About Abby Thielen, Graduate Student Counselor

Supervised by Christina Birgen, LPC-S, LMFT-S

Hi, I’m Abby. Before pursuing counseling, I worked extensively with children and families in the foster care system, where I developed a deep understanding of trauma, attachment, and the complex dynamics many families face.

I am currently a master’s level student at Lamar University and am completing my internship under the supervision of Christy Birgen. I graduated Texas Tech University in 2017 with a B.S. in Community, Family, and Addiction Sciences.

I’ve also walked through the transformative season of being a stay-at-home mom, which gave me personal insight into the emotional and spiritual challenges of motherhood — especially postpartum. This personal experience fuels my passion for supporting women navigate through the many transitions of womanhood.

I enjoy working with individuals and couples and am especially passionate about supporting women through the emotional and relational changes that come with pregnancy, postpartum, and growing a family. I take a holistic approach to therapy, considering the mental, emotional, physical, relational, and spiritual aspects of each person and integrating evidence-based practices with Christian values to support healing and growth. Much of my work centers around perinatal mental health, including postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, and perinatal OCD, as well as experiences such as infertility, pregnancy loss, and abortion grief. I also help couples prepare for parenthood, adjust after bringing a baby home, and reconnect during this transition. My goal is to create a warm and compassionate space where clients feel safe, understood, and supported during one of the most meaningful and vulnerable seasons of life.

*** Abby will be on break with her university and unable to see clients from December 11 – January 21. She is currently not accepting new clients. She will be accepting new clients as of January 7th, with sessions starting on January 21 or later.

Be sure to read Abby’s blog Pass the Baby… I Mean Gravy

Abby offers individual counseling sessions at a reduced rate of $50. Couple or family counseling is $65 per session. Pre-marital counseling sessions are $50 per session, typically completed in 8 sessions. If you would like to meet with Abby, just let us know in the contact form!

SEE MY SERVICES

Education

I am currently completing my graduate training at Lamar University.

I plan to pursue the PMH-C (Perinatal Mental Health – Certified) credential through Postpartum Support International once I am fully licensed as an LPC. The PMH-C reflects advanced training in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, including postpartum depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, and psychosis.

I am actively expanding my skills to better support clients during the perinatal period through ongoing education with:

The Postpartum Stress Center to better support clients during the perinatal period

I am a member of this professional organization:

American Counseling Association

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Three Facts About Me

Change is Possible

I believe healing is a deeply personal process that can be supported through connection, reflection, and meaning-making. For me, that connection comes through my faith in God and spending time in nature, where I feel grounded and reminded that every person is uniquely created. I also value that each client’s source of strength may look different, and I strive to honor whatever brings them comfort, hope, and stability in their own healing journey.

I've been a helper my whole life

I love being outside and gardening, and I’ve always had a natural green thumb. Every spring, my garden becomes full of wildflowers and more vegetables than I can count, and this is one of my favorite places to spend time. Gardening is both self-care and something that gets my kids involved, and I enjoy watching them help nurture each plant from seed to sprout.

Married for 8 years

I have been married for eight years, and my partner is truly my best friend. We’re similar in many ways but also wonderfully different, which keeps life fun and balanced. We like to joke that opposites attract, especially since I’m a proud Texas Tech Red Raider and he’s a diehard Aggie fan, making football season very entertaining in our house.