The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
One of my biggest challenges has been honouring my dual identity – the driven businesswoman and the present, nurturing mother. I have big dreams for Kintsugi Counselling, yet I also want to be available for school events, appointments and the small everyday moments that matter most to me.
I’ve come to accept that I am in a season of steady progress, rather than rapid growth. I remind myself that tending to my family and tending to my business are not opposing forces – both require patience, purpose and presence.
There have also been practical challenges: running a small business as a sole practitioner, learning marketing, budgets and promotion – skills that don’t come naturally to me. Yet, every challenge has deepened my self-trust. Music-filled school runs and laughter with my children remind me that joy and balance can coexist, even in demanding seasons.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
The greatest gift is autonomy – being able to create a space that reflects my values and offers genuine, compassionate trauma-informed care. Kintsugi Counselling is not just a business; it’s a living expression of my belief that healing happens in relationship, not in isolation.
The challenges are real: emotional labour, administrative demands, and the need to wear every hat. But the rewards far outweigh them – witnessing transformation, holding space for women to reclaim their worth, and contributing to a broader cultural shift that redefines what it means to heal, to mother and to be a woman living her own authentic, enriching life.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
I’m currently developing an online group program for mothers – an eight-week journey that blends the connection of a women’s circle with the gentleness of therapy. My vision is to create a nurturing, reflective space where mothers can come home to themselves – where they can reconnect with their identity, release guilt and feel truly seen.
I also hope to expand my writing and resource development – offering tools, reflective prompts and rituals that help women tend to their own wounds and needs, and navigate the complexity of being both a woman and a mother in a patriarchal world.
Ultimately, I want Kintsugi Counselling to be part of a quiet revolution – one that celebrates women and mothers as whole, worthy and powerful, beyond the roles they play for others. Growth, for me, is about depth, integrity and lasting impact.
Visit the Kintsugi Counselling website to find out more, and connect with Ashley on Facebook and Instagram.
