Meet The Team
Nicole
Therapist, Coach, Founder
Taylor
Ben
Executive Coach, Clinical Director
Samiya
Clinical Administrator
NICOLE BENNETT, LCSW
Therapist, Coach
niki@ascentcoachingandtherapy.com
Niki is an author, public speaker and licensed clinical social worker. She earned her undergraduate degree from Central Washington University and her master’s degree from the University of Utah. Niki provides coaching and clinical therapy for adolescents, adults, couples and families, in both group and individual settings. She is currently satisfying a lifelong dream of living in Hawaii, where she works as a professor in the Social Work department at Brigham Young University, Hawaii.
​​
As a certified yoga instructor, Niki provides a client-centered approach to treatment, utilizing mindfulness techniques in conjunction with acceptance and commitment therapy, solution-focused therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and a strength-based approach to treatment. She is newly certified in Brain Spotting, a powerful, focused treatment method that works by identifying, processing and releasing core neurophysiological sources of emotional/body pain, trauma, dissociation and a variety of other challenging symptoms.
​​
Niki has been married for 23 years and is the mother of four children. When she is not teaching, coaching, cleaning or wrangling kids, she enjoys writing, reading, traveling and lounging at the beach.
​
Specific areas of interest include:
​
-
adapting to life transitions
-
anxiety
-
body image issues/body dysmorphia
-
communication training
-
depression
-
divorce
-
eating disorders
-
addiction
-
infidelity
-
leadership training
-
marriage/couples counseling
-
OCD
-
relationship coaching
​
​
BEN BENNETT
Business Coach/Consultant, Clinical Director
​
Ben Bennett has worked in the high tech and customer care industries for more than 25 years. Ben is currently the Managing Director, Family History at FindMyPast focused on helping families stay connected to their past and future.
Prior to joining FindMyPast, Ben held various positions at FamilySearch International in Salt Lake City, Utah, at Microsoft Corporation in Redmond, Washington and at Convergys Corporation in Salt Lake City, Utah. In addition, Ben has consulted and worked with startups in a variety of markets. Ben attended Brigham Young University for undergraduate studies and Seattle University for graduate studies. His favorite ice cream flavor is peppermint. He provides individual & executive leadership coaching & consulting.
​
TAYLOR PIERCE, CSW
Therapist, Coach
taylor@ascentcoachingandtherapy.com
Taylor earned her undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University Hawaii and her Master’s degree from Columbia University in New York City. Taylor provides therapy for children, adolescents, and adults.
She provides a client-centered, strength-based approach to treatment. With a specialized interest in grief and trauma, Taylor utilizes the following evidenced based practices: Prolonged Grief Disorder Therapy (PGDT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT).
Before transitioning to private practice, Taylor had an extensive background working with survivors of human trafficking, refugees, children and families with terminal illness, crisis intervention, and disaster response.
She is a mother of five, through infertility treatment and adoption. She is a below average runner with dreams of eventually breaking a ten minute mile, which regularly haunts her. She enjoys consuming copious amounts of sugar, watching chick flicks, and sleeping in; none of which contribute to her running goals.
Specific areas of interest include:
-
adapting to life transitions
-
addiction
-
anxiety
-
depression
-
divorce
-
grief and loss
-
infidelity
-
OCD
-
PTSD
-
trauma
-
stress
​
SAMIYA WASHINGTON
samiya@ascentcoachingandtherapy.com
​
Samiya Washington is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work at Brigham Young University - Hawaii and works as the Head Tutor for the entire social work department. Along with this major, she is minoring in both Communications and Health in Human Performance. After graduating from BYUH, Samiya plans on attending graduate school to achieve her Master’s of Social Work and eventually strives to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Samiya is newly married and loves spending time with her husband. She loves going to the beach, traveling, and hosting friends for dinner parties