Dr. Ashley Smith

Dr. Ashley Smith earned her PhD in clinical psychology with an emphasis in children and families in 2007. She completed a predoctoral internship at Children’s Mercy Hospital before joining the staff at Omaha Children’s Hospital to help develop their dedicated anxiety services.

In 2009, She relocated to Kansas City to serve as a senior staff psychologist at a nationally recognized anxiety specialty center. She ventured out on her own in 2017 and continues her private practice, where she is a sought-after anxiety specialist. In addition to direct clinical work, she is actively involved in a number of other scholarly activities.

She has been an adjunct assistant professor and has provided supervision and consultation for students and other professionals. She has several publications, including peer-reviewed journal articles, chapters in edited volumes, blog posts and online articles, and a book, Childhood Anxiety Disorders. She is a long-time member of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America and recently received their Special Recognition Award for her public outreach efforts.

Dr. Ashley regularly presents workshops and trainings on local and national levels. She is passionate about sharing cognitive behavioral therapy, positive psychology practices, and applied neuroscience to help people struggling with anxiety live better lives; this passion has driven efforts to help more people in novel ways, ultimately leading to the creation of Peak Mind: The Center for Psychological Strength, which she co-founded in 2019.