About Gail

Gail Appel, MS, LMHC, CASAC, CSAT

Hello, my name is Gail Appel. I am a Manhattan based  psychotherapist, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor and Certified Sex  Addiction Therapist. I am also a trained EMDR therapist. Offering individual, couples and group therapy, I  specialize in recovery from sex addiction, chemical dependence, codependency, childhood trauma, depression  and anxiety.

As you browse my website, you’ll get a sense of who I am and how I might be able to help you. Here is a little more information about me.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from Syracuse University, I attended Boston College where I received a Masters in Special Education. I then spent four years teaching visually impaired people to travel independently using a cane. Although I enjoyed my work, I began to have a growing interest in my clients’ ambivalent feelings about being independent and the issues these feelings presented.

I decided to follow a new career path that would allow me to focus on this developing passion. I attended Bank Street College, graduating with a Masters in Counseling. To supplement that experience, I received Institute Training  in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy.  With this background, I was hired to provide individual and group therapy at Smithers Alcoholism Treatment Center. This was a critical time in my development as an addictions specialist, for it was through my patients and the training at Smithers that I came to believe that addiction is a disease, and realized I wanted to specialize in addiction.

After four years at Smithers, I became the Director of the Chemical Dependence Department of New Hope Guild’s office in the Wall Street area of Manhattan where I worked for 5 years. Also during that time, I was an adjunct instructor in the Alcoholism Counseling Program at The New School for Social Research where I taught Group Therapy Techniques.

In 2005, I completed my training with Dr. Patrick Carnes and became a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist. I found this training both moving and inspiring, enriching my understanding of those work I with who struggle with Sex and Love Addiction as well as their partners.

Another pivotal experience that shaped my development as a psychotherapist was experiencing my own individual, couples and group therapy. Working through my own childhood pains and issues empowerd me to meet my husband and have our two loving children. The meaningful growth which I was able to accomplish from my work in therapy, further fueled my desire to be and grow as a therapist.

I have been a psychotherapist for over 25 years and work in a supportive and collaborative way, often with humor, to confront issues which interfere with my patients’ attaining their goals in life.

My own therapeutic journey, professional skills, work experience and family life have helped me create a solid foundation for the work I do.

I love being a therapist and feel privileged to be allowed to share my patients’ unique journey to recovery. I hope that you will give me that opportunity. Please feel free to call or email me.

Gail Appel, MS, LMHC, CASAC, CSAT