Hi, I’m Gabrielle Bates—a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Addictions Counselor. I hold the highest licensure levels in both fields, and I’ve spent the last decade digging into what makes people tick, what helps them heal, and how we adapt to survive.

I didn’t always know I’d end up here. I originally planned to be a doctor—but while I was on that path, I realized I didn’t just want to treat symptoms. I wanted to understand people. All of them. The messy, complicated, brilliant systems we are. I found my spark working at my university’s interpersonal violence resource center, where I supported survivors and advocated for education and awareness around trauma and abuse. It was there I learned the power of being fully present with someone in their pain—and the importance of walking alongside, not in front of, the people we support.

I earned my Master’s in Social Work from the University of Chicago in 2020, with focused training in trauma, personality disorders, and substance use. My approach is attachment-based, trauma-informed, and deeply grounded in the belief that who you are makes sense—even if parts of it feel hard to sit with right now. I also specialize in EMDR and have advanced training in working with dissociative disorders.

Outside the therapy room…

When I’m not in session, I’m usually playing Dungeons & Dragons, getting overly excited about yarn, or hanging out with my cat and dog—who both think they run the house (they’re not wrong). I love video games, board games, and disappearing into little Colorado mountain towns any chance I get. You might also catch me at The Black Sheep or Vultures, where my husband’s prog rock band is probably melting a few faces off.

I bring everything I am into the room: clinical experience, curiosity, humor, care, and a no-bullshit commitment to helping you grow. Therapy doesn’t have to be stiff. You get to show up exactly as you are—and I’ll meet you there.