Family therapy and counseling in Gainesville, GA

Welcome! My name is Dr. Natalia Kuzmina, PhD. I hold a LMFT/LCMFT license in the states of Florida, Georgia, and Kansas. I earned my PhD. in Couple and Family Therapy from Kansas State University and my Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Valdosta State University.

Hi, I’m Dr. Linda Wickens, a doctoral-level therapist and coach who works with individuals navigating stress, life transitions, relationship challenges, and patterns that keep them feeling stuck while preventing forward movement and growth. Many of my clients are high-functioning on the outside but feel overwhelmed, disconnected, or frustrated that change feels harder than it should.

Therapy and coaching with me are never one-size-fits-all. We work collaboratively to create a plan that is specific to you, your goals, and your capacity, adjusting pace and structure as your needs evolve. I focus on helping clients understand their patterns, build emotional awareness, and develop practical skills they can actually use in daily life.

I hold a Doctorate in Social Work and am a fully licensed clinical social worker, with over nine years of experience in the mental health field. My work integrates evidence-based therapy with a coaching-informed lens when appropriate, allowing sessions to be both supportive and goal-oriented while still making space to explore the past and its impact on the present.

Clients often describe my style as warm, direct, and collaborative. As part of my concierge model, clients work directly with me rather than an assistant, and I remain accessible to my clients outside of sessions through secure communication when needed. I believe growth happens through understanding, compassion, and honest conversation, and that progress is most sustainable when care feels personal, intentional, and consistent.

Please Note: I do not provide couples or marriage counseling. Additionally, I am not able to treat clients who are experiencing active suicidal ideation or self-harm behaviors. If these services are needed, I encourage seeking a provider who specializes in these areas or contacting appropriate crisis resources if immediate support is required.

I help people of all ages- children, teens, and adults - who are survivors of complex trauma and PTSD. I am passionate about empowering survivors to loosen the chains of trauma and move forward. I use EMDR, DBT, CPT and play therapy to help clients to overcome the inner pain of trauma and build a life that is safer and more grounded. I enjoy helping children through the use of Child Centered Play Therapy and Playful EMDR to support children through challenges like self-esteem, bullying and other school- related problems. With 25 years spent as an educator, I have stood in those hallways and know what kids face. Additionally, I enjoy working with parents to navigate the everyday challenges that arise in parenting in this digital age. I enjoy walking with adolescents and teens who struggle just to get up and go to school each day because I remember what that felt like when I was a teenager. I also enjoy walking with students who self -harm, struggle with suicide ideology, bullying, and navigating peer and parental relationships. I consider it an honor to walk along with Trauma Survivors as a certified Traumatologist. I have supported people in healing from sexual assault, traumatic accidents, profound grief, and many other life-altering events. I feel deeply honored to care for firefighters, police officers, and first responders impacted by they have seen on the job. I offer Animal Assisted Therapy with her French Bulldog, Zoey, who is especially comforting to all of the clients that I see.

I believe therapy should be a space where you feel seen without having to over-explain yourself. My role is to help you reconnect with your strengths, deepen your relationships, and move through life with greater self-trust and ease.

As a Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor, I believe that a warm, non-judgmental connection is the foundation of meaningful healing. Reaching out for support takes courage, and my goal is to walk alongside you in a collaborative, person-centered space. While I bring extensive clinical experience to my practice and am currently completing my PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy, my approach is always human-first and tailored to your unique needs. I also specialize in play therapy, offering creative and developmentally appropriate tools for younger clients to safely process their emotions. Whatever your goals may be, I am here to support and empower you every step of the way.

Do you struggle with anxiety, depression, poor self-esteem, negative thoughts, unhealthy relationships or the inability to say NO! Are you tired of feeling like nothing will change or your stuck in life because you don't know what to do to make it better? I focus on adults using CBT, REBT, Person Centered and Motivational interviewing to assist clients in learning more about themselves and their perspective on life. I have experience working with many different mental health disorders including depression, anxiety, stress, marital/relationship issues and career struggles to name a few.

Life experiences can affect our mood, mental well-being, physical health and emotional stability. They can shake our confidence and self-esteem. There is hope!

After spending 12 years working in the legal field, having 3 children, and ensuring my son with special needs had the support he needed to reach his potential, which he did beautifully, I decided to follow my (other) passion. Went back to school in 2016 to earn my Masters in Social Work, which allowed me to follow my dream - helping people find their voice, their identify, their peace, their power and their ability to grow.