Hello and welcome to Crying Out Loud with Sandi & Ashley. We are Licensed Master Social Workers and graduates of Baylor University. During our time there we discovered that we both had a passion to work toward destigmatizing mental health, especially in areas related to children and families.
On Crying Out Loud, our goal is to destigmatize mental health and treatment by providing insight into the mental health world while using evidence-based research and real-life experiences. Join us on our journey of vulnerability as we discuss trauma, resilience, and healing practices from our lives and the lives of our guests.
We would love to hear from you! You can contact us on Facebook as CryingOutLoud Podcast and Instagram as CryingOut.Loud, or by sending an email to info@cryingoutloud.net.
Sandi & Ashley
Meet Sandi & Ashley
Sandi Brown
Hi. My name is Sandi Brown and I am a Licensed Master Social Worker, currently working towards clinical licensure to become an LCSW and a graduate of Baylor University’s Diana R Garland School of Social Work. I started my career in the field of social work in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in social work from Barton College. After graduation, I started working in child protective services as a field investigator. I have also worked as a therapist and case manager for Communities in Schools and the Dept of Juvenile Services.
I am employed as a Program Therapist at a Residential Treatment Facility in Texas that specializes in psychiatry and neuropsychiatry for children between the ages of 10-17. I primarily work with children with Neurodevelopment disorders between the ages of 10-13. These children often have a primary diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Hyper Activity Disorder (ADHD), or other neurodevelopment disorders with an accompanying diagnosis such as Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD), Anxiety, and Depression. The primary treatment modalities I use are Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT), Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) Dialectical Behavior Therapy for children (DBT-C), and Sand Tray Therapy.
I have a passion for working with children and families, as well as advocating for those who have been mistreated, whose voices might not have been strong enough to be heard or maybe just misunderstood. These reasons, among many more, drew me into the practice of social work and why I felt the need to share my knowledge and life experiences in this podcast. Thank you all for joining me on this part of my journey in life.
Sandi Brown, LMSW
Ashley Barksdale
Hi. My name is Ashley Barksdale and I am a Mental Health Therapist and an Adjunct Instructor of Psychology and Family Science, with a passion for supporting individuals and families who experience difficulties with mental health, including perinatal mental health. I work effectively with people of various ages, cultural backgrounds, and socioeconomic statuses, and take a person-centered holistic approach when identifying appropriate treatment modalities and resources for the families I serve.
I am a Marriage and Family Therapy doctoral candidate and have a master’s degree from Baylor University’s Diana R. Garland School of Social Work and a bachelor’s degree in Family Science with a minor in Psychology from Mississippi University for Women where I also obtained a certification as a Family Life Educator (CFLE), provided by National Council on Family Relations.
Since graduating from Baylor, I have achieved certifications as a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP), Certified Grief Professional (CGP), and Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC-II). Additionally, I am in the process of completing clinical supervision and will sit for the certifying exams to advance to a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Certified Perinatal Mental Health Provider (PMH-C).
My practice interests include academia and clinical social work, including ADHD in adolescents, trauma, and maternal mental health; hence my diverse educational background. I believe that our childhood impacts our adulthood, and to achieve our desired goals, we must fully understand the family as a unit, rather than each individual as a separate entity. This requires a look into the deeper emotions we often do not realize are there. Integrating my personal experiences into learning offers others a deeper explanation of theories based on real-life scenarios, which is what excites me about this podcast.
The more we know, the more we can grow! I hope you continue to follow our journey!
Ashley Barksdale, LMSW, CFLE, CGP, CCTP, CADC-II