Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dr. Kimberly Abney. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Dr. Kimberly thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?
I hope to be remembered for creating opportunities for others, keeping the light flamed and paying it forward. I believe people will always admire my dedication in showing up and supporting others, my dynamic and heartfelt and sarcastic personality and also my sense of humor and ability to defuse everything with laughter, light and love. My energy!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Dr. Abney has had tremendous success both in her career, as well as in the non-profit arena. Her dedication to family, her community, and philanthropy has proven that she is certainly a catalyst for change. In fact, to help students like herself, in 2016, Dr. Abney established the Kimberly T. Abney Scholarship, in which she has gifted over $4000 to her scholarship recipients. In addition, Dr. Abney also started a alumnae-based mentoring program here at Bloomsburg titled Thank Goodness I am Female (TGIF), which is geared towards improving the retention and graduation rates of female students of color as they adjust to overall college life. Thus, Dr. Abney never forgot how Bloomsburg helped her along her journey, and she is dedicated in supporting and it pay it forward to the place she says made her who she is today: Bloomsburg University.
Dr. Abney is also the CEO/Founder of We DREAM which is a nonprofit organization designed to build quality structured programs. She is also the proud director of the Right Balance Counseling Center. Despite all of her incredible accomplishments, it is forever her mission to pay it forward and light a flame within everyone she encounters. Dr. Kimberly aspires to continue to educate, inspire, guide, and empower lives and communities, both personally and professionally.
Through the years Dr Abney has had the amazing opportunity to meet various friends and acquaintances. Many of these incredible connections have been life changing and played a significant role in birthing the movement now known as FriendsSupportFriends (FSF) which is much more than a phase and speaks to what has become a lifestyle of genuinely and effortlessly supporting friends. The FSF brand sells socks, shirts and sweatshirts! In addition, FSF has created a children’s coloring book called “Feel How You Feel” The coloring book aims to help children within inner city schools and urban communities become more expressive about how they feel, while working through their traumas and mental health.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Attending a Predominantly White Institution was a hard transition and a culture shock. Due to immaturity and lack of awareness I finished my freshman semester with a 0.56 GPA and was placed on Academic Probation with several behavioral infractions. I had to buckle down, readjust my mindset and make the shift to become not only a better student but a better person. I always credit Bloomsburg University for shaping me into who I am today. I graduated Bloomsburg University in 2009, on time where I received my B.A. in Psychology. I then graduated from Eastern University, where I studied and received her M.A. in School Counseling. My resilience helped me become a current Certified School Counselor and Licensed Therapist.
Have you ever had to pivot?
I have my own mental health private practice titled The Right Counseling and Consultant in which I started back in 2017. I was practicing out of an office space in the North Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, as my clientele began to grow COVID-19 came. I had to switch my entire life to virtual, as being in person was no longer substantial or safe. Switching to virtual was very hard, stressful and overwhelming. I had to send emails, set up an office space in my home, establish zoom links and I myself had to adjust to doing therapy virtually. With the stress of COVID-19 impacting everyone’s mental health, I decided in April 2020 to give 3 free therapy sessions to 5 people. This was a successful incentive for not only clients but also to myself as I was able to offer free therapy services, practice my skill set, get more comfortable with being a telehealth therapist and all from the comfort of my own home. My clientele went from 15 people to over 40 people, so it turned out that going virtual wasn’t so bad and COVID-19 actually helped my business grow. I am still only doing virtually therapy now and business continues to grow, however my goal is to get my own building.
Contact Info:
- Website: friendssupportfriends.org
- Instagram: dr.ab_thetherapist