Abbey Gardner
I am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (CPC) and Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) with a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a Master’s Degree in Education. I work with children, adolescents, and adults, and I especially enjoy helping kids and teens feel comfortable, understood, and accepted in therapy. My areas of focus include anxiety, depression, trauma and PTSD, emotional regulation, self-esteem, behavioral concerns, family and relationship challenges, life transitions, and substance use and recovery. My style is warm, genuine, down-to-earth, and nonjudgmental, and I strive to create a space where clients can truly be themselves while developing practical tools for meaningful change.
First session
Your first session with me is really about getting to know each other and beginning to build a relationship where you feel comfortable, safe, and accepted. Starting therapy—or starting with a new therapist—can feel intimidating, so I don't expect you to come in knowing exactly what to say, what your goals should be, or where to begin. We'll talk about what brought you to therapy, what is happening in your life right now, what is important to you, and what you would eventually like to be different. We'll also begin identifying your strengths and goals and deciding together what you would like our work to look like. With children and adolescents, the first session may look a little different. I don't expect a child or teenager to sit across from me and immediately share everything they're feeling. We may talk about their interests, play a game, use art or another activity, or simply spend time getting comfortable with each other. Parents and caregivers can also be involved when appropriate. Most importantly, there is no pressure to tell me your entire story during our first meeting. My goal is for you to leave the first session feeling heard, a little more comfortable with the therapy process, and hopeful that you've found someone you can work with. We'll start wherever you are and figure out the rest together.
Strengths
One of my greatest strengths as a therapist is my ability to connect with clients in a genuine, down-to-earth, and nonjudgmental way. I want therapy to feel like a safe place where you can be yourself—not a place where you have to say the “right” thing or worry about being judged. I bring warmth, compassion, humor, creativity, and authenticity into my sessions while still helping clients work toward meaningful goals. I am an eclectic therapist, which means I don’t believe in using the same approach with every person. I draw from CBT, DBT skills, Family Systems, Positive Psychology, compassion-focused approaches, and creative interventions such as art, play, activities, and games. I especially enjoy finding creative ways to connect with children and adolescents who may not want to simply sit and talk for an entire session. I also believe strongly in recognizing strengths, not just focusing on symptoms or problems. I meet clients where they are, help them better understand themselves and their patterns, and work collaboratively to find practical tools that fit who they are and the life they actually live.
Ideal clients
My ideal client is not someone who has everything figured out or even someone who knows exactly what they want from therapy. I enjoy working with people who are willing to show up as they are—even if they feel unsure, overwhelmed, guarded, stuck, or don't quite know where to begin. I especially enjoy working with children and adolescents who may be navigating anxiety, depression, big emotions, self-esteem, relationships, family changes, school stress, identity, or simply the challenges of growing up. I love helping young people find their voice, understand themselves better, recognize their strengths, and learn healthy ways to manage what they are experiencing. I also enjoy working with adults who are ready to better understand themselves, break unhealthy patterns, heal from difficult experiences, or create positive changes in their lives. Ultimately, my ideal client is someone who wants a therapist who will meet them where they are. You don't need to come to therapy with the perfect mindset, the perfect goals, or even the perfect words. We can figure those things out together.
Treatment methods
Compassion Focused
Compassion-Focused Therapy is an important part of my work because many clients come to therapy being much harder on themselves than they would ever be on someone they care about. I help clients recognize self-criticism, shame, and unhelpful patterns while developing greater self-compassion, emotional awareness, and an understanding of how their experiences have shaped the ways they think, feel, and respond. While Compassion-Focused Therapy is one approach I use, I consider myself an eclectic and integrative therapist. I don't believe one therapeutic method works for every person, so I draw from different evidence-based approaches depending on each client's needs, personality, age, strengths, and goals. My work may incorporate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Internal Family Systems (IFS)-informed concepts, Humanistic and Person-Centered approaches, mindfulness-based interventions, Motivational Interviewing (MI), Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, strengths-based and supportive therapy, as well as DBT-informed skills. When working with children and adolescents, I also incorporate play, art, games, activities, and other creative interventions when appropriate. Regardless of the methods we use, my goal is to provide a compassionate, collaborative, and nonjudgmental environment while helping clients develop practical skills, recognize their strengths, better understand themselves, and create meaningful changes in their lives.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
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Other specialties
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Licensed in
- NevadaLicense CP6418