About - Gwen Borcyk, MSW, LCSW

I spend more of my waking hours helping people than just about anything else. Seriously, I am a therapist, I’ve been in mental health for more than 20 years, and I spend a ton of time at it. What does that mean for you? It means I have tons of experience, lots of additional training in many different approaches to therapy, and of course my Master’s Degree and license. I know this field well.

But I’m not a stuffy, professorial shrink. Far from it.

I’m the person you come talk to when you need someone to talk to. I am someone that you can trust and confide in; I’m someone who knows how to take their decades of experience and apply it to your situation so you can create the changes in your life you want.

I’ll greet you with a smile and I probably won’t have any shoes on. I like to crack jokes (when appropriate) and tell stories, I might curse, especially if you do first, and if you have any visible tattoos, I am definitely going to ask to take a closer look and if you have any more. (So cool!)

I’m also, occasionally, the person who will call you on your bullshit. I promise I won’t gloss things over or tell you things you want to hear. Sometimes a little tough love is what we need most. If I know that you know better, or you’re not doing any work towards the goals you’ve set with me, I won’t mince words.

Change is hard. Sometimes therapy is hard. I’m willing to show up for you, but you have to be willing to put in the work too. I work best with clients who are a bit creative, a lot stuck, and (while perhaps not enthusiastic, at least) willing to put in the hard work it takes to create the changes they want in their life.

My goal is to challenge and encourage you to be willing to be uncomfortable for just a bit so that you can find your happiness in life.

When I’m not helping people, I enjoy spending time with my family, indulging in great food from different restaurants, and traveling. One of my favorite things to do is take a vacation with my husband, fly out to some wonderful place, and rent an RV to explore it further. One of my favorites was the mountains of Idaho, where I stood at the ledge and looked out across the world!

For you fellow therapists or other psychology nerds out there, my therapeutic approaches predominantly include Narrative Therapy, EMDR, Solution Focused and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy combined with support and practical feedback to help clients effectively address personal life challenges. I integrate complementary methodologies and techniques to offer a highly personalized approach tailored to each client. With compassion and understanding, I work with each individual to help them build on their strengths and attain the personal growth they are committed to accomplishing. I believe that no two individual experiences are the same and as a result my approach with each client varies according to their individual needs.

Education

Received my Masters in Clinical Social Work from Norfolk State University.

License

Licensed with the North Carolina Social Work Licensing Board as a LCSW.

Additional Training

Here is a list of just some of the trainings that I have received over the last few years: Trained in EMDR, Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Addressing Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Substance Abuse Treatment, Depression and Older Adults, Emotional Manipulation: Understanding Manipulators & Helping Their Victims, Enhancing Effectiveness When working with a Military Population: Ethics, Culture, and Competencies, Disaster Mental Health Fundamentals.

About Ashley

Before you work with Gwen, you’ll first get to meet Ashley, my client coordinator. She is AMAZING! She is friendly and super helpful. She will go out of her way to make sure getting you set up and working with me is as easy and painless of an experience as possible.