the trail to your best self begins with the first bridge

let’s build it together

services

emdr therapy

I specialize in a form of therapy called EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. This largely non-verbal form of therapy works with the sub- and unconscious mind to rapidly create lasting change to emotions, behaviors, and problematic patterns. It’s the closest thing to magic I’ve ever experienced. Learn more here.

auricular acupuncture

Also known as auricular acupuncture, AcuDetox/AcuWellness is a technique that involves the insertion of five tiny needles into specific points on each ear. The treatment has been shown to greatly reduce anxiety and anger, promote relaxation, diminish cravings, improve sleep and increase motivation for further treatment. Learn more here and here.

clinical supervision and training

Learning to be a therapist is difficult and often awkward. I provide trainings, supervision, and consultation to folks pursuing licensure. Areas of training speciality include: group therapy, working with mandated clients, and substance abuse.

“Overthinking is underfeeling.”

who am i?

First Bridge Counseling, LLC is a sole proprietorship run by Gabe Greenwald, LCSW, LAC, EMDR, ADS.

I believe in helping clients heal through innovative, holistic interventions. My practice is rooted in trauma-informed methods, offering EMDR, AcuDetox, and advanced mindfulness techniques that empower you to reclaim your narrative. My interventions are geared toward resolving the underlying reasons for your mental health symptoms, rather than simply learning to cope with them. Let’s craft your unique story of resilience together.

“Some people are so poor, all they have is money.”

how can i help?

Most therapy websites tag this section something like “Disorders We Treat.” I don’t resonate with the idea of seeing the ways we have each learned to cope with the human experience as disorders. If a dog acts aggressively because her leg is caught in a trap, we don’t call that Intermittent Explosive Disorder or Oppositional Defiant Disorder—we call it a natural response to pain. Why do we medicalize the many ways humans cope with physical and emotional pain?

My perspective is that life is filled with extraordinary levels of both elation and sorrow. Everyone on Earth is exposed to immense suffering and astonishing miracles. Each of us develop ways of tolerating the pain so we can function. But, those ways of surviving may eventually get in the way of thriving—and the ability to access the joy. My role as a therapist is coaching you to find your authentic self by helping reduce the pain (and your fear of it) so you can live fully and authentically.

I excel at helping people change:

  • Distressing memories of adverse experiences

  • Patterned behavior that enables emotional avoidance by over-relying on things like: working, people-pleasing, helping others, food, sex, technology, pornography, busyness, overthinking, alcohol, drugs, medication, exercise, and worrying.

  • Their ability to simply exist as a human being instead of a human doing.

If you really want me to pathologize, I specialize in treating:

  • Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

  • Depression

  • Anxiety

  • OCD

  • Co-dependency

  • Substance Use Disorder

  • ADD and ADHD

  • Gaper-related Stress Disorder aka Red License Plate Syndrome

“Comparison is the thief of happiness.”

connect with me

If you are experiencing a mental health or medical emergency, or need immediate support, please do not fill out this form.

Instead, please call 911 or 988 for the National Mental Health Lifeline. I typically take at least 72 hours to respond to inquiries. Thanks for your patience.