Our Story
The Abi Normal Society was founded by Dr. Jessica Simpkins in September of 2022. In 2021, Dr. Jess left a career in medicine after 10 years of education and $200K in student loans. She struggled with PTSD from her training (which happens to 20% of residents) and decided to leave residency to focus on her health and happiness.
Dr. Jess moved twice in that time, had an intensive year of self-discovery, and came to realize many more people would benefit from frank conversations about the struggles we face.
She founded this society to help people own their full human experience, love all the parts of themselves, and find support from others on the same journey.
Our Name
What is the namesake for the Abi Normal Society? If you’ve watched Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, you probably got the reference for Abi Normal right away. If you haven’t (which is common), watch this 1.5 minute clip on YouTube to understand the reference.
The point is, we’re all a bit Abi… Abi… Abi Normal. We all make mistakes, we’re all weird in one way or another, and that’s ok. If a reanimated monster with an abnormal brain can find its way in the world, we can too. And a sense of humor only helps. 😉