Hi, I’m Ashley!
Child Development Specialist
Ashley began her career as a speech therapist in public education. Wanting to make a meaningful impact on autistic children and their families, she shifted her focus to studying how neurodiverse children learn and grow through relationships. To further deepen her expertise, she pursued a postgraduate degree in infant, child, and family mental health and completed an extensive mentorship in the Greenspan Floortime Approach®.
As a child and family mental health practitioner, Ashley supports parents through reflective practice, helping them explore how their own emotions and experiences influence their child’s development.
Ashley Gillespie, M.A., is a developmental therapist and the founder of Bloom Developmental Center in League City, Texas. She specializes in relationship based developmental therapy for autistic children using the Greenspan Floortime approach. Ashley works with families from across the United States and internationally who travel to Bloom to learn how to support their child’s emotional regulation, communication, and social development through connection based strategies.
She is also the founder of Global Bloom Project, a nonprofit organization established in 2017 with the mission of expanding connection based support for autistic children around the world and empowering caregivers and communities to discover the joy of connecting with autistic children.
In addition to her clinical work with families, Ashley mentors and trains professionals who want to deepen their understanding of relational, child centered therapy. She works with therapists, educators, college students, and professionals across disciplines who are seeking to better engage autistic children, including those who are minimally speaking or nonspeaking. Through lectures, professional mentoring, and her course The Attuned Practitioner, Ashley teaches practitioners how to use their therapeutic presence, movement, affect, and authentic engagement to support emotional regulation, social connection, and meaningful communication in therapy sessions. Her work focuses on helping professionals move beyond scripted interventions and develop the confidence and skill to truly connect with the children they serve.
My Cousin Hailey
Everyone's childhood experiences shape their adulthood. For me, it was my cousin Hailey who ignited my passion for my work. As a young girl, I saw how her condition affected not only her but her entire family. I distinctly remember the moment at age nine when my heart was broken for children with autism. That experience made me realize that my life’s journey was a faith-driven mission to support children who, though uniquely different, are wonderfully created by the Lord’s design.
My passion for working with children with additional needs and their families is a gift from the Lord. It is my ministry to share the joy and love of Jesus with families that need a fresh encounter with Him.
Meet the Team
At Bloom, family is at the heart of everything we do. We lead our relationship based approach by example, through our own family. Ashley’s husband, Dorian, is a retired school teacher with a degree in early childhood education and a postgraduate degree. He spent 16 years in public education working with learners of all abilities and backgrounds. Together, as a family, we made a commitment to support families raising children with additional needs.
We believe that learning happens best within families. It is through everyday relationships, play, and meaningful interaction that children grow. As a family, we work together to model what we teach by valuing connection, communication, and shared experiences. This is what Bloom is built on.
Our mission is to walk alongside families. We believe families deserve a team that feels like family, a team that listens, supports, and empowers them through connection and shared values.
Ashley considers Anson her protégé. He loves playing with the children and interacting with families. Anson is homeschooled, and when his studies are complete, you can often find him learning Floortime alongside the kids.
Global Bloom Project
Ashley’s 501(c)(3), Global Bloom Project, started in 2017 with the mission of empowering people around the world to find joy in connecting with autistic children. Through partnerships with NGO’s and faith organizations, we work to expand connection-based support and create meaningful, lasting impact.