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LPC

Gwendolyn Downing, LPC

  • Experience41 years
  • LocationAlabama
  • Focus areasADHD, Stress and Anxiety, and Addictions
  • Therapy approachesAttachment-Based Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
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About Gwendolyn

Gwendolyn Downing is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Alabama who welcomes people seeking support with stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma, and a wide range of life challenges including grief, relationship and intimacy concerns, ADHD, and depression.

Background and approach

With 41 years of clinical experience, she frames therapy around each person’s individual strengths and circumstances, helping clients move from feeling stuck toward practical, manageable change. Her clinical work draws on several evidence-informed methods tailored to the needs presented in sessions.

She integrates Attachment-Based Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Emotionally-Focused Therapy, and EMDR as appropriate, selecting strategies to fit a person's goals rather than following a single formula. Gwendolyn’s background includes work in public agency settings and many years in independent practice, and she has supported people coming through self-referral, employee assistance programs, and family court referrals.

Her approach emphasizes collaboration, respect for individual strengths, and encouragement toward growth. She values the courage it takes to ask for help and aims to create a constructive, goal-oriented partnership to address coping, behavior change, and emotional healing.

Therapeutic approaches and how they translate online

Gwendolyn frequently draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and EMDR alongside attachment-informed work to address emotional and behavioral difficulties. CBT focuses on identifying and shifting unhelpful thoughts and patterns to improve mood and coping, which can be effective for anxiety, depression, and stress-related issues. EMDR is a trauma-focused approach that uses structured processing to reduce the intensity of traumatic memories and related distress, often applied when trauma or abuse is part of the presenting problem. Attachment-based work explores relational patterns and emotional bonds to strengthen interpersonal functioning and resilience.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and presenting concerns with each person and then tailor methods to fit their needs, adjusting techniques as progress is made and new priorities emerge.

Online options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules or to remain in treatment from a distance. These formats allow licensed professionals to provide consistent care with flexibility in timing and communication style, so clients can engage in therapy in ways that suit their routines and comfort levels.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does she work with?
She supports people with stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, self-esteem and relationship issues, grief, ADHD, and many other life challenges listed in her specialties.
What is her therapeutic style?
She combines attachment-informed perspectives with cognitive and emotion-focused strategies, adapting methods like CBT, DBT, EFT, and EMDR to meet each individual's needs.
How much experience does she have in clinical practice?
She has 41 years of experience, including work in public agency settings and 17 years in independent practice.
Where is she licensed and practicing?
She is licensed as an LPC in Alabama with license number AL LPC 1393 and practices from that state.
Does she offer services in other languages or to international clients?
Services are provided in English, and she is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats are available for working together?
Sessions can be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences.
How are fees and payments handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What should someone do to begin working with her?
Prospective clients select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyAddictionsTrauma and abuseSelf esteem

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

Licensed

Alabama

Languages

English

What Gwendolyn can help with

Gwendolyn Downing works with clients on stress and anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, and self esteem.

Gwendolyn works with people with Depression and Anxiety, Chemical and Process Addictions, Trauma and abuse issues, and Family and Life issues.

How Gwendolyn approaches therapy

Gwendolyn's clinical approaches include Attachment-Based Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Gottman Method, Mindfulness Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing.

Experience and training

Gwendolyn is a Licensed Professional Counselor practicing in Alabama.