St. Petersburg Therapist Specializing in Child Trauma & Family Healing
Ashley Canto, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Certified in Trauma-Focused CBT with extensive experience supporting children and family systems
About Ashley
Ashley is a trauma-informed therapist with a focus on child therapy and family dynamics. She works with children, adolescents, teens, and adults navigating the effects of trauma, anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and life transitions. Drawing from her experience across the foster care system, schools, and community programs, Ashley creates a safe, supportive space where clients feel seen, heard, and empowered. Her approach is warm, collaborative, and rooted in evidence-based practices tailored to each child, individual or family.
Credentials & Education
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) — Florida| License #SW24104
M.S. in Social Work from the University of South Florida
Certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT
Trained in Parent Management Technique (PMT), Trained in Emotional Freedom Technique Tapping (EFT) & Play therapy
Video Introduction
Who Ashley Supports
Ashley works with:
Children healing from trauma — abuse, neglect, foster care experiences, or adverse childhood experiences
Teens and adolescents navigating emotional challenges — anxiety, depression, trauma responses, or behavioral concerns
Families strengthening parent-child relationships — improving communication, building attachment, and creating emotional safety
Caregivers seeking parenting support — learning effective strategies to manage challenging behaviors and build confidence in their parenting approach
Foster families and adoptive parents — addressing attachment wounds, trauma, and systemic complexities
Individuals processing emotional dysregulation — learning skills to manage overwhelming emotions and develop resilience
Couples preparing for marriage — premarital counseling to build strong communication and relationship foundations
Adults healing from childhood trauma — addressing how early experiences continue to impact current emotional and relational patterns
St. Petersburg clients value Ashley's person centered approach, her ability to create space for difficult conversations, and her deep understanding of the systemic barriers affecting children and families.
Ashley’s Approach to Therapy
Ashley blends evidence-based modalities with a person-centered, trauma-informed approach. Her sessions are warm, collaborative, and designed to honor each client's unique strengths and needs.
She focuses on:
Helping children process trauma using Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) for children and adolescents
Supporting emotional regulation through EFT to release stress, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm
Strengthening parent-child attachment with Parent Management Technique
Using play therapy to help children express emotions and process difficult experiences in developmentally appropriate ways
Building motivation for change through Motivational Interviewing with children, parents, and families
Addressing cognitive patterns with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Creating safe spaces for difficult conversations in individual, couples, family, and group settings
Ashley believes in honoring the individual strengths and innate gifts each client brings to therapy, creating an atmosphere where clients feel validated, heard, and empowered on their healing journey.
What Ashley Helps Clients With
Ashley supports St. Petersburg clients experiencing:
Childhood trauma and PTSD
Foster care and adoption-related challenges
Anxiety and emotional dysregulation
Attachment wounds and family system dysfunction
Life transitions and adjustment
Premarital preparation and relationship building
Adult survivors of childhood trauma
Grief and loss
Ashley’s Background & Training
Ashley's professional experience includes:
Serving as a case manager in the foster care system, gaining insight into systemic barriers and emotional complexities affecting children and families
Working with youth across schools, summer camps, and community programs
Supporting mothers, fathers, and caregivers in expanding parenting skills and building confidence
Her advanced training includes:
Certification in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Play Therapy
Specialized experience in trauma recovery, emotional regulation, family dynamics, and behavioral concerns
A Message From Ashley
"Every child and family has unique strengths and gifts. My role is to create a safe space where those strengths can emerge, where difficult experiences can be processed, and where healing can unfold naturally. Whether you're a parent seeking support or navigating your own journey, you deserve to feel heard, validated, and empowered."
Ready to work with Ashley?
We invite you to schedule a FREE CONSULTATION with us to begin your healing journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Parent Management Technique (PMT) and how does it help families?
Parent Management Technique (PMT) is an evidence-based approach that teaches caregivers effective strategies to manage challenging child behaviors while strengthening attachment and creating consistent, nurturing home routines. Rather than focusing on punishment, PMT helps parents understand the function of behaviors, set clear boundaries, reinforce positive behaviors, and respond to challenges in ways that build trust and connection. It's particularly effective for families dealing with oppositional behavior, aggression, or power struggles.
How does Trauma-Focused CBT differ from regular play therapy?
TF-CBT is a structured, evidence-based protocol specifically designed to help children process traumatic experiences. While play therapy uses play as the medium for expression and healing, TF-CBT combines play with cognitive behavioral techniques, psychoeducation, and caregiver involvement to directly address trauma symptoms like nightmares, flashbacks, avoidance, and emotional dysregulation. It includes specific phases—stabilization, trauma narration, processing, and integration—ensuring children not only express emotions but actively heal from trauma.
What is EFT tapping and how does it help children with anxiety?
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) tapping combines gentle tapping on specific acupressure points with focused emotional awareness to help calm the nervous system and release stress, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm. For children, it's a simple, body-based tool they can use independently when feeling anxious or upset. The physical tapping helps interrupt the anxiety cycle, creating a sense of safety and control. It's particularly effective for kids who struggle to verbalize emotions or who need tangible coping strategies.
Do you work with foster and adoptive families?
Yes. Ashley has extensive experience as a former foster care case manager and understands the unique trauma, attachment challenges, and systemic complexities that foster and adoptive families navigate. She provides trauma-informed support for children who have experienced placement changes, abuse, or neglect, while also coaching caregivers on building secure attachment, managing challenging behaviors, and creating emotionally safe home environments.
Can therapy help parents who feel overwhelmed or unsure about their parenting?
Absolutely. A key focus of Ashley's work is creating a safe space for mothers, fathers, and caregivers to expand their parenting skills without judgment. Through constructive therapeutic feedback and parent training approaches like PMT, she helps caregivers strengthen relationships with their children, build confidence in their parenting approach, and develop practical tools for managing difficult moments. Parenting support is collaborative, compassionate, and focused on honoring each family's unique dynamics.
What does premarital counseling look like?
Premarital counseling helps couples build a strong foundation before marriage by addressing communication patterns, conflict resolution, expectations, values alignment, and potential challenges. Sessions focus on developing skills for navigating disagreements, understanding each other's attachment styles and family backgrounds, and creating shared goals for your relationship. It's proactive work designed to strengthen your partnership and prepare you for the realities of married life.