Anastasia Ashe, PsyD, is a licensed marriage and family therapist and also a full-time teaching faculty member at Antioch University's Santa Barbara location. Ashe’s academic focus includes teaching and providing faculty support for new students preparing and adjusting to the start of their new program. Dr. Anastasia Ashe comes to us as a dedicated mental health advocate with a history of commitment to promoting community, cultural learning, and inclusion for BIPOC and LGBTIQ+ communities.
Her clinical focus in therapy includes couple therapy and adult individual therapy with emotionally focused therapy, narrative, somatic experiencing, dialectical behavioral therapy, and the Gottman Method being her primary theoretical approaches in therapy. Her clinical research focus includes somatic tools and interventions for couples in couple therapy as well as trauma-informed care. Dr. Ashe’s current research also includes exploring racial-sexual stereotypes as well as the impact these stereotypes have on sexual expression among BIPOC folks.
Overall, Ashe values community, collaboration, and networking that facilitates providing community resources, connection, mental health training/learning, integrated care, and more. During her spare time, Ashe loves spending time with family and friends through special gatherings and events, including dining, game nights, paint nite events, and the challenge of partaking in escape room ventures.
Full-Time Teaching Faculty
Master of Arts Clinical Psychology Program
Dr. Ashe earned her doctorate in Couples and Family Therapy from Alliant International University, her Master's in Clinical Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, and her BA in African American and African Studies from the University of California, Davis.
Dr. Ashe provides an experiential learning environment to create hands-on experience through role plays, class demonstrations, exploring vignettes and case samples, while also facilitating a collaborative learning environment that embodies group assignments and class discussion topics.
Her research has focused on exploring racial-sexual stereotypes and the impact it has on sexual expression as well as somatic work in couple therapy.
- Gorden, A. (2025). Somatic work in couple therapy. The Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families, 1-9. DOI: 10.1177/10664807251348210
- Gorden, A. M., Seshadri, G., Glebova, T., & Nylund, D. K. (2024). Sensate focus: addressing potential preconceived notions of black sexuality. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 1–25. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2024.2366506
- Gorden, A. (2021). Sensate focus: Addressing potential preconceived notions of black sexuality (Publication No. 28720764) [Doctoral dissertation, Alliant International University]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.
- Gordon, A. M., & Seshadri, G. (2018). Institute for family and sexuality studies. In J. Lebow, A. Chambers, & D. Breunlin (Eds.). Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy. Springer, Cham. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15877-8_634-1
- Gorden, A., & Seshadri, G. (2018, June). Workplace Bullying: How it Impacts the Mental Health and Well-Being of Both Victims and Perpetrators. American Family Therapy Academy. 40th Annual Convention. Austin, TX.
- Gorden, A., & Seshadri, G. (2018, July). Sensate Focus and the Pre-Conceived Notions Among African Americans. Association of Black Psychologists 50th Annual International Convention. Oakland, CA.
- Gorden, A., & Seshadri, G. (2018, September). Workplace Bullying: How it Impacts the Mental Health and Well-Being of Both Victims and Perpetrators. Institute of Violence Abuse and Trauma. 23rd International Annual Summit. San Diego, CA.
- Gorden, A., & Mickens, L. (2015, July). How Racial – Gendered Stereotypes Impact African American Couples and their Level of Intimacy. Association of Black Psychologists 47th Annual International Convention. Las Vegas, NV.
The A. Toy Caldwell-Colbert Distinguished Student Service Award American Psychological Association Psychologist for Black Lives (Psi4BL) January 2017 Division 45 Award to honor a graduate student who has made outstanding service or clinical contributions targeted at psychological issues of importance among ethnic minorities.
- CAMFT - Current Member
- AASECT - Current Member
- AAMFT - Past Member
- AFTA - Past Member
- AASECT - Past Member
- Intimate Relationships, Clinical Skills I and II, Psychotherapy in Context, Human Sexuality and Counseling, Clinical Skills in Multicultural Context, Trauma Counseling