing, support, and therapy. My childhood experiences are part of the reason I am passionate about helping others navigate their own journeys. I know what it feels like to hurt, and I know that healing is possible.

I believe there can be joy after pain, strength through adversity, and purpose in the experiences we overcome. Everything that I have been through has helped shape the person and clinician I am today.

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Ashley N. Jackson, MSW, LCSW, LISW-CP