Gwynne Gilson, Marriage Counselor in Dublin, 94568

Gwynne Gilson, MFT, SEP

Profession(s):
Marriage & Family Therapy
License Status:
I'm a licensed professional.
Primary License:
Marriage and Family Therapist - MFC #47835

My Approach to Helping

I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, located in Dublin, California. I work with children, adults, families and couples. My approach to healing integrates Somatic Experiencing® techniques with traditional psychotherapy. In addition to effectively addressing trauma, these techniques can also help to relieve common symptoms of stress, depression, irritability, and anxiety.

My practice of therapy is fundamentally based in my understanding of the scientific basis for emotions and human relationships. The modern study of human nature, originating from such fields as neurobiology, cognitive science, and child development, is contributing to a new perspective on how we heal. We now clearly know that our minds and our bodies, rather than being casual acquaintances, work together to help us successfully navigate life's opportunities and challenges. Even what we think of as "intuition" is most likely based in brain structures known as mirror neurons.

The discovery of mirror neurons provides confirmation that humans are an empathic species, truly hardwired to flourish in relationships. Therefore, a positive therapeutic relationship becomes ever more essential. I focus on providing a profound sense of safety in therapy to support you in becoming fully available for the process of healing. Your work with me is intended to allow you to access the vitality needed to support your lifelong individual and interpersonal growth.

Although I seek to apply my knowledge of science in the effort to best serve my clients, I also recognize that therapy as an art does not lend itself to a one-size-fits-all approach. Therapy is a collaborative process that unfolds in unique ways with each individual person. No one therapist is right for every client. I offer a free, confidential, 20-minute telephone consultation, which will help you decide if I am the right person with whom to co-create a therapeutic relationship. If it appears we are not a good fit for each other, I will help you access other referrals and resources to get you what you need. Please call for your free consultation.

More Info About My Practice

I specialize in helping adults and children heal from trauma as well as grief and loss. According to Dr. Peter A. Levine, a pioneering researcher and practitioner of trauma healing, "Trauma is about loss of connectionâto ourselves, to our bodies, to our families, to others, and to the world around us." Trauma is not equal to the event, which can be as seemingly trivial as a minor traffic accident, or as clearly life-altering as experiencing a catastrophic natural disaster. Trauma resides in our nervous system and must be addressed at that level in order to be renegotiated. Our symptoms, such as depression, anger, and anxiety, are messages from our bodies, asking us to pay attention. Trauma is an everyday fact of life and yet provides an amazing opportunity for transformation.

Dr. Levine developed a naturalistic approach to healing trauma known as Somatic Experiencing® (SE), which originated from his observation that wild animals, although routinely threatened, are rarely traumatized. Through his studies, Dr. Levine found that human beings possess the same innate capacity to heal as do animals. In our natural, untraumatized state, our nervous systems flow through rhythmic cycles of expansion and contraction. Somatic ExperiencingÂ® can help restore these natural, healthful patterns, which can become disrupted through incomplete processing of traumatic activation. The successful reintegration of traumatic experiences allows us to function at an even higher level of awareness and engagement with the world and people around us. Please feel free to contact me to discuss how this approach can help you heal.

My View on the Purpose of Psychotherapy

The purpose of psychotherapy is to help people feel better, in particular, when it comes to their psychological well-being. My approach integrates gentle mind-body techniques associated with Somatic Experiencing®, in order to help you heal as a whole person.

My Role as a Therapist

My role as a therapist is to assist you in rediscovering the innate wisdom and capacity for healing that we all possess as a human birthright. Too often, people are convinced that they must live with pain as a condition for existence, or that they must receive healing from an "expert". You are the expert in your own life and about your own body, and my job is to help you develop the awareness and tools to access that expertise to achieve your own goals.

What I Usually Need to Know to Help

Although I prefer to focus on strengths during the healing process, in order to ensure that I am providing a high standard of care, I do a thorough assessment during our initial meetings. New client forms are available for download from my website, which can be brought to our initial meeting, or we can go over the information in person--whatever is most comfortable for you. This information includes medical, family, and personal history, and other information that might be relevant to a particular person. I strive to get to know my clients as whole people. Beyond the problem saturated story, I want to know what people enjoy, areas in which they feel competent, and what sparks their creativity and passion. The more we explore these topics, the more I can help my clients do more of what makes them feel fulfilled.

What I Say to People Concerned about the Therapy Process

As a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, a fundamental principle of my work is to avoid overwhelm. In your work with me, you will be gently supported to process the issues that have brought you to therapy in manageable amounts. In this way, your experiences in therapy are more likely to be integrated in a way that supports lasting change. As my teacher, Steve Hoskinson, would say, we will take the "scenic route to enlightenment".

The Duration and Frequency of Therapy

The length of therapy can vary significantly depending on the goals of the client, the severity of the problem, and how long it has been a part of a person's life. Some people may choose to come to therapy in the midst of a crisis, and once they have re-established stability, will find they have what they needed to return to a fulfilling life. Other people realize that they have long-standing relationship patterns that they want to examine and unpack, so that they may experience the kind of fulfillment in relationships that they truly desire. You and I will decide together what your goals for therapy might be and create a plan to achieve them. A client can choose to leave therapy at any time, although is is best to discuss a process for termination as part of the plan for our work together.

Services I Provide

Individual Therapy & Counseling
Marriage, Couples, or Relationship Counseling
Family Therapy
Consultation
Other

Ages I Work With

Children
Teens
Adults
Elders

Languages I Speak

English

Groups I Work With

Experienced in helping adults, children and families heal from abuse and trauma. Specialized training in treating problem gambling and those affected by problem gambling. I also have specialized training in working with grief, loss, and long-term illness.