Part 1 of 4
- 41 years experience
- LPC in Alabama
- Trauma and addiction
About Gwendolyn
Gwendolyn Downing is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in Alabama with decades of hands-on experience. She helps people navigate anxiety, depression, addiction, trauma, grief, parenting stress, and many life changes. Her tone is practical and steady, aimed at people who need clear support and manageable steps forward.
She draws on a mix of approaches to match each person's needs. That can include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify unhelpful thinking, Emotionally-Focused Therapy to look at patterns in close relationships, Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills for emotion regulation, and EMDR for trauma work. Gwendolyn chooses strategies based on what a person brings to sessions, not a rigid protocol.
Gwendolyn spent many years working in a public agency and has also maintained a private practice. Over 41 years she has seen clients referred from employee assistance programs, family court, and self-referral, and she has worked with issues such as bipolar disorder, eating concerns, caregiving stress, chronic illness, and relationship struggles.
In sessions she emphasizes each person's strengths and practical next steps. Conversations focus on what can change now and how to build skills for the future. She frames therapy as a collaborative process that asks for courage and steady work.
For people worried about taking the first step, Gwendolyn aims to make scheduling and the initial matching straightforward. She supports people through grief, abandonment issues, communication problems, and many other challenging life situations.
She draws on a mix of approaches to match each person's needs. That can include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify unhelpful thinking, Emotionally-Focused Therapy to look at patterns in close relationships, Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills for emotion regulation, and EMDR for trauma work. Gwendolyn chooses strategies based on what a person brings to sessions, not a rigid protocol.
Gwendolyn spent many years working in a public agency and has also maintained a private practice. Over 41 years she has seen clients referred from employee assistance programs, family court, and self-referral, and she has worked with issues such as bipolar disorder, eating concerns, caregiving stress, chronic illness, and relationship struggles.
In sessions she emphasizes each person's strengths and practical next steps. Conversations focus on what can change now and how to build skills for the future. She frames therapy as a collaborative process that asks for courage and steady work.
For people worried about taking the first step, Gwendolyn aims to make scheduling and the initial matching straightforward. She supports people through grief, abandonment issues, communication problems, and many other challenging life situations.
Part 2 of 4
How Gwendolyn’s Approaches Translate Online
Attachment-Based Therapy helps people notice patterns in close relationships and how those patterns affect feelings and behavior. Work focuses on improving emotional connection and repairing repeating hurtful cycles. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at thoughts, feelings, and actions to find small, practical changes that reduce anxiety and depression. Sessions include identifying unhelpful thoughts and practicing new ways of reacting. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers skills for managing intense emotions and improving coping; it teaches breathing, distress tolerance, and communication tools useful in daily life.Choosing the right approach is a shared process. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together they decide which methods to try first and adapt them as progress is made.
If you are considering online sessions, confirm the specific formats before booking because the biography does not list them. In general, online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. Online sessions can also make it simpler to practice skills between meetings and bring workplace or family scheduling into the therapy plan when useful.
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Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Relationship issuesFamily conflictsGriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderDepressionCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD
Additional focus areas
AbandonmentAttachment issuesBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)Divorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFirst responder issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameHIV / AIDSHospice and end-of-life counselingInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPhobiasPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexual dysfunctionSmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationTraumatic brain injuryWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
Attachment-Based TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Gottman MethodMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingSolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy
Experience
41+ years
Credentials
Alabama
Languages
English
Part 4 of 4
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she address?
Gwendolyn works with stress, anxiety, addiction, trauma and abuse, depression, bipolar concerns, grief, relationship and family issues, parenting strain, ADHD, and related problems.
How would she describe her therapy style?
She adapts strategies to each person and focuses on practical steps. Sessions mix skill building, emotional processing, and problem-solving based on what the client needs.
What is her background and experience?
She has 41 years of experience, including work in a public agency and 17 years in private practice supporting people from varied referral sources.
What credential and location should I know about?
She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in Alabama.
Can I work with her if I live outside the U.S.?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not accepting international clients at this time.
What session formats are offered?
Please confirm current session options before booking, as specific formats are not listed in her biography.
How much do sessions cost?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.