Hidden Gems: Meet Mathew O’Connor of Abhaya Wellness

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mathew O’Connor.

Hi Mathew, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story? 
The story of how I founded Abhaya Wellness began with a simple question at the dinner table. My wife asked, “How was your day?” At the time, I was working as a Clinical Director, and that day, I felt that I was at a crossroads; I could grow the program in the way I was being told, or I could do what I felt was best for the clients and the program. Throughout my professional career, I have witnessed a number of programs grow to a point where the quality of care begins to suffer. As a clinician, it is always a difficult transition to watch a program go through. 

It was a time of heightened emotions, as both myself and my wife had lost our mothers very recently, so I had told myself it wasn’t the right time to make any big life changes, but I knew I couldn’t commit to growing the program in a way I didn’t truly believe in. I also knew that pushing back against the directive I was given would cost me my job. 

A few days later, over dinner with my wife, I said I thought it was time for me to move into a private practice. She looked at me and said, “No. You need to be around people; you need to start the program you’ve always talked about.” So, I resigned my position and began building the foundation of a program I really believed in. 

I built a team of like-minded people, some of whom I’d worked with in the past and some who I’d come across in my professional life and always hoped I’d work with someday. We’re all in this industry because we wanted to be of service and help people, so our team is united in our belief that quality of care and efficacy should always be our top priority. 

Our multi-faceted program is a mindfulness-inspired, clinically driven experience that fosters continuity of care, a strong sense of accountability, and a fearless approach to clinical work. We believe that everyone deserves access to high-quality care, and we are committed to working together with our clients to provide just that. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I learned quickly that running a clinical department and a whole business are two very different experiences and require very different skill sets. At times, the obstacles have felt more like walls and the bumps like potholes. 

That being said, it’s been an amazing learning experience to figure out what I enjoy doing, what I struggle with. This has helped me build a strong team where we all complement and support each other. The most important thing, I believe, has been for me to keep my own meditation practice and self-care regiment. This helps shift the focus from what is “wrong” to “gratitude” and focusing on all the amazing things we have been able to accomplish in our first year, and all the clients we’ve been able to serve. I help my team to prioritize their own self-care and mindfulness practices as well, which allows them to come into our work at Abhaya Wellness with the strength and compassion our clients deserve. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Abhaya Wellness?
Abhaya Wellness is a clinically owned and operated psychotherapy office that believes in supporting and creating systems of care for individuals, groups, families, and couples on their path of wellness. Our system is built by and around our highly skilled and diverse clinical team, which keeps our quality of care at the center of everything we do. 

We offer a variety of services, from individual therapy, family and couples therapy, coaching services, and group therapy. 

Our Gender Responsive Substance Use Intensive Outpatient Program (SAIOP) is our specialty program. We have developed unique curriculums that are mindfulness-based and best practices for both of our programs; we are super excited, and our clients have enjoyed them. 

We are currently the only option for gender-responsive or gender-specific intensive outpatient services in the area. Our group size is capped at 8 clients, which creates a more intimate and safer environment. We believe this is one of the ways our program keeps quality of care at the forefront of what we do. 

Most programs run all genders together in one group and will cap groups at 12-15. As well as a core curriculum that is given to everyone even though research points to better treatment outcomes for individuals in gender-specific treatment. 

So, the experience of coming to Abhaya Wellness will be much different than other treatment options in the area. 

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
Our mission is centered around being of service to our community and client base. We are pretty active in collaborating with other businesses in our field. My perception is the medical/mental health field can be a bit isolated at times. We want to explore more community partnership with individuals and business outside of our industry. 

If someone you know needs support and may benefit from therapy, our website or main line are the easiest ways to get in contact with us. 

Ahayawellness.com 

919-906-4390 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.abhayawellness.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abhayawellness/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abhayawellnessnc/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/abhaya-wellness/