What does it mean to spend your life holding space for other people—and still make room to remain connected to yourself?

In this deeply personal episode of Chatting with Slava the Jordanian, Dr. Slava welcomes her friend Abby Vickery, a licensed clinical social worker, therapeutic coach, and leadership consultant, for a conversation that moves beyond professional titles and into the human experiences behind the work.

At the heart of their conversation is a powerful idea: healing isn’t about becoming someone else. It’s about returning to who you are.

Abby reflects on her journey through social work, child protective services, adoption, motherhood, medical social work, coaching, and leadership consulting. She shares how these experiences shaped the way she understands people, relationships, resilience, and the emotional weight carried by those whose work centers on helping others.

Dr. Slava and Abby also explore strength-based leadership and the importance of recognizing what is already strong within us rather than constantly approaching growth from the perspective of what needs to be “fixed.”

Their conversation expands into family communication, changing values, identity, motherhood, career transitions, and the increasingly complicated role technology plays in our relationships. Technology gives us unprecedented access to one another, yet that access does not necessarily create genuine human connection.

They also discuss emotional regulation, grief, gratitude, slowing down, and the practices that allow people in helping professions to continue serving others without completely losing themselves in the process.

This episode is ultimately about the work behind the work—the internal reflection, emotional awareness, relationships, experiences, and humanity that shape how we show up for others.

Because sometimes growth isn’t about becoming more.

Sometimes it’s about returning home to yourself.

Connect With Abby Vickery

Abby works primarily through word-of-mouth and personal referrals rather than maintaining a traditional website.

For professional inquiries or to connect with Abby:

Email: Netavn23@gmail.com

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