Ashley Taylor Counseling

10/15/2026

More than one in five single U.S. adults say they've been in a consensually non-monogamous relationship at some point. So why is it still so misunderstood?

My new post explains what ethical non-monogamy is, the main relationship styles, and what research says about satisfaction, trust, and what helps ENM relationships work. Whether you're curious, poly for years, or somewhere in between, I hope it's useful.

Read more here: https://www.ashleytaylorcounseling.com/merakimindset/what-is-ethical-non-monogamy-a-therapists-guide

***rTherapist

Q***r, affirming online therapy in Texas, Colorado, and Michigan for anxiety, ADHD, identity, and relationships. Individuals, couples, poly, and groups.

10/09/2026

Y’all I have been digesting the news about Jane Doe and The Cornell 7.
I’m feeling a mix of emotions, from anger to sadness to overwhelm. One moment I’m hyperfixated, reading everything I can. The next, I need space to decompress.

Reading about this case, I keep thinking about how many survivors I’ve heard from who went to the authorities and were dismissed. Minimized. Mishandled. Even with AMPLE proof. That’s a second wound. Survivors are already carrying the trauma itself. Then they’re asked to carry the doubt of the people who were supposed to help, and sometimes the silence of their own community too.

And you have to ask: why didn’t anyone say anything? Why didn’t anyone step in? That question can leave you feeling hopeless and alone.

If you are a survivor and this news is stirring things up for you, please know you are not alone. You allowed to step away from the headlines and comments sections. You don’t need anyone’s verdict to know what happened to you was real.

Our institutions have to do better. When a survivor comes forward, they deserve to be taken seriously, not managed, doubted or quietly sent away.

And for all of us, this is a reminder of who we can choose to be: the person who believes a survivor when they speak, and the person who says something when something feels wrong.

If you need support right now, RAINN’s hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-656-4673. And, if you would like a space to process this. I am here.

10/08/2026

National Coming Out Day is this Sunday. Most coming out stories focus on the person coming out. This week's post is about the relationship around them.
When a partner comes out as trans or nonbinary, it can bring up a lot for both of you. In a 2025 study of couples who stayed together through a partner's transition, every couple described a moment when they knew the relationship would make it through.If you're the one who came out: the fear of losing your partner makes sense. If you're the one adjusting: your feelings, including grief, are allowed.

The full post is at www.ashleytaylorcounseling.com/merakimindset/when-your-partner-comes-out-as-trans

***rTherapist

A q***r, trans affirming therapist on what happens when a partner comes out as trans, the feelings it can stir up for both of you, and what helps.

08/19/2026

Divorce doesn't just end a relationship. Sometimes it ends a version of you, too.

If you're going through a divorce and feel like you're grieving yourself as much as the relationship, that makes complete sense. You built a life, routines, roles, a whole shared future, and now you're figuring out who you are without it.

You're not starting from zero. You're starting from everything you've already learned.

New blog post on rebuilding your identity after divorce, with real steps for moving through it.

https://www.ashleytaylorcounseling.com/merakimindset/how-to-rebuild-your-identity-after-divorce

08/11/2026

There's no expiration date on figuring out who you are.

If you're realizing something about your sexuality or gender in your 30s, 40s, or beyond, you are not "behind." You're right on time for you.

Coming out later in life comes with its own layers: long term relationships, kids, careers, community. It's different from coming out at 19, and it deserves its own conversation.

New post is up, all about navigating this specific kind of identity shift with more self compassion and less pressure.

https://www.ashleytaylorcounseling.com/merakimindset/coming-out-later-in-life-navigating-identity-shifts-in-your-30s-40s-and-beyond

***rTherapy

08/03/2026

Have you ever looked at your own life and thought... this doesn't feel like mine anymore?

Not because anything is wrong. Just because you've changed, and your life hasn't caught up yet.

This happens more than people talk about. And it's not a crisis. It's a sign of growth.

In my latest blog post, I'm breaking down what values based change actually means (hint: it's not about having the whole plan figured out) and how to start realigning your life with who you're becoming, one small choice at a time.

ashleytaylorcounseling.com/merakimindset/when-your-identity-doesnt-match-your-life-anymore-a-guide-to-values-based-change


12w

05/12/2026

Sent a text two hours ago. No response.
Your brain: "They hate me. I said something wrong. They're never talking to me again."
That's rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD). And if you have ADHD, you probably know it well.
It's not just being sensitive. It's a tidal wave of emotional pain over perceived rejection. Your brain interprets neutral things as rejection. And it feels physical.
New blog: what RSD is, why ADHD brains experience it, and what helps when you're stuck in the spiral.

https://www.ashleytaylorcounseling.com/merakimindset/rejection-sensitive-dysphoria-rsd-adhd

05/05/2026

Got diagnosed with ADHD in my 30s.
Suddenly my whole life made sense.
All those times I was called lazy. The jobs I couldn't keep. The friendships that faded. The constant feeling everyone else had a manual I never got.

It wasn't a character flaw. It was ADHD.

Late diagnosis is relief and grief all at once. You finally have an answer, but you're also mourning the years you spent thinking you were the problem.

New blog: making sense of late diagnosis and what comes next.

https://www.ashleytaylorcounseling.com/merakimindset/late-diagnosed-adhd

04/09/2026

You can't focus because you're anxious.
You're anxious because you can't focus.
You forgot something important, so now you're spiraling.
You're spiraling, so you can't remember what you were supposed to do.
If you have both ADHD and anxiety, you know this cycle intimately. And it's exhausting.

Here's what makes it so complicated: ADHD and anxiety FEED each other.
ADHD makes you anxious:
- Forgetting deadlines creates panic
- Struggling to start tasks = worry about falling behind
- Time blindness = chronic lateness anxiety

Anxiety makes ADHD worse:
- Stress hormones impair executive function
- Worry becomes mental clutter
- Overthinking drains focus

New blog post: How ADHD and anxiety overlap, why they make each other worse, and what actually helps when you're dealing with both (because you need strategies for BOTH, not just one).

Because you're not broken. You're just complex.

www.ashleytaylorcounseling.com/merakimindset/adhd-and-anxiety-overlap