Specializations & Expertise

 

• Sexual Addiction & Betrayal Trauma: Disrupting compulsive cycles, processing relational wounds, and restoring emotional safety.

• Complex Mental Health: Addressing anxiety, depression, substance misuse, and trauma through a lens of past-present interplay.

• Identity & Self-Esteem: Navigating social stress, family conflict, and challenges to self-worth with cultural humility.

• Relational Dynamics: Strengthening communication, vulnerability, and boundary-setting in personal and romantic relationships.

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Therapeutic Approach

Gilbert’s integrative framework combines:

• Psychodynamic & Relational Therapy: Exploring unconscious patterns and intergenerational influences on behavior.

• CBT & Mindfulness: Reframing negative thought cycles and cultivating present-moment awareness.

• Narrative Therapy & Motivational Interviewing: Rewriting disempowering stories and amplifying intrinsic motivation for change.

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Sessions prioritize collaboration and emotional exploration, creating a conversational, nonjudgmental space where clients align actions with values and reclaim agency.

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Commitment to Inclusive Care

Gilbert’s practice is defined by:

• Sex-Positive Advocacy: Normalizing open dialogue about sexuality and relationships while challenging stigma.

• Multicultural Sensitivity: Honoring clients’ racial, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds in every intervention.

• Academic Leadership: Teaching graduate courses at Columbia University on clinical practice and substance use, bridging theory with transformative care.

• Research: Investigating mental health conditions and psychosocial risk and protective factors, leading to improved quality of life and well-being for individuals and communities.

 

Education & Credentials

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• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) & Master of Science Social Work (MSSW): Graduate Center, City University of New York & Columbia University.

• Certified Sexual Addiction Therapist (CSAT): Advanced training through IITAP (International Institute for Trauma & Addiction Professionals).

• Faculty Appointment: Adjunct Lecturer, Hunter College, Silberman School of Social Work.

• Advanced Modalities: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), narrative therapy, mindfulness-based interventions.

 

Why Work With Gilbert?

 

Gilbert balances intellectual precision with heartfelt empathy, guiding clients to confront addiction, trauma, and self-doubt with courage. His dual role as clinician and educator ensures care is both cutting-edge and deeply humanizing. Whether addressing compulsive behaviors or identity struggles, Gilbert equips clients with tools to manage emotions, redefine purpose, and foster authentic connections.

 

Begin Your Journey

Gilbert offers:

• Individual therapy for sexual addiction, betrayal trauma, and mental health challenges

• Group sessions fostering peer support and relational healing

• Culturally responsive care for LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and marginalized communities

• Academic mentorship for emerging clinicians

 

Key Highlights: CSAT certification, Hunter College faculty, psychodynamic-relational approach, sex-positive inclusivity, expert in betrayal trauma and complex mental health.