R. Abby Spilka, MA, LMHC, FT

R. Abby Spilka, LMHC, joined Calvary Hospital as a bereavement counselor in 2018. She currently leads five Calvary support groups in Brooklyn: Young Adult Bereavement, Death of a Child, Death of a Young Spouse/Partner, Death of a Spouse/Partner, and Death of a Parent Due to COVID. She provides crisis counseling in the community and training to social service organizations on the topics of having difficult conversations at the end-of-life and demystifying grief. Abby also serves as an adjunct at NYU Steinhardt, teaching Grief and Bereavement in the Graduate Applied Psychology program.

Using a combination of writing exercises, breathing, and grounding techniques, Abby creates a safe and welcoming space for grievers of all ages, allowing them to feel supported and heard.

Prior to joining Calvary, Abby was an adjunct instructor in the undergraduate Department of Applied Psychology at NYU and was a clinician at the Soho Center for Mental Health Counseling, working with bereaved clients ranging in age from 22 to 70. She worked in non-profit administration for 20 years prior to her graduate work.

Abby earned her undergraduate degree in Classical Civilizations from the University of California at Los Angeles and holds a Master’s degree in Applied Psychology from New York University. She received her Certificate in Thanatology from the Association for Death Education and Counseling in 2017 and became a Fellow of Thanatology in 2022.

Abby is active in the Association for Death Education and Counseling and is a member of the American Counseling Association and the Hospice Foundation of America. She is fluent in English.