Gwendolyn Dussan, LPC Associate

Hey there! Glad you are here. You have already made a courageous step in your life’s journey by looking into therapy. Whatever may have brought you here, thank you for taking the time for yourself today, you deserve it. 

Every person has a unique journey, a lived experience that deserves respect. There is no one fix all approach to counseling; I believe that personalizing counseling to the individual or couple is the key to personal progress, whatever that definition may be for you. What I can offer is to shine some light on your path and help you navigate and reflect on your adventure. The techniques I gravitate to are Client-Centered, Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Narrative, and a collaborative approach. 

I moved to Austin, TX to be with the love of my life who I met playing World of Warcraft. I feel more at home in Austin than I ever have. I like to say it feels like a combination of my hometown and Chicago. I received my MA in Community Counseling from Loyola University Chicago and my undergraduate degree in Psychology with a minor in Spanish from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. 

Social Justice is at the core of my personal belief system as well as the social justice lens I was trained with at Loyola. I am honored to serve our diverse community that I love here in Austin. I tend to work with adults dealing with anxiety, depression, and grief. I also have an interest in working with premarital couples to solidify their bond, talk through expectations, and work through past experiences that they do not want to bring onward. 

I hope to guide you to utilize your inner strengths to create your personal goals and strive to reach them. During guided self-reflection and processing of life events, people can gain the confidence to shape what is within their control to mold their future and feel grounded in the now. 

My previous experiences are as a crisis intervention counselor at a Chicago inner-city high school, and as a dance/swim instructor with the YMCA. These opportunities led me to work with clients that were facing anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, grief, or past abuse. Many of my clients were members of the LBGTQAI+ community navigating their identity. As part of my master’s internship, I also coached the high school’s dance team overseen by The Boys and Girls Club. 

Furthermore, my previous experience as a member of the dance community (ballet, jazz, modern, and hip-hop) for over 20 years provided me with specialized skills to recognize and assist those suffering from disordered eating by facilitating body confidence, self-acceptance, and coping strategies. 

My passions in life beyond dance include playing video games, creating art, tinkering with fashion, and exploring Austin with my partner, especially coffee houses and eateries. 

It is pertinent for the client-therapist relationship to be strong so that therapy has the best chance of being beneficial. Feel free to reach out, I am happy to connect with you if you think we may be a good fit.