Ashley Pierson, Ph.D.
Practice Founder
I work with creative, high-performing, and emotionally complex individuals; many of whom who lead demanding, layered lives amidst a quiet sense of inner suffering. Many of my clients are published best-selling authors, renowned academics, and creative professionals in music, theater, and technology. Yet internally, they carry a chronic sense of emptiness and disconnection from their most important relationships.
I am a clinical psychologist licensed in CT and NY, based in Brooklyn, and intensively trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), and the treatment of PTSD and trauma-related disorders. I rely on research-supported interventions with demonstrated success in reducing depression, anxiety, PTSD symptoms, borderline personality disorder symptoms, and impulsive, dangerous behaviors including addiction, self-harm, and suicidal behavior.
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Treatment equips clients with the tools to accept emotional pain, eliminate coping strategies that no longer serve them, and engage in life with greater purpose and meaning. My approach is open, direct, and compassionate. I view therapy as an authentic, collaborative relationship between two equals — tailored to the pace and complexity of your life. Outside the office, I spend my time at the pottery wheel, at concerts, and exploring small towns around the coastal Northeast.
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Professional Background
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I have a PhD in clinical psychology with a specialization in forensic psychology from Fordham University, and completed my predoctoral internship at the Hudson Valley VA Healthcare System, with intensive training in the assessment and treatment of PTSD and trauma-related disorders. My doctoral training focused on personality disorders, forensic psychology, and risk assessment, across settings including inpatient psychiatric units, residential treatment, intensive outpatient programs, maximum-security forensic units, family court, and private practice. I am intensively trained in CBT, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), DBT, Prolonged Exposure (PE), and DBT-PE.
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I was formerly an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine and interim director of DBT services for Yale New Haven Psychiatric Hospital, where I led the expansion of outpatient DBT services and trained psychology interns, social work students, and psychiatry residents in the theory and practice of DBT.
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Forensic Evaluations
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In addition to therapy, I conduct forensic psychiatric evaluations as an independent examiner for the NY state criminal court system, with a focus on risk assessment and diagnostic evaluation. Learn more on about specific psychological assessments and forensic evaluations that Dr. Pierson can provide for court-related referrals.
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Sophia Capellini, M.A. Psychology Extern
Sophia is a third-year doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at Fairleigh Dickinson University, where she is a member of the Laboratory of Emotions and Affective Psychopathology. She is practicing under the supervision of Dr. Pierson while working towards her doctoral degree. She specializes in borderline personality disorder, depression, anxiety, and PTSD, with an integrative style drawing from CBT, DBT, and psychodynamic modalities. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from the College of the Holy Cross and an M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University. Outside of the office, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, listening to live music, exploring NYC restaurants, and traveling.
Sophia currently has openings for individual therapy clients and co-leads a weekly DBT group.