Our Team
Gina Abbondante, MSW, LCSW, C-NDAAP
Founder, Clinical Director, Psychotherapist, Certified Neurodiversity Affirming Assessment Practitioner
“Everything is scary if you just look at it. So you’ve got to live it.”
~Mary J. Blige
I would say being a therapist chose me. From a young age, I was always an empathetic observer, seeing and feeling things other people seemingly didn’t.
I began my education at Rider University, with a Bachelors of Psychology and concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience. I went on to obtain my Masters of Social Work from Rutgers University in 2009, and completed my clinical licensure in 2012. During that time, I worked for Virtua Hospital’s The Center for Women in Lumberton. There, I counseled women experiencing anxiety and depression during pregnancy and postpartum, infertility, pregnancy/infant loss, and birth trauma.
My specialty and passion is treating anxiety disorders and OCD, particularly in pregnancy and postpartum. I am trained in Exposure and Response Prevention, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Inference Based CBT for OCD (I-CBT), and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, as well as Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. In addition to treating clients, I also provide clinical supervision for LSWs and LACs looking to obtain clinical licensure, consultation to other therapists, and coaching for fellow equestrians looking to overcome fear in and out of the saddle and mental obstacles in competition.
I am certified in providing neurodiversity-affirming assessments for ADHD and autism for children, adolescents, and adults. I consider myself uniquely able to identify and relate to the challenges of being neurodivergent, as I was diagnosed late in life with ADHD, and have 2 children and a husband with their own neurodivergent experience. I am passionate about providing well-rounded and comprehensive assessments that look at the individual as a whole, and do not use a medicalized, deficit perspective.
In recent years, I have become an approved continuing education provider through NBCC and ASWB. I create and facilitate trainings for other clinicians on treating anxiety disorders and OCD in the perinatal and maternal mental health community, as well as the intersection of neurodivergence and OCD. I was an early adopter of Inference-Based CBT for OCD in the United States, and am one of the first to begin providing trainings on this modality in the United States, as well. I am also one of the co-founders of OCD Training School. To learn more about my available trainings and courses, please find me here!
I approach therapy in an authentic and relatable way. I am always amazed by the resiliency of people, and our ability to make changes if given the tools and space. In my free time, I spend time outside on my horse farm to keep me grounded, and chasing my chickens and kids (both human and goat).
Reach me directly at gina@changeofmindcounseling.com