Meet Gordon
"Mental health and wellbeing doesn't improve by accident. It improves with deliberate intention."
I know from my own experience that sometimes those struggles and challenges can threaten to overwhelm us, making us feel frightened, alone, and doubting our ability to manage them. When I faced those challenges, I was grateful for both the help I received and the insight I gained from my experience.
As the Founder and Director of Gooding Wellness Group, it’s immensely gratifying to help others find the right therapist with the right training and expertise, for the best possible outcome.
I began working in the public school system over 28 years ago and have been a school-based social worker on Long Island my entire career, working with students from Pre-K to 12th grade. My goal has always been to help children and their families feel more connected to their school communities, forged by the belief that when schools, communities, and families work and communicate better, students are better supported academically, emotionally, and socially.
Motivated by this conviction, I began my work in private practice, specializing in treating and supporting adults, couples, and families impacted by substance use disorder. The knowledge I gained in private practice reinforced my belief in the meaningful impact communities, families, and organizations have on someone’s success, and this belief remains one of my core values today
Through my work, I recognized there was a greater need for private therapists with a solid background in working with young people, as well as those struggling with substance use disorder. So in 2017, I reached out to other talented school social workers and founded the Gooding Wellness Group. The team I chose had the specialized training and experience required to understand the demands and stressors that young people face and the desire to support children, adolescents, and teens, and their families, confronting a variety of academic, social, emotional, and traumatic challenges.
At Gooding Wellness, our team is made up of experienced professionals who are not new to this work—they bring years of training, insight, and dedication to the clients they serve. I continue to hand-pick each clinician with great care, ensuring that every member of our team not only specializes in a specific area of mental health but also shares a deep compassion for the people we work with. Our practice has grown to include specialists in a wide range of issues, including anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, addiction, and relationship challenges. We leverage the full depth of our team’s clinical expertise, offering evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), neuropsychology, resilience-building practices, meditation, and 12-step recovery support. Every step of the way, we remain committed to matching clients with the right therapist and treatment for their unique needs.
As a native Long Islander, I’m happy to call the beautiful Village of Cold Spring Harbor home to the Group, utilizing every opportunity the community offers for flexible treatment options. If the idea of sitting in an office across from a therapist is not something you like, you might enjoy the waterfront park or nearby garden instead. Maybe sitting isn’t something you want to do at all and Walk and Talk therapy is more appealing. And on any occasions you aren’t able to make it to the office (or park), we offer virtual therapy options, as well.
I’m proud of the team I’ve assembled and how we’ve become a leader in the Long Island mental health community. Our exceptional therapists are among the most qualified individuals on the Island, and we maintain that standard through continued professional education so we’re able to meet the ever-demanding challenges our clients face.
During 2020, in response to the pandemic, I founded Long Island Teletherapy, an exclusively virtual practice created to expand access to quality mental health care across New York through a secure online platform. At the same time, our main practice at Gooding Wellness adapted quickly to the growing demand for virtual services. While we continue to offer teletherapy to increase accessibility and flexibility, especially for busy professionals and families, our practice is now primarily in person—where we believe the most meaningful therapeutic work happens. This is particularly true for young children, who often benefit more from the natural connection and engagement that face-to-face sessions provide. Nothing fully replaces the power of being in the same room with someone, and we continue to see the greatest impact through these in-person relationships.
Today, as I’ve done throughout my career, I’m dedicated to providing the best treatment available for our clients and making a difference in the mental, emotional, and social lives of the community. My goal is to continue to expand our services and support our amazing community, while fighting the stigma surrounding mental health.
"When we connect the right support to the right person, lives change — families heal, relationships strengthen, individuals find hope again."
-Gordon Gooding, LCSW
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