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Terry L. Gatewood LCSW CSAT SEP

FOUNDER | CEO | CLINICAL DIRECTOR
Terry Gatewood has emerged as a highly respected leader in the field of sex addiction treatment and recovery because he has a lived experience of what many of his clients, their partners, families, and communities are facing.  Terry knows the devastation, despair, and hopelessness that exist in the dark places of the soul where sex addiction and other addictions thrive.

With nearly two decades of continuous recovery from the horrific fusion of sex and meth addiction, Terry’s wealth of experience, strength and hope profoundly shapes his coaching style. He combines compassion, accountability and insight into every coaching session.
 
As Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in recovery, Terry became a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT) through the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals (IITAP) founded by Dr. Patrick Carnes. As awareness of sex addiction and the impact of problematic sexual behavior has increased, so has the demand for CSAT therapists. Terry and Blue Tiger Recovery have partnered with IITAP to bring the CSAT training modules to Palm Desert, California, where Blue Tiger Recovery is based.
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Throughout Terry’s professional experiences in clinical addiction treatment counseling, he identified the dramatic affects that unresolved trauma can have on the lives of individuals and their loved ones. This professional realization and Terry’s own personal recovery work lead him to seek certification as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner which he brings into the already innovative program at Blue Tiger Recovery.
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Somatic Experiencing is a body-awareness approach to trauma that helps clients regain the ability to self-regulate their thoughts and emotions. These uncomfortable experiences often cause triggers to be felt and may lead into addictive or relapse behaviors.  In 2016, Terry completed a three-year training in this important trauma healing modality developed Dr. Peter Levine, the author of “Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma,” which is also half of the namesake inspiration for Blue Tiger Recovery.


Terry’s passion is assisting others in waking their own “Tiger” to open new pathways in their journey of recovery. It is this passion and Terry’s belief in the purpose and needs of recovery within the human experience that orchestrated the development and establishment of Blue Tiger Recovery. Terry’s role as Founder and Clinical Director of Blue Tiger Recovery was only the beginning of his passionate involvement in implementing a shame-free, supportive environment for healing recovery.

Inspired by experience, leading with strength, and fostering hope.
Terry and his team are here to support you, your partner, and your loved ones.

You are not alone.  Recovery is within reach.
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