- Emotionally-Focused Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Trauma-informed methods
About Gwendolyn
Gwendolyn Downing is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Alabama with 41 years of experience. She sees people who are managing stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma and abuse, relationship and family concerns, grief, parenting strain, and related life changes. Sessions address practical problems and emotional patterns that interfere with daily life.
Previously she worked in a public agency and has spent many years in private practice. She has supported people referred from employee assistance programs, family court, and those who self-refer. Her background includes work with a wide range of emotional and behavioral concerns, such as bipolar disorder, eating issues, chronic illness, and compassion fatigue.
Her approach draws on several methods. Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) appears among the approaches she uses to look at underlying feelings and attachment patterns. She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) techniques to address thinking patterns and coping skills.
Gwendolyn also incorporates trauma-focused methods and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) when trauma or abuse is part of the picture. She selects strategies that match the person’s needs and strengths rather than applying a single method to everyone.
Practical, conversational work is the norm in sessions. She aims to help people identify what is getting in the way and build clearer ways of handling emotions, relationships, and daily tasks. To begin, prospective clients are asked to complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session.
How her approaches translate to online work
Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) focuses on identifying and working with intense emotions and attachment-related patterns. It can help people notice and name feelings that are hard to name and understand how those emotions shape their relationships and behavior.Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early and ongoing relationship patterns influence current connections and reactions. It helps people recognize repeating patterns and develop different ways of relating that feel more effective.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) targets thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going. It uses practical exercises and moment-to-moment skills to reduce anxiety, change unhelpful thinking, and support behavior change.
Choosing the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will review concerns and goals with each person and help decide which methods to try. That decision is collaborative and can shift as needs change.
Confirm the available session formats before booking since the biography does not list formats explicitly. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. Many people find video or phone options help them attend more consistently; check the current options to pick what suits your schedule and surroundings.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
41+ years
Listed in
Alabama
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma and abuse, relationship and family issues, grief, parenting, and related life changes.
What is her general therapeutic style?
She uses practical, conversational sessions and draws on approaches such as Emotionally-Focused Therapy, CBT, DBT, and trauma-focused methods to match each person's needs.
How much experience does she have?
She has 41 years of professional experience, including time in a public agency and many years in private practice.
What credentials and location apply to her practice?
She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) licensed in Alabama and practices there.
In which languages are sessions offered?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with clients outside the United States?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are sessions paid for and what does it cost?
Costs vary with location and services. Sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I start a first session?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.