We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ashley Wright. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ashley below.

Hi Ashley, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

Journaling has been one of my most treasured pastimes for the past 20+ years. It gave me room to connect with myself, process all the teenage and young adult situations and shrink emotions that wanted to become larger than me. When it came time to name my business, I knew I wanted it to be liberating, uplifting, and encouraging. I spent a few days jotting down name after name, attempting to create catchphrases and rhythmic flows and finally, one morning at 3am, I was woken up. I told God, if it was Him, I needed for Him to make it known and very plainly, “Strokes of Freedom” was offered to me. I asked a group of preteens what they thought of all the names, they voted and I shared the name God gave to me. The level of exclamation and rejoicing they belted out haha, I knew it was the route to take.

Strokes of Freedom centers on giving others guidance and tools they need to write their own way to freedom versus waiting for someone else to give them such permission. Folks get to tell their story their way without the pressures of editing or adjusting because the pen and pages belong to them and each entry gets them that much closer to every level of freedom.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Ashley R. Wright and I am an advocate for self-discovery and a guide to true unimpeded human healing. As a Certified Life Coach, Grief Recovery Specialist and former Social Worker, I’ve dedicated my human experience to helping others improve or attain healthy soul expression. I do this because I believe the world can recover and heal.

I spent a portion of my life emotionally trapped and underdeveloped. Once I really became whole and living life through a lens of worth and value, I made it my mission to help others do the same. I help my clients recognize, honor and release – they get space to recognize or gain awareness about themselves and their lived experiences, recognize how they’ve been impacted by those things and then release what no longer supports and serves where they are growing to. I give my clients space to make healing fun, personal and attainable.

Anytime I am blessed to connect with another, I always make it a point to reinforce that they are a human having a human experience and nothing about them or their life is wrong. I do this because often times, we journey through life thinking less of ourselves which eventually leads up to talking ourselves out of opportunities or peace.

I offer both journaling and coaching sessions virtually and in person. My coaching business has a focus on giving Black women the space they need to figure it all out. I learned that the road to figuring “it” out can feel tiring, overwhelming and never ending but that’s only because we think we have to do it alone.

I’ve also curated journals, a question book and journaling kits to foster writing and completing introspective work at home. All of these tools are designed to create awareness and assist clients in renewing and decluttering their minds so they can create a life they look forward to daily.

I want for all to know that they are not living life alone, that they have community and their life and story matters and it doesn’t define them. There is a world of possibility they can indeed experience and it all starts with their mind and being open to exploring. Exploration will always, always lead to discovery and they are worthy of that discovery.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been remaining true to myself. I learned that when I show up fully as myself without reserve or hesitation, others gravitate towards that and they want to know more about how I show up as freely as I do. So while it isn’t a “strategy” I’ve developed, it’s an intentional approach I’ll choose every single day. I’m open, honest, gentle and hold space for any and everything people may bring to me. I guess I learned if people feel seen, heard and important, it gives them reason to trust you as someone who can help them. So I show up with my funny, my sensitivity, my intuition, Jesus, and in all of my humanness.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

This normally happens through my newsletter and my community (in person and online) offerings. I’ve also created an online community that does not require a monetary investment to join and offers journaling prompts and written coaching for those who want to participate. It’s a great support for potential or current clients to stop in and receive support without having to think through scheduling. I’ve been in a phase of ensuring my clients can trust me to simply show up and provide value.

Contact Info:

• Website: offers.strokesoffreedom.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/strokesoffreedom
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/ashleyrichelle
• Other: As another branch of my business, I’ve launched a podcast as well: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/8Lp7PDeRkBb

Image Credits
Denise Benson Photography