New to Grow
Hi! I'm Abby and I have worked for nearly ten years in the mental health field at various levels: crisis, residential, private practice, and intensive in-home with clients ranging from children to older adults. It's a privilege to walk through the counseling process with clients. As someone who has personal and professional history working with some of the hardest mental health symptoms, I feel passionately about helping folks from all walks of life find peace and meaningfulness in their current lives. I work with a variety of clients, and am so excited to start the counseling journey with you! I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to explore values, work towards finding meaning, and find relief from chronic symptoms. I also sprinkle in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to look at how our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors work together. Add in trauma-informed care, and you've got the foundation of how I approach my work. We're all a patchwork of our lived experience, and each part matters.
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
In our first session, I'll walk us through an intake to get to know you a little more, and give you an opportunity to get to know me. It's important that you have a chance to get to know my style, personality, and approach to make sure we're a match (a good therapist fit is so important!). We'll look at your current life situation, history, and talk through your goals, hopes, and struggles with therapy. From there, we'll narrow down what you want the counseling journey to look like.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
Grounded, humorous, and direct are three words I would use to describe my approach with therapy. While I am also empathetic and warm, it's important that my clients walk away from our work with tangible goals and a direction to head in their work. Often, clients find that I am unafraid to ask the hard question, especially if we are running into cycles that are keeping them stuck.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
My clients choose to work with me for many different reasons: struggles with depression, anxiety, life transitions, career stress, etc. Because of my background in so many different levels of care and specialties, I am able to work with clients with many different concerns. My specialty is often depression, grief and loss, suicidal thoughts, and relationship stress. Some clients are experiencing a general feeling of being "off." Others are struggling with the meaning of life. If you find yourself reflected in any of these struggles, we may be a great match.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I've been utilizing principles of ACT for the last 4 years in my practice and education, especially with chronic suicidal ideation, depression, and life transitions.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I am trained in TFCBT (web), and utilize many CBT principles throughout therapy to explore how our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors align.
Collaborative Management and Assessment of Suicidality (CAMS)
I am trained in the first level of CAMS. It is one of my favorite ways to counsel through suicidality.
Existential
I believe all of us exist for a reason and it is a great opportunity for us to explore that. I use this for many clients to navigate meaning-making in their life.