Abi is an immigrant from the United Kingdom, she moved to the USA in 2014 to work as an Assistant professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Abi has a BA in Acting from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow, a Master’s Degree in Communications from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, London and a Master’s Degree in Education from Liverpool John Moore’s University. Abi’s early career was in theatre and she worked professionally as an actor before transitioning into work as communication coach.
In 2019, she realized that she wanted to support people in telling their stories to promote healing and wholeness and her career evolved into her current role as a clinician. Abi earned her MSc in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Carson – Newman University. Additionally she holds a post baccalaureate in Clinical Psychology from Fielding Graduate University and is a certified grief coach. Her passion in counseling is to create a relationship built on safety, trust, and hope, where people can feel accepted, challenged, and empowered to grow in new and purposeful ways. She considers it a privilege to be able to walk with someone through their fears, challenges, and hurts and help them experience healing and renewal. Abi sees counseling as an opportunity to help people diminish pain and suffering, cope with life’s challenges (both ordinary and extraordinary), and experience increased joy, purpose, and self-acceptance. Abi utilizes a range of evidence based approaches in her work including, but not limited to, CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy). Her approach is trauma-informed, and her areas of expertise include grief, depression, anxiety and religious trauma. Most recently she worked at a practice which specialized in utilizing DBT and has also worked as a clinician in a college counseling center. She is also an experienced crisis counselor. Abi strives to create an inclusive and safe therapeutic space and welcomes people from all backgrounds especially those who may feel excluded or marginalized. Abi brings specialized experience supporting the LGBTQIA+
community.
Fun fact: Abi has two dogs, Bean and Minne Jo and a cat, Mary. Her dream is to adopt an Irish Wolfhound.
