Confidence isn't a feeling you find. It's something you build through small, courageous decisions made one at a time, even when fear is present.
Gavrielle Canter · In Her Own Words
Her Story
About Gavrielle
Gavrielle Canter, LCSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a passion for helping individuals, families, and communities navigate life’s challenges and achieve meaningful personal growth. As the founder of Phoenix Rising Counseling, she provides compassionate, client-centered therapy in a supportive and nonjudgmental environment. Her areas of expertise include anxiety, depression, LGBTQIA+, Trauma and PTSD, and life transitions, relationship concerns, crisis intervention, and emotional wellness, with a focus on empowering clients to build resilience and create lasting positive change. Gavrielle’s professional journey began with a deep interest in understanding human behavior after discovering her passion for psychology during high school. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Women’s Studies from Rutgers University before pursuing a Master of Social Work degree from Adelphi University. Throughout her career, she has worked with diverse populations, including youth, adults, and families, serving in clinical supervisory capacity for the NYC Well Hotline, and interdisciplinary roles across mental health, substance use treatment, and community-based settings. Before launching her private practice in 2025, Gavrielle gained extensive experience providing individual and group therapy, conducting assessments, developing treatment plans, and supporting clients through complex emotional and behavioral challenges. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in New Jersey and New York and has also earned a Certificate in Applied Expressive Arts in Counseling from Adelphi University Post Graduate. Known for her strong clinical skills, empathy, and collaborative approach, Gavrielle is dedicated to helping clients heal, grow, and thrive as they move towards healthier and more fulfilling lives.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Gavrielle
01What do you attribute your success to?
First and foremost, I attribute my success to my family and support system. For without them, I do not know where I would be. I have had a lot of challenges and adversity in my life which I know could have stopped me in my tracks but I was raised to never say "I can't" and so with that mentality I have continued to push forward to where I am today. All I have been through has made me who I am. It has taught me to be resilient, hard working, inquisitive, determined, and to never give up. I have always wanted to own my own practice and there were times where I was not sure that would be a reality but with lots of love and encouragement from my family and friends, here I am today a proud owner of a small and growing private practice.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advise I have ever received is to be authentically you. When you work with people everyday, you see that when you show up as you and not a version of you that you think they want or need, you to be you will be able to connect and make lasting and powerful change. It may seem simply but at times it can be incredibly challenging and yet very rewarding.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
A piece of advise I would give to young women entering the mental health field is to never give up and no matter how difficult or challenging the situation feels if you believe in yourself you can achieve it. In fact, you can do anything if you just put your mind to it and believe that anything is possible. With that said, we can all be the change we want to see in the world, it just starts with you.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Some of the biggest challenges in the field right now are challenges and barriers to healthcare. As a result this has lead to a decrease in people seeking therapy.
In terms of opportunities, there are endless opportunities for you to find your niche and passion as this field is wide and vase. That being said if research is your passion then go for it, if policy is your passion then go for it, if seeing clients is your passion then go for it. Nothing is out of our reach if we just seize the opportunities in front of us.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
There are two values that I hold near and dear to me. The first is to be honest. As we are taught when we were younger, honesty is the best policy. It is important to be honest with yourself with how you are doing, what you can handle, and honest with the information you share especially when working with clients. The second is integrity as I stand by not only the ethics of Social work but my own ethics. It is important to hold firm to what you believe in and have them guide you throughout life.
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