Abel Vaughn- Valencia, MS, Resident in Counseling

Abel (he/him) is a Resident in Counseling and brand new to the Richmond community. A native Texan, Abel has lived in several cities throughout his career, including most recently Oklahoma City, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, and Austin before moving to Richmond with his partner and two cats in July 2024.



Abel has a passion for working with individuals, adolescents, and families in areas such as PTSD and complex trauma, grief and loss, neurodiversity, LGBTQIA+ issues, phase of life issues, and various mood and anxiety disorders. Abel provides a therapeutic environment using a range of counseling interventions primarily based in Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy and Psychodynamic Therapy, as well as CBT, play therapy, and various trauma-informed techniques.



Abel recently completed his master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling at the University of Oklahoma and clinical internship at an agency specializing in trauma, sexual and physical abuse, and family violence. While in graduate school, he worked as the Student Life and Wellness Coordinator for the OU College of Medicine’s Doctor of Medicine (MD) program. The majority of his career was in field marketing, communications, and marketing strategy. Abel considers himself a life-long learner and enjoys reading, art and theater, and traveling.