Ashley Sova is the owner of CLEbaby, which provides birth and parenting services for Cleveland families, including postpartum doula services, childbirth education and outreach events.
“I love working with a fantastic team of women who are equally as passionate as I am about improving Cleveland families’ parenting experiences,” she says.
Her CSU master’s degree in clinical psychology prepared her to support women experiencing postpartum depression. “I learned that one of the most important things is to validate a woman’s feelings, let her know it’s okay to seek help, and reassure her that she’s not alone. So many women suffer in silence because they are guilty, ashamed or not able to recognize that they’re suffering from depression. I want to combat that stigma so more women feel comfortable talking about it and getting help,” she says.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology at John Carroll University, Sova chose to continue her education at CSU because of the comprehensive curriculum, small cohort and class sizes, and top notch faculty.
A former professor has become a valued mentor/friend, and she made at least one other lifelong friend on campus: her husband. They have two toddlers.
“I love reflecting on how exciting and romantic it was getting to know him during that time,” she recalls. “Cleveland was in the midst of a revitalization and we were smack dab in the center of it all!”
