I’m Ayla

mother, wife, daughter, friend, therapist, writer, reader, gardener, traveler …

I value and prioritize both formal and life education. This means that the therapist I am is made up of not only the graduate degree I hold, as well as the lived experiences I have and the roles I play in my life.

I consume books and interviews like it’s my second job and I am always reading something delightful and fiction before bed (currently enjoying a fantasy series) and listening to things that make me laugh (like Good Hang with AP).

When I’m not devouring fiction, I am seeking literature that teaches me how to be a better, more informed and educated therapist, mother, and human. Below is what I am currently digesting:

What I am currently reading (updated 1/21/2026):

  • No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model - Dr. Richard Schwartz

  • Four Thousand Weeks - Oliver Burkeman

  • Mother Creature Kin: What We Learn From Nature’s Mothers in a Time of Unraveling - Chelsea Steinauer-Scudder

  • Nourished: Connection, Food, and Caring for our Kids (and everyone else we love) - Deborah MacNamara, PhD

  • Mothershift: Reclaiming Motherhood as a Rite of Passage, Jessie Harrold

What I am listening to (updated 1/21/2026):

Formal Involvement, Trainings, and Qualifications

Completed:

  • Level 1 Emotionally Focused Therapy - EFT Externship

  • The Body Keeps The Score - Trauma Training

  • Internal Family Systems - Step-by-Step Procedures for Healing Traumatic Wounds and Alleviating Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, Addiction

In process:

  • Beginning February 2026: Advanced Perinatal Mental Health Specialist Training with Perinatal Mental Health Institute

Permits and Education:

  • MFTC - Marriage and Family Therapist Candidate

  • Master’s Degree: University of Colorado Denver - Couple and Family Therapy

  • Bachelor’s Degree: University of Colorado Boulder - Spanish & Education

Memberships

  • Postpartum Support International Member