In Session with Ashley B.

Ashley Buckner
  • 4.8 (32)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

In Session with Ashley B. is a therapist-led podcast for the moments we feel seen, heard, and believed — where real conversations happen. 🌻 Each episode explores listener questions and real-life experiences around trauma, mental health, religious harm, faith deconstruction, and nervous system regulation, with nuance, curiosity, and care. Hosted by Ashley Buckner, LMFT, licensed therapist and Certified Brainspotting Practitioner in Utah and California. This podcast is educational and reflective in nature and is not a substitute for therapy.

  1. 4D AGO

    Baptism and Hard Conversations

    In this episode, Ashley explores the complex intersection of personal grief and major life transitions, starting with the passing of her grandmother and the unique challenges of navigating a traditional Mormon funeral after leaving the faith. She shares an update on her move into a new home, reflecting on the process of finally feeling grounded in Utah and the importance of finding community. These personal stories set the stage for a deeper look at how we hold space for ourselves when life feels dysregulating and how we can offer ourselves grace during seasons of significant change.The rest of the conversation focuses on listener submissions regarding the intense pressure surrounding childhood baptism and mixed faith parenting. Ashley discusses how to handle family expectations when choosing not to follow traditional milestones and offers clinical perspective on what is developmentally appropriate for children. She addresses the nuances of raising kids with a partner who has different beliefs and emphasizes that the goal of parenting is not perfection but the ability to repair and connect. The episode concludes with a look at the long term effects of marrying young and a reminder that you are not alone in navigating these complicated dynamics. Follow me on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/ashleyb_therapy⁠Link for submissions: ⁠https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1dXCjsH8gf8O4NvmcTvNnFeKQm7NgE5uwm1vqqKdjHSs/edit

    48 min

  2. APR 5

    Mormon Missions and the Nervous System

    In this episode of In Session, Ashley Buckner, LCSW, dives deep into the neurophysiological impact of LDS missions and the long-term effects of religious conditioning. Ashley explores the developmental vulnerability of eighteen-year-olds entering high-pressure missionary environments, highlighting how strict power dynamics and rigid rules can foster lasting trauma. Beyond systemic critiques, the conversation offers a supportive space for those navigating the "post-Mormon" landscape, including reflections on the psychological weight of General Conference and the curious fascination apologists hold for ex-member narratives. The heart of the episode centers on real-life listener submissions, ranging from the anxiety of a sibling’s mission call to the lingering regret over career paths sacrificed for religious service. Ashley introduces vital therapeutic concepts like flashback states and body-based healing, explaining that because trauma lives in the nervous system, talking about it isn’t always the best path to recovery. Listeners will walk away with practical grounding techniques—such as color walks and the five-senses exercise—and a reinforced sense of permission to set firm boundaries with religious figures as they reclaim their intuition from years of conditioning. Follow me on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/ashleyb_therapy⁠Link for submissions: ⁠https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1dXCjsH8gf8O4NvmcTvNnFeKQm7NgE5uwm1vqqKdjHSs/edit

    37 min

  3. MAR 1

    Anger, Betrayal, and Choosing Yourself

    In this episode of In Session with Ashley B, Ashley Buckner returns with a candid reflection on perfectionism, religious trauma, and what it means to show up authentically even when it feels messy. She opens up about the anxiety that resurfaced after launching the podcast again and how old patterns rooted in Mormonism and religious trauma can quietly reappear. From there, the episode moves into powerful listener submissions, including questions about anger after faith deconstruction, navigating a parent’s cancer diagnosis while building your own life, divorce and betrayal after leaving the church, feeling triggered by active members, fear around group therapy, and the grief of losing a belief system once held with your whole heart.Throughout the episode, Ashley invites listeners to get curious rather than judgmental about their emotions. She reframes anger as something to be befriended rather than eliminated, explores how trauma responses can show up after leaving high control religion, and validates the deep grief and integrity struggles that often accompany faith transitions.With compassion and nuance, she reminds listeners that healing is rarely black and white. Whether wrestling with guilt, resentment, betrayal, or activation around believing family members, Ashley encourages intentional inner work, self-trust, and giving yourself permission to live authentically, even when it feels uncomfortable. Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleyb_therapyLink for submissions: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1dXCjsH8gf8O4NvmcTvNnFeKQm7NgE5uwm1vqqKdjHSs/edit

    44 min

  4. FEB 1

    New Name. Same Heart.

    Welcome to the relaunch of my podcast, formerly known as Sunflower Movement. In this first episode of In Session with Ashley B, I introduce the new format for the show and what I’m creating moving forward a listener-driven space for honest conversations about trauma, healing, faith, and the nervous system. This episode is part personal update, part reflection, and part response to anonymous listener submissions that dive into some deeply vulnerable and important topics. I share why I decided to rebrand the podcast, what the new monthly rhythm will look like, and a few personal updates, including my recent reconciliation with my father after a period of estrangement and the impact brain spotting therapy has had on healing generational trauma. From there, I respond to listener questions and stories that explore female rage and bodily autonomy after purity culture, navigating mixed-faith marriages, and having hard conversations about belief without conflict. I also reflect on unlearning the idea that obedience equals love, processing different views of eternal families outside of LDS temple doctrine, learning self-differentiation after religious conditioning, and gently reconnecting with sexuality and sensuality after years of suppression. My hope with this episode and this new season of the podcast is to offer a space where complexity is welcome, curiosity is encouraged, and healing feels possible.Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleyb_therapyLink for submissions: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1dXCjsH8gf8O4NvmcTvNnFeKQm7NgE5uwm1vqqKdjHSs/edit

    43 min

  5. 04/11/2025

    31: This part of the story...

    This season has been a practice in holding space—for others, for healing, for truth. I started this with a hope: that these conversations might offer light in places we don’t always look. Whether this is the last episode or just a pause in the journey, I want to say thank you. For showing up. For listening. For sitting with the nuance, the discomfort, and the beauty. No matter where this path leads next, may we keep turning toward what matters. May we keep becoming.

    16 min

  6. 04/04/2025

    30: Dr. Laura Anderson: purity culture, religious trauma, & healing

    In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Laura Anderson—a psychotherapist and author of When Religion Hurts You. Dr. Anderson specializes in religious trauma and purity culture and brings a wealth of knowledge to the conversation. We dive into the complexities of faith deconstruction, how it impacts identity and relationships, and what it means to heal after leaving high-control religious environments. Dr. Anderson also offers thoughtful responses to submissions from the audience, making this a rich and validating episode for anyone navigating their own journey. Connect with Dr. Laura Anderson: drlauraeanderson.com

    1h 15m

  7. 03/28/2025

    29: No wrong ways, just different.

    In this episode, I sit down with Carson Ireland to dive into the journey of the Sunflower Movement Podcast—why it started and what it's grown into. We explore what it means to us to stay open, both with ourselves and with others, in a world that often pushes us to pick sides. There’s no single right way—just different paths, perspectives, and possibilities. Let’s talk about it. Pranamat: https://pranamat.com/af/lnkbeapx?coup... 10% off code ashleyb Armracolostrum:https://tryarmra.com/ASHLEYBUCKNER 15% off code ASHLEYBUCKNER Cozy Confidence: 10% off ashleyb https://www.cozyconfidence.com?aff=395&staycozy

    1h 13m

  8. 03/14/2025

    28: Embracing My Sexuality & Feeling Whole in My Relationship

    In this episode, I respond to a DM that highlights the deep-seated fears many of us carry around our bodies, desire, and relationships—especially when shaped by religious trauma. I share my personal journey in reclaiming my sexuality, how I navigate my partner’s sexuality without fear, and the ways unlearning purity culture has allowed me to feel whole. If you’ve ever felt conflicted about your own sexuality, compared yourself to others, or feared that attraction could jeopardize love, this episode is for you. Website: ashleybucknerlmft@gmail.com Sex therapist & colleague I recommend: Aimee Mortensen - Worth It Counseling Lehi, UT https://worth-it.com/about/ Here is the Tim Ferriss podcast I reference: https://open.spotify.com/episode/32ORSZyPmICqaP8suVerF9?si=J9kUat4bSrS3BRWE_6ISpA Pranamat: https://pranamat.com/af/lnkbeapx?coupon=ashleyb 10% off code ashleyb Armra colostrum: https://tryarmra.com/ASHLEYBUCKNER 15% off code ASHLEYBUCKNER Cozy Confidence: 10% off ashleyb https://www.cozyconfidence.com?aff=395&staycozy

    49 min
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4.8
out of 5
32 Ratings

About

In Session with Ashley B. is a therapist-led podcast for the moments we feel seen, heard, and believed — where real conversations happen. 🌻 Each episode explores listener questions and real-life experiences around trauma, mental health, religious harm, faith deconstruction, and nervous system regulation, with nuance, curiosity, and care. Hosted by Ashley Buckner, LMFT, licensed therapist and Certified Brainspotting Practitioner in Utah and California. This podcast is educational and reflective in nature and is not a substitute for therapy.

Information

  • Creator
    Ashley Buckner
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Ashley Buckner
  • Show Website
    In Session with Ashley B.

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