Gerald Winter

Gerald Winter is a Licensed Professional Counselor practicing in Oklahoma with 33 years of experience in the mental health field. He works primarily with adults, focusing on depression, anxiety, stress, coping with life changes, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, anger management, self esteem concerns, and bipolar disorder.

He approaches counseling as a collaborative process that helps individuals become the people they want to be - not by offering one-size-fits-all advice but by working together to address the issues that matter most to them. Gerald prefers Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, often called CBT, as his primary treatment approach. CBT provides practical tools that can accelerate progress, and he commonly recommends a book titled “Understanding, subtitled, Finding Peace and Serenity in Life and Relationships,” which is available on Amazon and is an older but valuable resource. He welcomes questions at any time about his methods or about beginning therapy.

Symptoms of depression can include persistent feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness, or hopelessness; angry outbursts or irritability; loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities; changes in sleep such as insomnia or sleeping too much; low energy that makes simple tasks feel difficult; appetite and weight changes; anxiety, agitation, or restlessness; slowed thinking or movements; feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt; ruminating about past failures; trouble concentrating or making decisions; and frequent thoughts of death or suicide.

Common signs of anxiety may include feeling nervous, restless, or tense; a sense of impending danger, panic, or doom; an increased heart rate and rapid breathing; difficulty controlling worry; and the urge to avoid things that trigger anxious feelings.

For those who have experienced traumatic events, Gerald also works with people showing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Such symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, uncontrollable thoughts about the event, negative changes in thinking and mood like persistent negative beliefs about oneself or the world, memory problems, difficulty maintaining close relationships, detachment from others, loss of interest in once-enjoyed activities, trouble experiencing positive emotions, and feeling emotionally numb. Changes in physical and emotional reactions can also occur, such as being easily startled, feeling constantly on guard, engaging in self-destructive behavior, sleep difficulties, trouble concentrating, irritability or angry outbursts, and overwhelming guilt or shame. Receiving effective treatment when these symptoms persist can be important for reducing their impact and improving day-to-day functioning.