Therapist Gwen Sperling Photo

Gwen Sperling, LCSW

Stress, Anxiety Relationships Family conflicts Trauma, Abuse Depression
Video Phone Live Chat Messaging

About me

Hello my name is Gwen. I'm a licensed clinical social worker and I have worked in the behavioral health and substance abuse field for over 20 years. My first education in the area of counseling was in my third semester of college where I was introduced to the work of Dr. Carl Rogers. Dr. Rogers believes the role of the therapist is to be an empathic presence which creates a sense of safety. When you feel safe, it allows you to dive down deeper into your experience to figure out what happened, how is that playing out in your daily life and re-creating the suffering you are trying to avoid.

I believe everyone has the answers within themselves for all the questions they have about themselves and others. We live in a culture that doesn’t necessarily encourage reflection and self examination. In fact, for some it is discouraged.

My empathic presence, will allow you to find your way as we walk through that experience again, seeking a sense of completion so it no longer occupies your body. Allowing you to fit better within yourself. Together we can gain deeper insight, and develop strategies to cope with emotions, and subsequent behaviors.

Please let me offer you my perspective about emotion. I believe our emotions are our ‘feelings” in response to what we are sensing outside of ourselves. These emotions can be used as a roadmap in life. A road map that allows learning to better to enable you to have more control over what you say and do. Learning through self-awareness and reflection can lead to greater inner peace.

In my maturation process I had to learn how to regulate my emotions and tolerate the frustration I may feel when I don’t get what I want. Using these two behaviors, emotional regulation and tolerating frustration can lead to greater self-control and typically an increase in one’s self esteem.

Please join me in the voyage of you, as you seek greater inner peace.


Professional experience

30yrs in practice
Stress, Anxiety Relationships Family conflicts Trauma, Abuse Depression

Additional areas of focus: Addictions, LGBT, Grief, Intimacy-related issues, Anger management, Self esteem, Career difficulties, Bipolar disorder, Coping with life changes, Compassion fatigue, ADHD, Aging and Geriatric Issues, Attachment issues, Body image, Cancer, Caregiver issues and stress, Chronic pain illness and disability, Codependency, 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, Emptiness, Family of Origin Issues, Family Problems, Fertility Issues, Forgiveness, Gender Dysphoria, Guilt and shame, Hospice and End of Life Counseling, Immigration Issues, Impulsivity, Isolation / loneliness, Life purpose, Midlife crisis, Money and financial issues, Mood disorders , Multicultural Concerns, Narcissism, Panic disorder and panic attacks, Personality Disorders, Polyamory / Nonmonogamous Relationships, Postpartum Depression, Post-traumatic stress, Prejudice and Discrimination, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Self-Harm, Self-love, Sex Addiction, Sexual Assault and Abuse, Smoking/Vaping Cessation, Social anxiety and phobia, Women's issues

Clinical approaches: Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Existential Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy

Services offered

Video
Phone
Live Chat
Messaging

License information

NM LCSW C-07983

VA LCSW 0904015858

Reviews

These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Gwen Sperling. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.

Gwen is a very wise person who really listens to you and "sees" you as you are without judgment. She has already made me feel better about myself though I still have far to go!

Written on Feb 21, 2024 after therapy with Gwen for 5 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, self esteem, bipolar disorder, and coping with life changes

Very understanding and help me with my concern

Written on Apr 13, 2022 after therapy with Gwen for 4 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, and self esteem

Gwen is extremely helpful and I am very fortunate to be working with her.

Written on Feb 05, 2022 after therapy with Gwen for 2 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, career difficulties, and adhd

Gwen is very supportive and caring. She’s a great listener.

Written on Nov 30, 2021 after therapy with Gwen for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, and family conflicts

Gwen is really lovely listens and does her best to understand. Shes really intitive and is lovely at sharing advice and listens to me anytime I have trouble. Thanks Gwen!

Written on Aug 02, 2021 after therapy with Gwen for 2 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, anger management, and adhd

As my first experience with a therapist I cannot be happier with the experience I've had so far. Gwen is a great listener and she's able to connect dots and make someone understand on a deeper level what's going on in their life. She's very helpful and I'm glad I'm taking this journey with her.

Written on Jul 16, 2021 after therapy with Gwen for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, self esteem, and adhd