Abby Jo Hawkins is a licensed professional counselor and licensed chemical dependency counselor. Her compassion and keen interest in assisting individuals to cope with mental health problems is astonishing. Her excellent way of working and handling clients has enticed various prestigious institutions to offer her top positions, yet she chose not to partake. She has committed her time to her clinic, Mental Matters Therapy PLLC, which is professionally licensed and wholly owned and operated by Abby. She specializes in clinical mental health and works with grief, trauma, substance abuse, and chemical dependency, as well as all types of addiction. It is unique because of the skill set that Abby possesses, the connections that she creates with her clients, and the 5-star reviews on ZocDoc.
Abby’s way of therapeutic treatment for her clients is integrated and tailored to what one needs using cognitive behavior, therapy, motivational interviewing, person-centered therapy, and solution-focused techniques. Her purpose is to help people incorporate change into their lives at their own pace and in their own direction. She employs a client-centered approach rather than a cookie-cutter technique. She has bachelor of science in psychology, masters of science, and clinical mental health.
A desire to help
Abby started college after being inspired to do charity work at a crisis pregnancy center and went on to get her psychology degree and Master in Clinical Mental Health after managing different locations, working in sales, and much more. She realized that her lifelong goal was to help people, but in a very specific realm, focusing on healthcare and specifically mental health. Once she completed her masters she began working as a graduate assistant, it was blatantly obvious that connecting with people who were going through trauma was one of her strengths, and that genuine empathy for a painful situation was what people needed more than knowledge in such scenarios. The world is filled with intelligent people who are smarter than her states Abby. However, there’s something about genuineness and discernment that goes really far when it comes to working with people going through grief and trauma.
Abby’s passion for the field as well as her past and current work experience have given her insight into what is needed to be able to help people, whether to better their lives, check if they are currently highly functioning, or work with individuals who are trying to make it through a grievous situation, as well as clients who are coming out of traumatic abusive relationships.
Her personal life experience could be described as a lengthy, winding road that is somewhat private, yet it has led her to places where she can help and empathize with others. “Sometimes, in a very special, almost holy place, I can be the person I needed someone to be for me at one point,” she asserts.
Abby always wanted to work in healthcare, having observed her younger brother’s challenges since childhood. She has also worked on a domestic abuse case involving a friend who was pregnant. This encouraged her to volunteer at a pregnancy crisis center, where she quickly discovered she was pleased with her decision and work. It encouraged her to be open to dealing with women in abusive settings.
Adapting to a situation
Abby has remained true to her passion and never let her guard down when confronted with a pessimist who used rank or status to sway or intimidate her. She prioritizes tranquillity over happiness or stature, and this filter out anything that prevents her from being resolute. Abby admits that saying goodbye to clients or deciding to strike out on your own and establish a business without any backup or support was a difficult period in her life. She admits that she received no dependable support during setbacks when starting her own business as no one in her family has done this prior, in the health field. At her first private practice, she worked for a psychiatrist, who was extremely supportive, and she felt very safe and secure at that
facility. However, she needed to make changes for growth, and it was extremely hard as she did not have anyone to boost her confidence. “Leaving any type of company that makes you feel secure is very hard to do, I would say, especially as a woman,” says Abby. Further, she says, “I am 35 years old, but a lot of times people think I am in my twenties and definitely underestimate me. This has been something where I have had to work to earn respect and make myself stronger to cope with stress and resilient to that stress when there is no one to defer to.”
"The future can be unpredictable, yet one must strive to achieve their goals."
A self-actualized person
Abby was offered a variety of roles over time, but in order to pursue her passion, she had to go against the trend and work to get into private practice rather than being in administration and following in other people’s footsteps to become a hospital CEO. Further, she says, “At one point, the CEO I worked for sat me down and told me she thought I should be in administration and move into leadership and that I was capable of being a CEO, but I knew that wasn’t my passion, and working with the direct client was where my heart would be at peace.” Later on, she started her own PLLC, went into different facilities doing contracts, and eventually branched out completely on her own. “It has more than paid off, and my peace is intact,” she entails. She is always educating herself on how to communicate effectively and holds firm to the boundaries. She met people who were incredibly successful in various professions, and she learned how to communicate based on the vocabulary that they used while dealing with disagreements. “As much as you put into output, you need to put into input,” she expresses. She is very rigorous in making sure that she takes her vitamins and prioritizes her health and peace above anything else. She enjoys surrounding herself with positive people. She does not allow anything into her life that could disrupt her tranquillity or make her feel poorly. She protects her environment and lives a secluded lifestyle. She doesn’t use any chemicals or drugs to try to cope with life stressors and tries to live a wholistic life. She adds, “The strongest thing that I utilize is coffee.” She tries to streamline her life and decrease clutter as much as possible.
Prospects for growth
The future can be unpredictable, yet one must strive to achieve their goals. She wants to start writing some psychoeducational books and become more focused on that aspect of her life. This year, she will also prepare to become a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor. She would also like to start consulting for others who are starting private practices, open a business for real estate investment, and keep being an adjunct instructor. To summarize, Abby has achieved the highest level of success in her area. Her work has inspired many aspiring mental health saviours and helped them achieve their goals. She advises such aspirants to not wait but stay inspired and do things that bring peace and not let things become monotonous.
