Gail Spinnato
I’m Gail Spinnato, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who believes therapy should be a place where you feel supported, understood, and comfortable being yourself. I bring warmth, compassion, empathy, and a genuine curiosity about the people I work with. I strive to create a nonjudgmental space where you can talk openly about the things that may feel difficult, uncomfortable, or even hard to put into words. My approach is strengths-based and person-centered. I believe you are the expert on your own life, and my role is to walk alongside you—not to tell you how you should feel or what you should do. We’ll work collaboratively to identify what matters most to you, build on the strengths you already have, and move toward the changes you want to make. I move at your pace and believe therapy is most effective when we take things one step at a time. Over the course of my career, I’ve had the privilege of working with people across the lifespan and from many different backgrounds and life circumstances. I’ve always been drawn to working with people who may feel unseen, misunderstood, or underrepresented. I especially value creating a space where people can feel accepted for who they are and supported through whatever season of life they are experiencing. Whether you're struggling with anxiety, navigating motherhood or fertility concerns, facing a major life transition, or feeling controlled by OCD or trauma, you don't have to have everything figured out before you begin therapy. You can simply start where you are. We’ll take it from there, together.
First session
My hope is that you leave your first session feeling heard, understood, and a little more comfortable about the decision to begin therapy. The first session is an opportunity for us to get to know each other and for me to learn about you—not just what brings you to therapy, but who you are as a person. We'll talk about what prompted you to seek support, what you're experiencing, and what you hope might be different through therapy. There is no expectation that you have everything figured out or that you need to tell me everything right away. We will move at your pace. Most importantly, I want you to leave feeling that you have found a space where you can be yourself without judgment. My goal for our first session isn't to “fix” everything. It's to begin building a relationship, understand what you need, and start identifying how we can work together toward your goals. If you leave thinking, “I felt comfortable talking to her, I felt heard, and I think she understands what I’m going through,” then I consider our first session a success.
Strengths
What makes my approach different is that I believe therapy doesn't have to look the same for everyone. I am a creative person, and I bring that creativity into my work whenever it can help a client feel more comfortable, understood, or connected to the process. I want to meet you where you are and find ways to make therapy meaningful to you. If you love music, art, books, movies, games, or other creative outlets, I’m open to incorporating those interests into our work. I’ve even used modified Pokémon cards to help younger clients explore emotions and develop emotion-regulation skills. Sometimes art can provide a way to express something that is difficult to put into words. I also believe that communication doesn't have to happen in just one way. Maybe the easiest way for you to tell me what you're feeling is to play me a song, share a poem, show me a video, draw something, or use a reference that makes sense to you. I’m open to it. My goal isn't to force you to communicate or process your experiences in a way that doesn't feel natural to you. I want to understand how you make sense of the world and find ways to work within that. At the same time, being creative doesn't mean avoiding difficult work. I specialize in evidence-based treatments, including ERP for OCD and Prolonged Exposure for PTSD, and I believe meaningful progress sometimes requires us to step outside our comfort zone. For me, the most effective therapy combines evidence-based treatment with genuine human connection, creativity, collaboration, and respect for the individual sitting across from me. There is no one “right” way to do therapy. There is your way—and we can find it together.
Ideal clients
My ideal client is someone who is looking for a therapist who will genuinely listen, meet them where they are, and work with them rather than simply tell them what to do. You may be feeling overwhelmed, stuck, anxious, or disconnected from yourself, or you may be navigating a significant transition and aren't quite sure how to move forward. I especially enjoy working with women navigating motherhood, fertility and reproductive health concerns, pelvic health challenges, changes in life stage, anxiety, depression, and other transitions. I also work with individuals experiencing OCD, PTSD, phobias, and related anxiety concerns, including intrusive thoughts, skin picking, hair pulling, nail biting, and tics. I work well with clients who appreciate a collaborative and person-centered approach and want therapy to feel like a safe space where they can be themselves. You don't need to know exactly what you need from therapy before you begin. We can figure that out together. Whether you're looking for practical tools, a place to process difficult experiences, help facing fears, or simply someone who will listen without judgment, I want to meet you where you are. I'm also open to the ways you naturally express yourself—whether that's talking, creating, listening to music, sharing something you've read or watched, or finding another way to communicate what you're experiencing. If you're ready to take the first step, but you're not sure exactly what that step looks like, you may be the person I'm here to help.
Treatment methods
Strength-Based
I practice from a strengths-based perspective, which means I look beyond the challenges bringing you to therapy and focus on the strengths, experiences, values, and resources you already have. I believe you are the expert on your own life, and my role is to help you recognize and build upon what is already within you. In session, we work collaboratively to identify what is most important to you, understand what may be getting in the way, and find practical ways to move forward. I don't believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. I meet you where you are, move at your pace, and adapt our work to what feels most helpful for you. Even when therapy involves difficult or uncomfortable work, I want you to leave feeling supported and reminded that your struggles do not define you. My goal is to help you recognize your capabilities, build confidence, and take meaningful steps toward the life you want.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
Top specialties
Licensed in
- MarylandLicense 32263
- New JerseyLicense 44SC05750600
- OregonLicense L15363