- Guilt and shame
- Self esteem work
- Anxiety and panic
About Gwen
Gwen Donley is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Missouri with 12 years of clinical experience. She has worked across age groups and brings experience with stress, anxiety, relationship and family concerns, self-esteem, and coping with life changes. Gwen lists additional focus areas including abandonment, forgiveness, guilt and shame, isolation, and workplace issues.
She holds a Master of Arts in Professional Counseling and a Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling. Gwen also has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Graduate Certification in Health Promotions. For seven years she held a certification in substance abuse counseling.
Gwen draws on a collaborative way of working. She helps people identify unhelpful behaviors, habits, and thinking patterns and then talks through practical steps to change them. Sessions often include straightforward strategies to manage anxiety, panic, and social fears, and to rebuild self-worth after difficult experiences.
Her background includes 24 years of service in the United States Air Force where she worked with people from many walks of life. That experience shaped how she notices patterns that repeat across different problems, such as control issues, communication breakdowns, and feelings of abandonment.
Gwen emphasizes connecting clients with hope and practical coping skills. She invites people to examine their stories and to work toward clearer choices, better boundaries, and more manageable reactions to stress and shame.
How therapeutic approaches guide online work
Gwen’s work centers on methods that identify unhelpful thinking and change patterns of behavior. Cognitive approaches focus on spotting and testing distorted thoughts, which can reduce persistent guilt, shame, and anxiety by replacing extreme self-judgments with more balanced thinking. Behavioral techniques add practical exercises and habit changes to help clients practice new responses in real situations.She also draws on problem-focused strategies that break bigger issues into smaller, manageable steps. These techniques are useful for addressing panic attacks, workplace stress, communication problems, and rebuilding self-esteem after difficult events. Each approach is explained plainly and paired with concrete tasks clients can try between meetings.
Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Gwen will collaborate with each person to choose techniques that fit their goals, needs, and preferences. That might mean combining cognitive work with behavioral experiments or focusing on communication skills first to reduce relationship strain.
The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm current online options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit counseling into a busy day, shorten travel time, and allow for brief check-ins when a full in-person appointment would be difficult. In general, licensed professionals adapt exercises and homework to an online setting so progress can continue even when life is crowded.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Experience
12+ years
Listed in
Missouri
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, relationship and family concerns, self-esteem, and coping with life changes. Additional focuses include guilt and shame, abandonment, and workplace issues.
How does she approach shame or guilt in sessions?
She uses a collaborative style that identifies ineffective behaviors and cognitive distortions. Then she works with clients on practical steps to change thoughts and responses related to shame or guilt.
What is her clinical background?
She has 12 years of clinical experience and served 24 years in the United States Air Force, working with a wide range of people and presenting problems.
What credentials and location apply to her practice?
She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Missouri and holds two Master of Arts degrees in counseling fields.
Can I work with her if I live outside the United States?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats does she offer?
The original biography does not specify session formats, so confirm current session options before booking.
How are costs handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.