It's Time to Write Your Own Story
Most of us didn't grow up being able to tell our full stories. We learned quickly to hide certain parts of our personality that were rejected by others and to disown the parts of our lives that our churches, families, friends, or authority figures growing up told us weren't good enough.
If this is you, I'm so glad you are here. My name is Abigail Leal Scallan and I befriend your full story so that you can reconnect with yourself.
I am an LPC-Associate supervised by Katie Zuverink, LPC-S. I am qualified to work with depression, anxiety, trauma/PTSD, and relationship issues. I specialize in working with survivors of high-control or religiously abusive environments as well as those who have endured family trauma (such as adverse homeschooling experiences, mentally ill parents, domestic violence, messy divorce, or emotional abuse). My passion for this work is born out of my own hardships and a rigorous education that allows me to create a safe, unconditionally supportive environment for you to heal from these challenges that can be so isolating. Together, we can reclaim and befriend your full story. I would be honored to work with you.
Areas of Expertise
Therapy can be challenging work, but the process of receiving it shouldn't be. When you work with me, we will follow a simple, 3-step process to get you started on your journey of recovery: 1. Click the contact button and send me an email. 2. We will schedule a free, 15-minute consultation. 3. We will schedule your first session within a week of your consultation and begin the journey to recovery!
Trauma Conscious Therapy
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Constant irritability; racing thoughts; inability to stop thinking about certain memories; body in fight or flight mode; inability to relax; trouble asking for help or really bonding with others; binge eating; and self-harm. These and so many other symptoms can be the result of trauma. I help you to feel comfortable and safe in your body again (Somatic Psychotherapy), teach you how to regulate your emotions (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills), and enable you to feel less overwhelmed by your story by replacing guilt and shame with acceptance and peace (Cognitive Processing Therapy).
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Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
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One of the most evidence-backed approach to therapy, CBT is the process of uncovering the core beliefs behind your automatic thought processes and reframing them to produce more realistic, healthy, and positive perspectives. Mindfulness is the intentional practice of being completely present in your current environment and fully accepting your surroundings, thoughts, and feelings without judgement. It entails feeling calm and grounded in what you cannot change and allows for complete acceptance of yourself to alleviate anxiety and increase your capacity for joy. Combined, CBT and Mindfulness are powerful antidotes to shame, trauma symptoms, and negative thought patterns.
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Family Systems and Attachment Focused Therapy
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Family Systems Therapy focuses on understanding and healing your relationships with others in the context of your family system and how that impacted your mental health. It can also pertain to recognizing and engaging the different parts (i.e. "family") that make up your personality (known as "Internal Family Systems). Attachment Therapy is similar in that it seeks to understand how you uniquely attach to people currently in relationships based on how you were raised and the role you had to play in your family of origin. Combining Family Systems and Attachment therapy can be extremely helpful in empowering clients to understand and take charge of how they connect in relationships and is valuable in couples therapy.
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My Approach
Specificity
When you take the step to invest your time and money into counseling, you deserve a provider who deeply cares about and understands your issues. In a saturated market of counselors, I stand out in that I intentionally focus on particular populations of clientele who I have training and experience to understand well. I am highly specific in my training and approach and thus my skills are well-honed to meet the needs of these clients in an exceptional way.
Social Justice
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Equity, equality of care, and inclusivity are values that therapists especially should seek to model. I have a passion for understanding how marginalized and disenfranchised communities experience mental health care and what can be done to improve their experience. While I will always be a work in progress in this area, I take this responsibility to listen and learn very seriously.
Professionalism
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Because everyone with a license is (sadly) not always a great therapist, maybe you've had some less than ideal experiences in the past with counseling. I aspire to be a place where you can rewrite your story of what good counseling can be like. Some ways I do this is by honoring your confidentiality, maintaining consistent records of your progress in treatment, listening attentively to what you have to say, welcoming your feedback, involving you in the process of goal-setting, respecting your values and background, and, while I am very friendly, never confusing our therapeutic relationship for a social one.
Contact Me
I offer both virtual and in-person therapy appointments in Texas. My in-person appointments are held in my office in Frisco, TX where I work as an LPC-Associate at New Roots Counseling, a premier private practice in the DFW area serving couples, children, and adults. My telehealth appointments are available to anyone in state of Texas no matter your location.
5665 Dallas Parkway
Suite 150
Frisco Texas 75034
Tel: 214-814-2427