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Gwendolyn Downing, LPC

Experienced mental health professional

Provides online counseling through BetterHelp

At a glance

Gwendolyn is an experienced, licensed Mental Health Professional who specializes in affordable online therapy offered through our partner, BetterHelp.

4.5 stars
Clients are very satisfied with Gwendolyn. View 92 reviews
Great news, Gwendolyn is accepting new clients!
She is normally fully-booked.
Speaks English
Offers Telehealth visits
Licensed in Alabama

Recent reviews

My therapist is understanding, listens to and validates my feelings and concerns. She provides guidance to help me to navigate challenges that I face in live and within myself. I value her knowledge and encouragement. I am growing stronger and healthier thanks to her insight and suggestions. She offers resources that help me to understand, initiate, and maintain healthy interactions in every area of my life.

Reviewed December 2024

Very experienced and kind. Responds to messages quickly even on weekends.

Reviewed December 2024

More about Gwendolyn

  • 41 years' experience
  • Female
  • LPC

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in Alabama, with 36 years experience. I worked in a public agency for several years and have been in private practice for 17 years. I have helped individuals who have been referred through Self-referral, Employee Assistance Programs, and family court systems. I have had the privilege of helping people with Depression and Anxiety, Chemical and Process Addictions, Trauma and abuse issues, Family and Life issues, as well as other challenging situations.

I utilize several therapeutic strategies, including Motivational Interviewing, Emotionally-Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trauma-focused Therapy, and Solution-Focused Therapy. The strategies utilized are determined by the unique needs of the person with whom I am interacting. I believe each person is unique and presents with unique needs and unique strengths for addressing the identified concerns.

My focus is on people, not labels or statistics. I make it my practice to encourage and elevate people to be the success they were meant to be.

It requires courage and commitment to reach out for help, and I would be honored to be part of your journey. I look forward to working with you!

Specialties

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

Treatment Approaches

  • Attachment-Based Therapy
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
  • Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
  • Gottman Method
  • Mindfulness Therapy
  • Motivational Interviewing
  • Solution-Focused Therapy
  • Trauma-Focused Therapy

Licenses

Gwendolyn Downing's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1033393822.

  • LPC · Alabama · 1393 · Expires July 2026

About online counseling

Affordable.
Pay a low flat fee.
Convenient.
Do it at your own time and at your own pace. Communicate whenever you feel it's needed.
Available now.
There is no waiting list and no calls to make. Simply fill out a short questionnaire and send your first message.

Online counseling, also known as teletherapy, is a method of delivering mental health services through digital means such as video conferencing, phone calls, or messaging platforms. It can be an ideal option for individuals who have difficulty accessing traditional therapy due to geographical distance, time constraints, or personal preferences like privacy and comfort. Many people find it easier to open up from the familiarity of their own space.

Teletherapy has been found to be highly effective, with studies showing that it can produce similar outcomes to in-person therapy, particularly for issues like anxiety, depression, and PTSD. The flexibility and accessibility it offers make it a valuable alternative to conventional therapy settings.

Reviews for Gwendolyn Downing

All reviews have been submitted by clients after seeing the provider.

Overall rating:

4.5

92 reviews

5
4
3
2
1

Clients mention: Great Understanding Helpful Recommend Listens Helped Thank you Professional Wonderful Amazing

My therapist is understanding, listens to and validates my feelings and concerns. She provides guidance to help me to navigate challenges that I face in live and within myself. I value her knowledge and encouragement. I am growing stronger and healthier thanks to her insight and suggestions. She offers resources that help me to understand, initiate, and maintain healthy interactions in every area of my life.

Reviewed December 2024

Very experienced and kind. Responds to messages quickly even on weekends.

Reviewed December 2024

I felt comfortable with Gwendolyn right from the start. She relates to everything I tell her and nothing is shocking to her. she helps me make a plan for what ever I'm dealing with and I feel at ease after our conversations.

Reviewed December 2024

I am truly grateful for the support and guidance I have received from Gwendolyn. From our very first session, they created a warm and welcoming environment where I felt comfortable sharing my thoughts and feelings. Their compassionate approach made it easy for me to open up, and I always left our sessions feeling understood and validated.

Reviewed November 2024

It was great Gwen, thank you. I was trying the service out and grateful to have had you as my therapist. I hope one one day when I return I could still be paired with you.

Reviewed November 2024

I just started using better help . I do wish the visits were longer but other than that I wouldn’t change anything. I’m very happy with Gwendolyn

Reviewed November 2024

Ms. Downing is wonderful, she listens closely and speaks truthfully. One of the most surprising things was getting a random message between sessions just letting you know she is there if needed.

Reviewed September 2024

She is amazing! Very responsive. Very intelligent. Very educated!

Reviewed August 2024

Very attentive and supportive. Also very knowledgeable. Frequently checks in with me just to see how I am doing.

Reviewed August 2024

Gwen is amazing and has helped me come so far in my short time with her! She listens to my worries and helps me find positive solutions to my problems! 10/10 would recommend her services to everyone

Reviewed May 2024

She is amazing and very insightful! I never feel judged and she puts you at ease.

Reviewed April 2024

Shes Great

Reviewed April 2024

Gwen is an attentive, caring and genuinely professional counsellor. It is evident that she has had much experience in counseling and her sound understanding and wise advice are always on point and eye opening. She truly is a treasure and a rare find!

Reviewed March 2024

I cant express enough how grateful I am for Gwendolyn. She has helped me work through so many issues and leave an abusive situation with a malignant narcassist after years of multiple failed attempts. Her patience, understanding, compassion, wisdom, strength, never giving up on me - all have helped me to change my mindset and break free from toxic thoughts and people, limiting beliefs, and unhealthy habits. Im a different person now. Thank you Gwendolyn for everything you do! I hope anyone who is unsure about therapy takes a step to do it - its a step towards chosing yourself and a better life for yourself.

Reviewed February 2024

Gwendolyn is anyways helpful. She listens and provides great feedback and helpful perspective that lets me reframe my journey in a positive light.

Reviewed February 2024

Gwen has been wonderful attentive and compassionate. I have felt encouraged at each of my sessions with her

Reviewed July 2021

Gwendolyn is very kind and understanding! She always gets back to me in a timely manner!

Reviewed November 2023

Gwendolyn is wonderful. Lots of times, things come up outside of therapy session. I message her and she ALWAYS gets back to me in a timely manner. She sees the good in everything. And most of all, she is nonjudgmental and understanding!!

Reviewed November 2023

Gwendolyn is awesome, she has taken a patient and kind approach with me. She is respecful, professional, and provides a positive outlook that I appreciate. I'm lucky to have found Gwendolyn, and to be able to benefit from her expertise and support.

Reviewed November 2023

It's nice to have a caring counselor in your corner.

Reviewed November 2023

I switched therapists a few times starting out on BetterHelp. I have been meeting with Gwendolyn for almost 2 years now, and I look forward to our meetings every week! She is always so supportive, and gives great insight. I can go into my session feeling so down on myself, and leave feeling so proud of myself and refreshed. I have come so far since first meeting with her, and I don’t think I could ever thank her enough for what she’s helped me learn about myself and accomplish!

Reviewed September 2023

Gwendolyn has been wonderful! She has listen to my struggles, gave me some suggestions, given gentle recommendations & listened a lot! She has sent me some worksheets that have been helpful with specific struggles I am facing. She is kind, compassionate, honest & helpful! I am thankful to have crossed paths with her!

Reviewed September 2023

Gwendolyn is extremely knowledgeable, professional, and respectful. She's always on time and responds to messages in a timely manner. She's also been very understanding and empathetic.

Reviewed July 2023

Gwendolyn has been helpful in addressing my needs and understanding my own need for patience with myself. She provides an excellent objective viewpoint to help reframe things so I can see how I've progressed.

Reviewed July 2023

Helped me a lot! Understanding situations logically from a neutral perspective ,and giving great advice which was exactly what I needed

Reviewed July 2023

I have been seeing miss Gwendolyn for almost two years. She is my favorite part of the week and I look forward to my sessions. She is honest and reassuring.

Reviewed June 2023

I've been working with Gwendolyn for over year now and I've made lots of progress with her. She is a great counsellor!

Reviewed March 2023

Gwendolyn is exactly the help I need. She's been willing to listen since day 1, and has given me the support I've needed to meet the changing challenges of my life with ADHD.

Reviewed March 2023

Gwendolyn is an absolute legend. I really look forward to our chats… she listens and helps me when I’m ready to be helped. At any time, I can quiz her about this, and that, or whatever it is, and she’s clearly a very wise and experienced therapist, she smart and we can cut through the bull, when ever I want and now I’m a fuller of person for it. I highly recommend her as long as you don’t take her away from me. If you do, that will be hell to pay otherwise good luck with your therapy.

Reviewed March 2023

Gwendolyn has been extremely supportive during this part of my healing journey, and integral to the progress I've made. She understands trauma more than most other professionals I've encountered. Thank you Gwendolyn!

Reviewed March 2023

We've only had 2 appointments so a but early for review. Gwendolyn has emailed me several times to keep in touch. I appreciate that.

Reviewed February 2023

Gwendolyn is fantastic.

Reviewed April 2023

Gwendolyn helped me greatly with communication and setting boundaries. She also has good perspectives as to why I think the way I do. Being from the same state I’m from, she understood the culture I grew up in. She’s great and I would recommend her.

Reviewed December 2022

I was unsure of the online aspect of counseling but it has been quite helpful. Having a safe place to feel seen and heard has made navigating expat life easier. Gwendolyn is a good listener and adapts sessions to my needs each time.

Reviewed December 2022

Gwen is a patient and understanding person. She gives me tools to help myself and brakes down emotions and thoughts that I have with ptsd and anxiety in a logical and healthy way to help me work through these parts of my self. She is a great support system and I would recommend her to anyone !

Reviewed November 2022

Miss Gwendolyn is super helpful with helping me on my journey.

Reviewed November 2022

I have been with Gwendolyn for a couple of weeks now. She is very kind, patient and very nice to talk to. She makes your feel comfortable and listens to what you have to say. She understood my troubles and taught me ways to navigate around them with the help of different techniques. It has been a really good experience, and i would highly recommend her.

Reviewed November 2022

Gwendolyn is very kind and a great listener. It truly felt like a judgement free zone where I could share how I was feeling. She is very understanding and provided me with a great first therapy experience.

Reviewed November 2022

Gwendolyn has given me a lot of tools to help turn my life in a positive direction. She is always so supportive and really understands the main things affecting my life. I’ve used 3 therapists before I started talking with her, and she’s the one who has made the big difference. She’s definitely a keeper. I look forward to our conversations each week.

Reviewed September 2022

Great listener and very professional.

Reviewed August 2022

I’ve had two sessions with Ms. Downing and she has been wonderful. She has a vast knowledge of all my different issues and offers great suggestions to practice during the week. I love that I can text her and get a super fast response. 10-10-10-10-10!

Reviewed August 2022

Gwendolyn has helped me dearly in my day to day practices. Very understanding. Very present and fair. Highly recommend her for anyone who seeks therapy

Reviewed August 2022

Very responsive and listens carefully and patiently to our concerns

Reviewed July 2022

Gwendolyn listens. She responds with great advice and asks questions that get you to consider things you haven’t before, and think more deeply, or from a different perspective than you have before. She recommends activities and provides worksheets. She checks on you in between weekly sessions.

Reviewed July 2022

Gwendolyn has been a much needed breath of fresh air. I had no idea just what I was surrounding myself with, and how it was affecting my wellbeing, but she is helping to break down barriers I have built up over 2 decades. She has an incredible ability to phrase things in a way that doesn't seem insurmountable, even the things that do take a whole lot of work. I had no idea I could progress as quickly as I have been over the past two months. I have been able to accomplish some things that I never thought I'd be able to do, and I owe so much of that to Gwendolyn.

Reviewed July 2022

I have absolutely loved therapy with her!

Reviewed July 2022

Gwen has been an amazing partner in my self discovery journey. She has shared some super simple, yet so significant, tips on how to handle life, anxiety, negativity etc. She is a great listener and affirmer. She is good at reminding us the power of taking small small steps in life and making sure we move! I'm grateful for you Gwen!

Reviewed June 2022

Gwendolyn is absolutely great.

Reviewed June 2022

Have only been with Gwen for about 3-4 weeks and the tools she has given me so far are extremely helpful. When I’m talking to her I can tell that she genuinely cares about helping me achieve a place of happiness and genuinely cares about the concerns and things im telling her. Im so glad I was matched with Gwen and so excited to continue working with her

Reviewed June 2022

Gwendolyn is fantastic! I worked with her for a month and though I won't be able to continue with Better Help due to insurance, I highly recommend her for those who can use the platform. She's very kind and understanding, and is extremely supportive and wise. The practices she had me do between sessions were great too, and she makes an effort to truly review them and check in throughout the process. I highly recommend her!

Reviewed June 2022

We're just getting started and feeling each other out but so far I really like her and have yet to feel judged by anything I've told her

Reviewed June 2022

Miss Gwen is so caring and really listens. She has so many resources and experience, that I really feel like my journey is in the best hands possible with her being a part of it. I was skeptical to pay for therapy when the free versions in my province had not done much for me in the past. SHE IS WORTH EVERY PENNY AND MORE. I really look forward to our sessions and the days proceeding them are what I'd hope them to be. It's been 3 weeks now and my life is already more in my control. Miss Gwen is so empowering and somehow always seems to have the best advice or words of comfort to offer. I am so grateful to get to work with her on Better help!

Reviewed June 2022

Gwendolyn is a blessing

Reviewed May 2022

Gwendolyn is an extremely calming, grounding force in my life. She understands trauma better than any professional I've spoken to, and she cares deeply about her patients.

Reviewed May 2022

Gwendolyn is amazing at providing resources and methods to lessen my anxiety and frequency of panic attacks that are specific to my issues. She’s very attentive and encouraging with any sort of achievements I’ve had, no matter how big or small they are. She reminds me all of these steps are a big improvement compared to when I first started. This helps me realize how much progress I’ve made especially when I am always tough on myself

Reviewed May 2022

Gwendolyn is a great listener and guides you through problems more than just giving out advice

Reviewed April 2022

So far im really happy you matched as my therapist

Reviewed April 2022

Great therapist

Reviewed April 2022

Gwendolyn is just wonderful.

Reviewed April 2022

She let's me be messy and I feel safe on the phone with her

Reviewed April 2022

I have had one session with Gwendolyn and it was very helpful. I look forward to the next one

Reviewed April 2022

Gwendolyn is very helpful to me. I realized that my mother was a narcissist in my late fifties. I feel I can count on Gwendolyn in my day-to-day dealings. She understands me and supports me and I feel strengthened. I highly recommend Gwendolyn and thank her

Reviewed April 2022

Even though I have tried to not do therapy I’ve had a friend that has shown concern and love for me even though it’s strictly business and professional but it has helped me get a better perspective of my life and I want to say thank you

Reviewed March 2022

She's great, listens and gives input. The work sheets and coping exercises are really helpful.

Reviewed March 2022

Miss Gwendolyn has been super supportive of my journey. She is responsive and encouraging. I am excited to be working with her.

Reviewed March 2022

Excellent listener and the kind words made all the difference

Reviewed February 2022

Very pleased so far

Reviewed February 2022

A wonderful match . Feeling so much calmer and rational having started therapy with Gwendolyn . Responds quickly and gives plans of action which I like ! I would truly highly recommend and have done so !

Reviewed February 2022

Very good at her job. Not too overwhelming, always patient

Reviewed February 2022

Gwendolyn is a blessing to me who help me slowly overcome my depression. I highly recommend her. She's so kind, understanding and very helpful. She also go beyond what's needed to a therapist specially her prayers and guidance. God bless Gwendolyn and for those who will choose her. :)

Reviewed January 2022

Terrific therapist, though shortlived. I could immediately tell she was a professional the moment I spoke to her

Reviewed January 2022

Gwendolyn has been excellent with reassurance that everything will work out in my current separation. She has years of experience with situations that I am currently in. If I had not spoken with a therapist I know my emotions would of spiraled out of control. I am beyond happy that I had been matched with Gwendolyn through better help.

Reviewed January 2022

Learning a lot so far, been helpful thank you

Reviewed January 2022

Gwen is awsome!! So calm and she is very easy to talk to. I would recommend her in a heartbeat!!!!

Reviewed December 2021

Attentive and thoughtful. Excited to get to know her better and to learn new tools for coping.

Reviewed December 2021

She is able to help me see my situation from.different angles and help me see I am not wrong in having differing viewpoints, myself.

Reviewed December 2021

Gwendolyn have a full understanding of what I went through. She is extremely professional and gives me the support and confidence I need.

Reviewed November 2021

I am new to better help and was a bit anxious about getting started. From my first session Gwendolyn made me feel comfortable and was very balanced with listening and responding with helpful feedback. I also appreciate her calm presence.

Reviewed November 2021

Gwendolyn’s advises are constructive and relevant to my situations. She helped me to discover solutions to my challenges.

Reviewed November 2021

She’s responsive and helpful!

Reviewed November 2021

Great!

Reviewed November 2021

I felt very nervous to start therapy and opening up about certain things. Gwendolyn has provided a very comfortable environment in which I feel free to talk about my feelings and problems. I am grateful for all of her advice, she validates my feelings and helps me find ways to work through problems I’m having or finding ways to approach situations that I wouldn’t otherwise have known how to handle alone.

Reviewed November 2021

Gwendolyn has been fantastic in the short space of time we’ve been having sessions together. At first I was very unsure of how the process worked, but she’s always been patient, supportive and allowed me to figure a lot of stuff out for my self, and been there to encourage and advise when needed. I love that the she’s made me feel in control of my own mental health journey and allows me the freedom of working through things in my own way. She’s the encouragement and positive energy I need on bad days or weeks, and there to congratulate and celebrate my break throughs. Can’t thank her enough already!

Reviewed September 2021

Great counselor.

Reviewed September 2021

Gwen has been such a blessing! She's everything you could want from a therapist: understanding, responsive, and easy to talk to. I have had several counselors over the years, and Gwen is by far the best.

Reviewed August 2021

I am so happy that finally I had started counselling, and it feels so right to talk with someone experienced which is helping you to get over difficult things. She is helping me a lot, and made me identify that I am very important, it feels so good to talk with her and the time is flying so quickly when we talk. Definitely I recommend it to everyone which needs help. Thank you

Reviewed August 2021

Me. Gwendolyn is amazing! She’s super attentive and really helps a lot! She listens and validates in a super straight forward way that helps you understand yourself and the world around you better! :)

Reviewed August 2021

Gwen is such a loving and understanding person. She’s always willing to listen and understand and her passion to see people better and healed is just amazing. I believe it was divinely orchestrated for her to be my counselor at this trying time in my life. Thank you BetterHelp for helping me through this rough time. Thank you for the opportunity to find a safe place to share my pain. Thank you Gwen for being there and listening. Your wise words of advice have changed my mindset and transformed me.

Reviewed August 2021

Ms. Gwen is so kind and therapeutic. I love her approach and the tone of her voice is so comforting. I would love to see her in person if I could. Thank you Ms. Gwen.

Reviewed July 2021

Gwendolyn had some wonderful insight to share, she listened intently and her advice felt sound. I very much appreciated my time with her and I know she will help many individuals seeking guidance.

Reviewed July 2021

Very kind and understanding. A lovely lady and appreciate all the help she gave me. Made me very comfortable with opening up and taking my first steps in the right direction.

Reviewed July 2021

Gwendolyn has been gracious, insightful and encouraging. She is quick to understand and help with solutions and I’ve looked forward to my calls with her each week.

Reviewed July 2021

How was your experience with Gwendolyn?

Frequently asked questions

Does Gwendolyn Downing offer telehealth visits?

Yes. Gwendolyn Downing works with clients by exchanging messages, chatting live, speaking over the phone, or video conferencing based on what works for the client at that particular time.

What language(s) does Gwendolyn Downing speak?

Gwendolyn Downing speaks English.

How many years of experience does Gwendolyn Downing have?

Gwendolyn Downing has 41 years of experience.

Where is Gwendolyn Downing licensed to practice?

Gwendolyn Downing is licensed to practice in Alabama.

Does Gwendolyn Downing accept clients outside of the United States?

Yes, Gwendolyn Downing accepts clients outside of the United States.

Is online therapy as effective as in-person therapy?

Numerous studies support the effectiveness of online platforms in facilitating life changes. For instance, research published by JMIR Publications, conducted by teams from the University of Berkeley, UCSF, and SF General Hospital, found that "users of BetterHelp experienced significantly reduced depression symptom severity after engaging with the platform."

What treatment approaches does Gwendolyn Downing offer?

Gwendolyn Downing offers clients Attachment-Based Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Gottman Method, Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Trauma-Focused Therapy.

How can I communicate with Gwendolyn Downing?

Gwendolyn Downing can be engaged in any one of four ways: (1) Exchanging messages, (2) chatting live, (3) speaking over the phone, or (4) video conferencing. You can use different ways at different times as you wish, based on your needs, availability, and convenience.

How do I get started with Gwendolyn Downing?

Just tap the CHAT NOW button or tap here: A new window will open and you'll be directed to a simple form that will help start the conversation. Please note: It can take up to a few days to be matched to a therapist.

Mental health conditions are real, common, and treatable.

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When you tap CHAT NOW a new window will open and you'll be directed to a simple form that will help start the conversation. Please note: It can take up to a few days to be matched to a therapist.