Gina Macdonald
Gina Macdonald
Locations Connecticut Therapists Gina Macdonald
Gina Macdonald

Gina Macdonald

Licensed Professional Counselor, LPC Certified Eating Disorders Specialist, CEDS
Connecticut Accepting Online
Branford Not Accepting In-person
Updated December 27, 2020

Specialties & Expertise

  • Eating disorders
  • Anxiety
  • Mindfulness
  • Self-esteem
  • Body image
  • Expressive Art Therapy
  • Exercise abuse
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Professional statement

Gina Macdonald is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist in Branford, CT who specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and art/expressive therapies for body image challenges and eating disorders. She also specializes in mindfulness and has been a yoga teacher for over two decades. She works with both adolescents and adults across the lifespan. 

When Gina begins working with clients, she assists them in completing an eating disorder assessment and, if desired, a body image assessment. She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and utilizes modalities from the expressive arts—including art therapy, body-oriented techniques, role-playing, and/or expressive poetry—which she finds to be particularly effective for individuals who are feeling disconnected from their body. 

Gina is passionate about the work she does and considers it an honor to support her clients on their journey towards healing and growth. She has worked in hospital settings and treatment centers focusing on these issues for over two decades as a therapist. She supervises therapists on body image and also for eating disorder certification. Her office is located just 15 minutes from New Haven, CT on the Branford Green. There is easy access from Interstate 95 and the bus route.

Message to clients

Congratulations! You are seeking new styles of thinking, new behaviors, and new perceptions - the most important step toward change for the better. Winston Churchill stated "Never, Never, Never Give up." My personal experience with a profound eating disorder while in College was difficult. This however propelled me forward to push through boundaries and limitations that once defined me. I am committed to helping all ages - all genders of people to overcome the battle of eating and body wars.

Specialties

Eating disorders - Reducing unhealthy eating patterns, beliefs, and behaviors, such as restricting, purging, and binging; healing the emotional pain surrounding disordered eating

Anxiety - Coping with excessive worry, nervousness, or stress; intense discomfort in social settings (social anxiety); sudden and intense feelings of panic (panic disorder)

Mindfulness - Developing practices to encourage a state of active, open attention on the present, breathing techniques to assist coping

Self-esteem - Cultivating self-compassion, assertiveness, and confidence; developing ways to reduce suffering, anxiety, social withdrawal, and self-neglect

Body image - Increasing mind-body awareness, reframing negative self talk, and clarifying perceptual distortions

Expressive Art Therapy - Movement, art, role-play and poetry techniques

Exercise abuse - Helping clients to reduce ongoing habits of extreme exercise that's intended to offset diet

General expertise

Treatment approaches

Clientele

  • Adults (24+)
  • Parents
  • Seniors (65+)
  • Teenagers (13-18)
  • Young adults (18-24)

Insurance

  • Aetna
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield
  • Medicaid
  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Out-of-pocket fees

  • Ongoing sessions: $80 (50min)
  • Initial session: $80 (50min)

Additional session information

Out-of-network billing options

This provider can support you in getting reimbursement from your insurance company if you are seeking out-of-network reimbursement. Here are the out-of-network billing options they provide:

  • Super billing

Location(s)

Branford practice
225 Montowese Street, Branford, CT 06405
Not accepting new clients in-person
Currently Available Times
  • Morning (Before 10am)
  • Daytime (10am - 1pm)
  • Afternoon (1pm - 5pm)
  • Evening (After 5pm)
  • Weekends
Regular Hours
  • Mon 10:00am-8:00pm
  • Tue 10:00am-8:00pm
  • Wed 10:00am-8:00pm
  • Thu 10:00am-8:00pm
  • Fri 10:00am-8:00pm
  • Sat 10:00am-3:00pm
  • Sun Closed
Online Sessions (Connecticut)
Accepting new clients online
Currently Available Times
  • Morning (Before 10am)
  • Daytime (10am - 1pm)
  • Afternoon (1pm - 5pm)
  • Evening (After 5pm)
  • Weekends
Regular Hours
  • Mon 10:00am-8:00pm
  • Tue 10:00am-8:00pm
  • Wed 10:00am-8:00pm
  • Thu 10:00am-8:00pm
  • Fri 10:00am-8:00pm
  • Sat 10:00am-3:00pm
  • Sun Closed

Work and Education

Private practice, 2006 - Present
Hartford Hospital
Renfrew Center
Walden Behavioral Care

Lesley College, MA
University of Rhode Island, BFA

Languages

English

Therapy Groups

Gina Macdonald
Women's Self Care / Body Image Group

This weekly group offers support and helpful skills to women navigating body image challenges and disordered eating issues.

 Gina Macdonald
Body Image Training Group for Eating Disorder Clinicians

This 5-week online training group provides an opportunity for clinicians to receive group supervision hours while learning about body image complexities and evidence-based techniques from an experienced provider.