About Ally Legard - MA

Ally, based in our Homer, AK office, has been committed to providing mental health services to clients since 2020, specializing in supporting children, families, and young adults. She is passionate about creating a safe and supportive space for all, including members of the LGBTQ+ community. Drawing from her background as a former athlete, Ally integrates a holistic approach to counseling that emphasizes mental, physical and emotional well-being. Her comprehensive approach includes exploring variables such as exercise, nutrition, hydration, sleep, connection, purpose and play as important contributors to wellbeing.

Despite not being native to Alaska, Ally is a happy transplant who loves the ample opportunities for adventure that the End of the Road town of Homer has to offer. Ally enjoys skiing, hiking on Alaska's stunning trails, pack rafting, fly fishing in the backcountry, and spending time with family and friends when not working.

EDUCATION & TRAINING

Ally earned her Master’s in Counseling from Oregon State University-Cascades in 2023, following a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Gonzaga University. Her training includes a CACREP-accredited internship at Tumalo Community School and practicum experience at High Desert Middle School. She has also served as a school counselor at Homer Middle School and Head of the Bay K-12 schools. She is supervised by Mary Kuepper, LPC-S, who specializes in serving kids and families, women in states of transition, and Mama's, navigating maternal mental health.

EXPERIENCE

Ally is committed to supporting individuals through their mental health journeys, bringing both warmth and expertise to her work. She specializes in helping children aged 3 to 17 who are facing anxiety, depression, and trauma, offering a compassionate and tailored approach to their unique needs. Ally’s skills extend to working with adolescents and young adults, where she addresses challenges such as eating disorders, anger management, social skills, trauma, and life transitions.

What truly drives Ally is her passion for working alongside adolescents and young adults as they sort out the business of "adulting." She also holds a deep commitment to the LGBTQ+ community, striving to create a supportive and affirming space for all. Her empathetic approach ensures that each client feels heard, valued, and empowered on their path to healing and growth.

COUNSELING PERSPECTIVE

Ally fosters a safe and welcoming environment  that allows clients to build a sense of trust and rapport prior to jumping into the difficult material that often brings us into therapy.  As a person centered therapist, Ally works to empower clients to make the therapy hour their own, acting as a guide who walks alongside, building on the strengths and resources one already has. Ally works from a wholistic and trauma-informed lens of care, bringing warmth and curiosity to develop a deeper understanding of the life circumstances that drive the “why,” behind the challenging behaviors, and unproductive patterns, we often face.  She understands that each individual's journey is unique and strives to create a safe and non-judgmental space where clients can express themselves freely.

Work with Ally will includes evidenced based modalities, such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Solution-Focused Therapy,  to help clients learn and utilize concrete skills to mitigate their most pressing distress, while simultaneously working to unearth the underlying roots of said distress.  This skills based approach, paired with the deeper work of understanding the way our past influences our present, and the combined influence on our future, is a powerful therapeutic model for implementing sustainable and transformative change.   In addition, expressive therapies are often included in the therapeutic work, including, but not limited to; Sandtray, Play Therapy interventions, Art Directives, and Ecotherapy (hiking, beach walks). Ally is passionate about supporting clients in making the therapy hour their own, so you can expect a tailor made approach that works to meet you, exactly where you are at.