Gwendolyn Downing is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Alabama who focuses on helping people navigate stress, anxiety, addiction, grief, and major life changes.
01About Gwendolyn
Gwendolyn Downing is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Alabama who focuses on helping people navigate stress, anxiety, addiction, grief, and major life changes. She writes plainly and works with each person to identify what feels most important and urgent. Her approach is steady and practical, aimed at small steps that add up over time.
With 41 years of experience, she has worked in public agencies and in independent practice. That background informs how she balances practical problem-solving with emotional support.
Background and approach
She has helped people referred from employee assistance programs, family court systems, and those who sought help on their own. She uses a mix of therapeutic methods chosen to fit each person. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps people notice and change unhelpful thinking patterns.
Emotionally-Focused Therapy and Attachment-Based ideas guide work on closeness and communication. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing can be used for trauma-related memories when appropriate. Sessions aim to build skills for handling difficult moments, improve relationships, and reduce symptoms that interfere with daily life.
She also addresses issues like parenting stress, caregiver strain, body image, chronic illness, and workplace burnout. The focus is on what the person brings and what strengths they already have. Gwendolyn emphasizes collaboration and respect.
She helps people set realistic goals, learn coping tools, and try changes between sessions. Reaching out is treated as a brave first step, and she offers steady support through the process.
02Credentials
- LPC (Alabama)
- License 1393 · expires July 2026
- NPI
- 1033393822 · national provider identifier
Both are public records. A state board register will confirm a license and its standing, and the national registry will confirm an NPI. This directory copies what the counselor lists and checks neither.
03Focus areas and approaches
Everything Gwendolyn lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Trauma and abuse
- Self esteem
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Attachment issues
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Cancer
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Eating and food-related issues
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- HIV / AIDS
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Phobias
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexual dysfunction
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Somatization
- Traumatic brain injury
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Methods Gwendolyn names
- 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
- Motivational Interviewing
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
These are the methods Gwendolyn names on their own professional profile. Naming an approach is not evidence of training or certification in it, and this directory checks no training records. Ask directly if it matters to you.
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04Online support
How her approaches translate to online therapy
Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on patterns of closeness and trust. Online sessions can help people notice how they relate to others and practice new ways of connecting. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) centers on spotting unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors; it works well through video or messaging when homework and skill practice are assigned. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) addresses painful or traumatic memories; elements of this work can be adapted to remote sessions when appropriate and agreed upon.Finding the right approach is collaborative. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals, needs, and what feels most comfortable. Together they choose methods and adjust the plan as progress and preferences become clearer.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video lets people see nonverbal cues and practice communication skills. Phone sessions are a simpler option when bandwidth is limited. Live chat or text-based messaging can be useful for short check-ins, coaching-style support, or when writing through a problem helps. These options make scheduling easier and let people fit therapy into busy days.
05Questions people ask
What kinds of concerns does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting and family challenges, and career or life transition concerns.
What is her therapeutic style like?
She mixes practical skill building with emotion-focused work. Sessions often include coping tools, communication practice, and steps to try between meetings.
How much experience does she have?
Gwendolyn has 41 years of professional experience, including time in public agencies and many years in independent practice.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Professional Counselor - LPC - practicing in Alabama.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
In what formats are sessions available?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs and schedules.
How does pricing work for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I start working with her?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.
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