About your Counselor

Photo of Ayana Tompkins standing — Ayana Tompkins, LCSW‑C

She/her/hers
Clinical Social Worker/Therapist

Hello! I’m Ayana.
I’m glad you’re here.

To me, your inner essence is your authentic self — no masks, no hiding, no doubt. Just who you truly are. I want to be your guide to finding that version of you and the peace and freedom that comes with letting yourself shine.

I have always wanted to help others. As a child, my mother was a teacher and I was surrounded by strong Black women. Early on, I picked up on what being a good listener really meant, and pretty soon people started coming to me when they needed someone to talk to.

I started my career in social work with Meals on Wheels, moved on to Big Brothers Big Sisters, and then to the Department of Social Services. Over the last 2+ decades I’ve worked with individuals, groups, families, and couples (inpatient and outpatient). Most recently, I felt called to do more to help individuals move through adulthood with acceptance and healing. That’s what led me here, fulfilling my lifelong dream to be a therapist, counselor, and life coach.

My first goal is to give you a safe, compassionate, non-judgmental place to open up, lighten your load, feel understood, and understand yourself. I’m here to help you sift through the weeds of trauma and replace them with a garden of real skills you’ll harvest throughout your life.

I’m a fierce, loyal advocate for my clients of all walks of life, and especially connected to African American, POC, and LGBTQIA+ life experiences. It might feel like you’re up against the world, but I promise you’re worthy of enlightenment, encouragement, and enjoyment in life.

It takes courage to prioritize your mental health. I’m already proud of you for that. Let’s take it step by step together from here.

“

My first goal is to give you a safe, compassionate, non-judgmental place to open up, lighten your load, feel understood, and understand yourself.

”

Treatment approach

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

In our sessions together, I’ll guide you through cognitive behavioral therapy, which is often called “talk therapy.” We’ll unpack your experiences and the way you felt about them, and work on ways to cope, accept, and heal.

You don’t need any background to participate in cognitive behavioral therapy. We’ll start where you are and build toward a shift in thinking that brings you peace and fulfillment.

I also practice Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). EMDR is designed to help heal traumatic memories and trauma response pathways in your brain. EMDR therapy is very well researched and proven to help people of all ages move through mental health issues, illness, grief, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). We’ll decide together if EMDR is right for you.

Qualifications