Therapy with Gwen, Trauma & Addiction
Talk Therapy & Somatic EMDR Clinician
Connection and Curiosity Cultivate Growth
Gwen Pontikes, Licensed Psychotherapist
EMDR, Parts Work, & Somatic Complex/Relational Trauma Clinician
Licensed Therapist in Tennessee & Colorado
Confidential In Person in Nashville, TN and Telehealth Therapy in TN & CO
Individual Therapy for Anxiety/Depression/Trauma
& Addiction Recovery with Measurable Outcomes
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See this link for FAQs [Messaging Terms and Conditions Link and Mobile Privacy Policy Link]."
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Gwen Pontikes, Therapy with Gwen, Trauma & Addiction
Hello! I am Gwen Pontikes, the dedicated practitioner behind Therapy with Gwen, Trauma & Addiction. As a licensed counselor, I provide confidential psychotherapy services tailored to address challenges like anxiety, depression, trauma, and addiction. I have experience and expertise working with men supporting them with mental health issues and substance use disorder. Leveraging my expertise in EMDR and somatic developmental trauma therapy, I aim to foster holistic growth by connecting thoughts, emotions, physical health, and spirit. Together, we will establish goals, monitor progress, and utilize your unique strengths to help you thrive. Therapy with Gwen, Trauma & Addiction is committed to guiding you toward a meaningful and integrated life, addressing the complex landscapes of trauma and addiction with compassion and expertise. Please see my blog post to learn more about the concepts/modalities I utilize with clients for effective, evidence backed treatment: https://www.gwenpontikes.com/post/concepts-i-use-in-therapy.
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I can help you if you are feeling overwhelmed, looking for change, and not sure how to move forward. I am an EMDR/developmental trauma somatic therapist with a focus on building adaptive thoughts and behaviors into your life while recognizing the reality of the challenges and hardships of life. I will work with you holistically to connect your thoughts, emotions, physical body and spirit to help you live as a fully integrated and whole person where you can acknowledge and be at peace with all of your "parts." I will collaborate with you to create goals, monitor progress, and utilize your unique strengths to support your work to live life to your full potential.
Research shows that therapy is based on a strong relationship between you and your therapist and this relationship is a basis for growth and healing. Together we can break down change into manageable steps to help you get some relief and forward momentum through actions while working toward your goals for a meaningful life. I look forward to the opportunity to have a 15 minute consultation with you at no charge to see if we are a good fit to meet and work through issues you are facing together.
Are you struggling with any of these issues?
RELATIONSHIP
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Are you stuck in conflict with your partner/spouse?​
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Is communication breaking down?
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Are you finding yourself angry more than you would like?
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Do you have trust issues?
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Are you struggling with physical intimacy?
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Are you struggling with tough family dynamics?
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Are you struggling to find healthy relationships?
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ANXIETY
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Is anxiety taking over your life?
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Do you feel nervous all of the time but don't really know why?
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Do you feel queasy when meeting new people or in new social situations?
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Are you having anxiety attacks that shut you down?
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Do you feel overwhelmed?
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Are you struggling with rapid heart beat? panic attacks?
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Are you tired from trying to make everyone else happy?
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Are you running out of steam trying to balance work and family?
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Are you distracted by worrisome thoughts?
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Are you using alcohol or drugs or other unhealthy coping skills to get relief?
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Is impulsivity causing problems for you at work or home?
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Do you get angry really fast and unsure why?
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Do little things annoy you more than other people?
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DEPRESSION​
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Is depression shutting you down from life?
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Do you feel exhausted all of the time?
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Have you stopped enjoying activities you used to enjoy?
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Are you struggling to get out of bed or take a shower?
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Are you feeling stuck?
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Are you irritable or angry frequently?
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Do you feel unworthy? Guilty? Hopeless?
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Do you have insomnia?
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Has your appetite changed with weight gain or loss?
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Are you lonely?
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Do you feel disconnected? Do you struggle to have relationships with friends and significant others?
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Do you use alcohol or drugs to pull you out of depression?
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TRAUMA​
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Are you using unhealthy coping skills to manage your depression? ​
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Are you impacted by adverse childhood experiences?
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Have you experienced a trauma event or many trauma events that lead you to stay in a self-protection mode?
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Do you find yourself in hyper vigilant state or a shut down state even when you are in safe spaces?
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Do you find yourself getting into the same destructive relationships over and over?
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Are you attracted to things/people who are not good for you?​​
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RECOVERY
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Are you in early recovery and continuing your work for wellbeing?
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Are you a family member struggling with concerns over a loved one with addiction issues?
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Do you find yourself using substances to get through situations, feelings or have simply built unhealthy habits/coping skills for life's difficulties?
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If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, I can help you! Please check out my story and my background to learn more about how I help clients. If you are ready to schedule a free consultation - please press the "Start Now" button below.
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What Excites Me about Therapy
My life changed when I learned about the concept of neuroplasticity - meaning our brains can constantly change and heal. I learned that we can strengthen both negative and positive pathways of neural connections in our brains. This understanding gave me hope that people can feel better, heal, and grow to meet their potential whether they are struggling with trauma experiences, addiction, anxiety or depression. This knowledge ignited my own journey of healing and growth which led to my second career of providing clinical mental health psycho-therapy to clients. I am passionate about sharing this hope with you so you too can heal and grow as I did on my own journey.
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I believe in "doing the work" to achieve your goals with measurable outcomes. My protocol for working with you is detemining goals with SMART goals - the SMART acronym represents goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound goals. I open sessions with questions such as "what do you want to accomplish today" and "what was helpful and what was not helpful today?"
Please see "About Gwen" tab to learn more about my private therapy practice and my background.
Hello and welcome to my web site where I share my background with you and welcome you to reach out for a free consultation to see if we are a good fit to work together. I look forward to talking to you! Gwen Pontikes