In this episode of Beyond The Couch, hosts Susan and Melissa sit down with their colleague, Abigail (Abby) Nesbitt, to explore her personal and professional journey into the world of counseling. Abby opens up about her early path toward medicine, her struggles with anxiety and OCD in graduate school, and the life-changing decision to step away from PA school and pursue counseling instead.

The conversation dives deep into Abby’s experiences with EMDR and ERP, modalities that not only helped her heal but now shape the way she walks with her clients. She shares openly about the challenges of perfectionism, intrusive thoughts, and learning to face fear head-on—and how those struggles became the foundation for her compassionate, relatable approach as a therapist.

Together, Susan, Melissa, and Abby discuss the courage it takes to “be on the couch,” the importance of therapists doing their own work, and the power of embracing our humanity—flaws and all. Whether you’re a therapist, someone curious about counseling, or walking your own journey with anxiety or OCD, this episode offers encouragement, honesty, and hope.

Remember that listening to this podcast is not therapy. It might be therapeutic, but it isn’t a replacement for good mental health treatment. We can help with getting you connected with a good therapist. Check out our website.

Grove: A Healing Collective