Works with
- Anger
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- ADHD
How Abena works
- Not listed
Practical facts
- Credentials
- LISW
- Licensed in
- Ohio
- Years in practice
- 3
- Languages
- English
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Abena
Abena Derkyi is an Ohio-licensed clinical social worker with three years of practice as a licensed independent social worker, LISW. She listens carefully and helps people take the first steps toward a more satisfying life. Her style is straightforward and strengths-based, with a focus on practical change.
She has worked with people facing trauma and abuse, grief and loss, and anger concerns. She also supports those dealing with low self-esteem, motivation struggles, and mood changes.
Background and approach
Her background includes attention to issues that come up around adoption and foster care, pregnancy and childbirth, and coping with life transitions. In sessions she treats each person as the expert on their story. She helps clients notice what already works for them, and then builds on those strengths to address impulses, guilt, and patterns that cause distress.
Her approach favors concrete steps and clearer strategies over long abstract talk. Abena offers a calm, practical presence for people who want to change how they react to stress and difficult feelings. She talks through ways to handle intense emotions and teaches tools to improve day-to-day functioning.
The aim is to leave each meeting with ideas that can be tried between sessions. Her practice is based in Ohio and she conducts sessions in English. She works through common concerns such as depression, relationship strain, family problems, and self-harm thoughts by focusing on usable skills and steady progress.
What Abena works with
Everything Abena lists, in the therapist's own terms. Anger is the reason this directory exists; the rest tells you what usually sits alongside it in Abena's practice.
How therapeutic approaches translate to online care
Abena uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on concrete skills and emotional regulation. One common approach she uses emphasizes emotion regulation and coping skills - teaching specific steps to manage anger, impulsivity, and intense feelings so people can respond differently in the moment. Another common element is strengths-based work which identifies personal resources and builds on them to improve confidence and motivation.Choosing the best approach is a shared process. During early sessions she reviews a person's goals, symptoms, and daily routines to pick techniques that fit their life. She adjusts methods as needed and collaborates on homework and practice tasks so the plan stays practical and relevant.
Online sessions give flexibility in how care happens. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and closer observation of nonverbal cues. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth is low or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text-based messaging offer shorter check-ins, quick troubleshooting between meetings, and an option for people who process better in writing. These formats let people fit therapy around work, school, and family commitments while still practicing the skills discussed in sessions.
Questions people ask about Abena
What issues does she help with?
She supports people facing trauma and abuse, grief and loss, anger, low self-esteem, ADHD-related concerns, relationship and family problems, parenting strain, depression, and coping with life changes.
What is her approach in sessions?
Her style is strengths-based and practical. She focuses on concrete strategies people can try between sessions and helps them build on what already works in their lives.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has three years of professional work experience as a licensed independent social worker.
What are her credentials and where is she licensed?
She holds the LISW credential and is licensed in Ohio.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
She is not currently accepting international clients and works with people located in Ohio.
What session formats are available?
She meets with people through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs and schedules.
How do I begin working with her?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button and completing a short matching questionnaire. Then schedule sessions based on the therapist's availability; subscriptions can be canceled at any time.