Gabriel Atherton, M.A., LPCC

Gabriel is a summa cum laude graduate from the University of Central Oklahoma with

her M.A. in Counseling Psychology who is passionate about supporting adults, teenagers, and children who struggle with the effects of trauma/post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and many other variations of anxiety (e.g. specific phobias, panic, social anxiety, etc).

She has worked as a therapist with the Child Trauma Services Program within the OU Health Sciences Center where she supported youth diagnosed with PTSD, has practiced within the UCO Psychology Clinic supporting adults with struggling with anxiety, and has accrued ample experience in practicing within a specialized group wherein she supported adults and children struggling with OCD. Gabriel is passionate about helping others learn to overcome fears which might be holding them back from what is most important to them, and is an outspoken advocate for using treatment protocols which have been researched to show they are effective.

Committed to utilizing evidence-based therapy practices and recognizing each client as deserving of individualized care, Gabriel possesses a strong therapeutic foundation rooted in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and commonly uses components of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to support her clients. Relevant to OCD, Gabriel has received abundant specialized training in Exposure with Response Prevention (ERP), empirically understood to be the gold standard treatment modality for those struggling with this disorder. Notably, Gabriel is trained in effective trauma-focused treatments for PTSD including Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), Written Exposure Therapy (WET), and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT).

Gabriel wholeheartedly believes each person has the right to effective mental health care, and believes her own experiences within this context may allow her a unique perspective. She strives toward cultural competence, is a vocal advocate for marginalized groups, and embraces versatility in meeting each of her client’s needs.

Gabriel is under the supervision of Dr. Gena Hicks, PhD., Licensed Psychologist.