About
About You
You want to take charge of your life and take back the driver's seat.
You won't settle for less than a therapist who genuinely gives a damn about your success.
You are ready to work on whatever is keeping you from being the best version of yourself.
You appreciate being called out on your BS.
You like when people are authentic and real.
You deserve knowledgeable, competent providers.
Your identities include being transgender, queer, consensually non-monogamous, or practicing BDSM/kink OR you are questioning/exploring your gender, sexuality, sexual interests, or relationship structure.
You may be in the right place!
As a therapist, Abbie has intentionally developed a particular set of skills. They've found they work best with clients who have:
A history of successful therapy or personal growth
Fairly regular and consistent moods
A trusted support system and steady connections
A sense of self
A flavor of neurospicy
Abbie is also aware of areas in which they're less skilled, don't have additional training, or the capacity within their practice to provide adequate support to effectively serve clients who are experiencing active and ongoing:
Addictions
Eating Disorders
Depression (recurrent, more than mild, and as the primary concern)
Engaging in harmful risky or impulsive behavior (unrelated to ADHD)
Suicidal or Homicidal Ideation (more than passive or fleeting - active or intentional thoughts of killing or seriously injuring yourself or someone else)
The Therapist
Abbie Aldridge (they/them)
Pronounced: A-bee AWL-drij
Mental Health Therapist
Abbie is the therapist-owner of Healing Village.
They are an independently licensed mental health counselor practicing psychotherapy in an intimate private practice in Largo, FL. Their therapeutic specialty is serving and supporting trans and gender diverse individuals. They proudly serve adults in the LGBQIAP+, consensually non-monogamous, and BDSM/kink communities. Their areas of interest include gender-affirming care, grief/loss, trauma, shame, anxiety, and trans-inclusive perinatal mental health. They have extensive experience with the above, in addition to neurodivergence
Abbie grew up on a working family farm in rural Illinois. This is where they learned the value of caring for others, nurturing growth, and how fulfilling it can be to help lift another person up. They attended Illinois State University (ISU) and in 2007 received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. While they were a student at ISU they were active in Gamma Phi Circus and PRIDE (the LGBTQIA+ campus organization). After graduation, Abbie spent the better part of a decade working in social services and as a medical disability examiner for the Social Security Administration. They attended Argosy University Tampa from 2016 until it’s closure in March 2019. They graduated in June 2019 from National Louis University with a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. They began their time as a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern in August 2019 and completed their requirements in November 2021.
For a little bit of funsies, Abbie is:
Myers-Briggs type ENFJ
Enneagram type 8w9
RIASEC type Investigative-Social-Artistic
Abbie is a proud member of the LGBTQIAP+ community. They enjoy kayaking, going to the beach, traveling, and reading action thriller fiction novels. Their favorite holiday is Halloween, they enjoy horror movies, have an eclectic taste in music (from nu-metal and 90's post-grunge alt, to country), and they are always up for an Unexpected Journey. They live in Sacramento with their husband and furry overlord, Picasso.
Picasso
Credentials
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (2007)
Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (2019)
National Certified Counselor
Professional Memberships
American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT)
American Counseling Association (ACA)
Association of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness (ACSSW)
Society for Sexual, Affectional, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Identities (SAIGE)
Florida Counseling Association (FCA)
Florida Society for Sexual, Affectional, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Identities (FL-SAIGE)
Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis (SCEH)
Transgender Professional Association for Transgender Health (TPATH)
World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH)
The Practice
Mission: To improve the outcomes and decrease the disparities for gender, sexual, and relationship structure minorities by providing compassionate, knowledgeable, and inclusive mental health care.
Founded in 2019, the idea for Healing Village came about while I was driving, as do most of my best ideas. I was thinking about the ways I believe people heal. One of those ways, which I believe is essential for most people, is connection with others or community. The idea of coming together, becoming an intentional "village" and creating chosen family has been so important for the specific communities I serve. To contribute to that as a helping professional and to create a place where folx can come as part of their healing journey, was my intention in creating Healing Village.
Healing Village is a safe(r) space. To ensure this, an anti-discrimination policy modeled from the "Hate Has No Home Here" campaign is upheld in all spaces where business takes place under the auspices of Healing Village. This means Healing Village “promotes just and inclusive communities by encouraging neighbors to declare their homes, schools, businesses, and places of worship to be safe places where everyone is welcome and valued”. As such, Healing Village does not discriminate. Those individuals who may have experienced discrimination due to race, ethnicity, religion, sexual identity, gender identity, relationship structure, relationship status, etc. will be safe and welcome. Your identity will be respected. You will be referred to by the name and pronouns you go by, whenever safe, which will be discussed in session. This also means that no acts of discrimination, aggression, or hate toward any other individuals will be tolerated. Any individuals engaging in such behavior will be asked to leave the immediately. This may also be grounds for termination of services, at the therapist’s discretion.