Today we’d like to introduce you to Abbi Pruitt.
Hi Abbi, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Believe it or not, I’m just a country girl at my core. I was born and raised in a small town outside of Monroe, Louisiana, in a non-traditional home filled with love even in the midst of change. My parents divorced when I was about five, but my siblings and I never lacked security or affection. Life in the late 1970s was different—simpler, slower, and beautifully carefree. I spent my days outside, sunup to sundown, running through fields, climbing trees, and trying my best to keep up with my older brother and his friends. I was a bona fide tomboy, free-spirited and fearless, shaped by loose supervision, endless imagination, and the kind of tight-knit family and community that raised you like their own.
Those early years gave me a sense of freedom and innocence that I carried like a shield—until around age twelve, when life delivered its first hard blow. The hurt didn’t come from the outside world or some nameless danger in the dark—it came from close to home, close enough to shift how I saw myself, how I saw people, and how I saw the world. Something in me changed after that. I learned early what it meant to survive things you never should’ve had to face.
So, I did what made sense to me: I anchored myself in what felt safe. I poured myself into school and into sports—places where I felt seen, valued, and in control. Academia became my refuge. The basketball court became my release. And determination became the quiet fire that kept me going.
At fourteen, I moved in with my father, and for the first time in a long time, I felt genuine joy. Same town, same neighborhood, same ole same ole —but a different environment. One built on nurture, empathy, and unconditional love. My dad had this way of making everything feel okay, even when life wasn’t always kind. Those were some of my happiest years…
On the night of my senior prom, I remember him stopping by the house while I was doing hair and makeup. The door was open. He peeked his head in and told me that I looked beautiful, then smiled. He said he’d see me later that night before I left, and walked out, the door closing behind him. That was the last time I saw my father alive. He was killed in a car accident less than 30 minutes after walking out of that door— the night of my senior prom, two weeks before my high school graduation.
Life has a way of taking the wind out of you. Pain, disappointment, and heartbreak piled on over the years. I found myself navigating adulthood mentally and spiritually alone, even when people were physically present. There was a void; I didn’t understand the journey. I remember beginning to question God, not out loud, but to myself over and over again, “What did I do that was so wrong? Help me to understand.” Crickets. Radio silence. No response– just more disappointments, and more pain.
Around this time in my life, I am a single mother, working two jobs and going to school full-time working on my second master’s degree. One Sunday morning, physically and emotionally drained, I dragged myself out of bed and went to church… and I remember this as clearly as day. The preacher simply started talking. I mean he hadn’t even started the sermon, and yet the tears began to fall. I didn’t hear a word the man was saying, but while sitting quietly, I began to just thank God in spite of. In spite of the gravity of what I was feeling, in spite of Him not answering my question, in spite of feeling as if the world was on my shoulders. Suddenly, I could hear. The preacher spoke (mind you, he had been speaking and preaching the entire time, but at that very moment, I heard him). He says “Stop crying! All this, ‘Why me, God?’—WHY NOT YOU!”
Something in me broke open. I fell to my knees because for the first time, I understood. I understood that:
My suffering wasn’t punishment.
My pain wasn’t meaningless.
And my journey wasn’t meant to destroy me.
It was preparing me.
Preparing me to be thoughtful toward the thoughtless.
To show up for people even when no one shows up for me.
To love without limits.
To persevere when quitting feels easier.
To understand the silent, unseen struggles people carry.
To recognize pain behind a smile.
To walk into the brokenness of others with compassion, empathy, and unconditional positive regard.
God knew my path would intersect with individuals who felt unworthy, unseen, unloved, used, or discarded. Places all too familiar. He knew that one day I would be the one to speak life into people who couldn’t yet speak it into themselves. I am grateful that God thought enough of me, to choose me to suffer so that one day I could create safe spaces for healing. That I would help others reclaim their voice—because I had to reclaim mine.
My authenticity as a clinician—my ability to connect deeply, to sit with someone’s truth, to validate their hurt, and guide them toward healing—is not from a textbook. It comes from walking a version of their journey. From surviving things that once threatened to break me. From choosing purpose over pain.
I now understand my story—every chapter of it—was preparing me for this work, this calling, this life.
Today, I stand firmly in who I am, and whose I am, and I thank Him daily for guiding my pathway (hence Guided Pathways, LLC).
With love,
Abbi
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My journey has not been a straight line. It’s been layered with heartbreak, loss, silence, and seasons where pushing through was the only option I had. From childhood trauma that shifted how I viewed the world, to the devastating loss of my father on the night of my senior prom—just two weeks before graduation—life introduced me to grief early and intimately. That moment changed everything. It was as if innocence was traded for survival overnight.
I found myself trying to navigate life emotionally alone. The grief was all-consuming, and I found myself carrying pain that I didn’t yet have the language to articulate. God was not answering my questions; He met me with silence. As a single mother, I worked two jobs and still showed up in classrooms to pursue my educational pursuits. Exhausted but determined. Tired, but still fighting. There were days I didn’t know how I was going to make it—mentally, spiritually, financially, or physically. My story is filled with moments where giving up seemed easier, but purpose…. whispered louder.
My greatest obstacles and challenges were not the traumatic events themselves but learning how to heal without becoming hardened. I had to learn how to mother while broken, how to keep showing up when no one knew the battles I was fighting internally, and how to build a life that didn’t reflect where I started. I had to learn to turn pain into power, grief into compassion, silence into prayer, and survival into service.
My journey has shaped me, not defined me. It transformed me into a woman who leads with empathy, listens with her heart, and stands as proof that broken pieces can become the foundation of your masterpiece. Every obstacle became an ingredient in the woman I am today: strong, purpose-driven, spiritually anchored, and deeply committed to service and creating spaces for communities to heal.
We’ve been impressed with Guided Pathways, LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am the founder and CEO of Guided Pathways, LLC, a mental health and wellness private practice headquartered here in the Greater Houston area. As a Board Certified, Licensed Psychotherapist (NCC, LPC-S, LCSW, LCDC, CART, BC-TMH), in both Texas and Louisiana, with over 22 years of experience in the mental health and social services field, I take pride in providing safe and non-judgmental spaces for people to share their experiences and explore new ways of coping with life’s challenges. Taking the first step to seek counseling takes courage. For some, it can be frightening, intimidating and uncomfortable; for others, embarrassing. My goal is to help make it one of the best decisions of your life!
As a licensed professional, I integrate various treatment modalities that are tailored specifically for each of my clients’ individual needs. My approach is person-centered, meaning I work collaboratively with you to empower and assist you in gaining insight through a balance of acceptance and personal growth. Respect, empathy, genuineness, and honesty- along with humor- are offered in my sessions so that you feel comfortable with openly exploring your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. I support and recognize that each and every person that entrust me with their journey are unique and influenced by his or her own culture, family, values, beliefs, and personal identity. I therefore work diligently in making sure that they experience that same level of comfort at every single visit.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
The outlook for psychotherapy, as well as the mental-health counseling field as a whole, is exceptionally strong and steadily growing. More individuals are seeking therapy now, more than ever before, and as conversations around mental health become more normalized, the stigma continues to break down. Across the nation and especially in metropolitan areas like Houston, there remains a significant shortage of licensed mental-health providers, which means the demand for compassionate and qualified clinicians continues to rise.
I have seen an increased awareness around trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, identity concerns, and generational challenges — all of which contribute to the need for accessible counseling services. Tele-health and hybrid therapy models have also expanded access, allowing therapists to reach diverse populations and serve clients who otherwise may not have been able to engage in care.
The mental-health profession is on an upward trajectory, and the role of psychotherapists are becoming more essential within communities. It’s a field rooted in healing, human connection, and transformation — and right now, people are actively seeking that type of support.
Pricing:
- Please email for services offered and pricing
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.guidedpathwaysllc.com
