About Ashley
Hi there! My name is Ashley Furtado, and I am a Clinical Professional Counselor – Intern specializing in child therapy and teen therapy. I moved to Henderson, Nevada in 2023 from Sacramento with my partner. I love traveling and spending time in nature — the ocean is my happy place! When I lived in California, one of my favorite things to do was drive to San Francisco, grab a Ghirardelli ice cream sundae, and sit by the ocean watching the waves. It always brought me so much peace. As a Bay Area native, I also love exploring new restaurants and activities, and discovering all that Las Vegas culture has to offer has been exciting and fun!
Early in my career, I believed teaching would be my lifelong path. However, while assistant teaching at a Waldorf school, I discovered that my true passion was in the emotional and behavioral development of children, not just academics. I was fascinated by how my students felt, why they made certain choices, and how to help them navigate complex emotions.
This passion led me to pursue a career as a child therapist, where I now focus on helping kids and families build healthy coping skills and strengthen relationships. I work with school-age children and their parents to address challenges such as anxiety, depression, self-esteem struggles, bullying, and behavioral difficulties. My goal is to provide compassionate, effective care that helps your child thrive both emotionally and socially.
Supporting your child’s mental health is a journey, and I am here to help your family find practical strategies, resilience, and hope through play therapy, emotional regulation techniques, and a safe, supportive environment. Whether your child is struggling with big feelings, life changes, or difficult behaviors, I am committed to helping them — and you — feel empowered every step of the way.
How I Help
Humor is one of the best tools in my therapy sessions. I love to get silly with the kids I work with because laughter helps children feel safe and open up. In our first few sessions, my focus is to get to know your child and understand their unique personality. Whether they prefer reading books, playing board games, coloring, or dancing to their favorite music, these activities help them feel comfortable and supported. Allowing kids to choose what we do during play therapy sessions gives them a sense of independence while giving me insight into their strengths and emotional needs.
Because my specialty is school-age children, I understand that traditional “talk therapy” doesn’t always work well for young clients. Children express themselves best through play, movement, and interaction. During sessions, I integrate play therapy techniques to understand their inner world and see how they experience and interpret life. Through play, storytelling, and creative activities, I can identify your child’s areas of growth and help them develop emotional regulation skills.
One of the core tools I teach is “built-in self-regulation” using their five senses. This method helps kids learn coping strategies to manage anxiety, anger, or sadness, while also recognizing the skills they already use to handle big emotions. By building on what they naturally do well, therapy feels empowering and supportive.
My goal as a child therapist in Henderson is to help kids gain confidence, build self-esteem, and feel proud of who they are. I’ve seen how a single hurtful comment can deeply affect how a child sees themselves. That’s why I emphasize positive affirmations and encourage children to speak kindly about themselves — and extend that kindness to others.
In today’s world, there are many things kids can’t control, from school pressures to social media to peer challenges. While they can’t change every situation, they can learn how to control their responses and emotions. Helping kids understand this difference gives them a sense of power and resilience.
I’m passionate about guiding children and their families through this process so they can develop lifelong skills to navigate challenges, improve emotional regulation, and thrive both at home and in school.
More About Ashley
Education
Bachelors in Psychology – Sacramento State University – 2019
Master of Arts, Counseling and Psychology – University of the Pacific – 2023