Mental Health Champions: Why & How Gwendoline Courreges Of Hermes Psychotherapy Is Helping To Champion Mental Wellness

As a part of our series about Mental Health Champions helping to promote mental wellness, I had the pleasure to interview Gwendoline Courreges.

Gwendoline Courreges is a French-born therapist based in Texas, blending existentialism, narrative therapy, and ecopsychology to cultivate self-awareness and a deeper sense of connection in her clients. With a diverse educational and international background, she brings a uniquely informed perspective to her practice. True to her independent spirit, Gwendoline is passionate about fostering an authentically human approach to therapy.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?

Thanks for having me! So I grew up in Paris, France, with my mother. My grandparents lived close to us, and I got so spend a lot of time with them. They were really amazing people. Incredibly openminded, they had amazing humor and taste, they encouraged my creativity (music, dancing, writing and I was even allowed to paint on certain walls of the house haha), and they had a deep love of people and art. This all profoundly impacted who I am as a person. My grandfather was a very spiritual man, inspired by thinkers like Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. A jesuit priest who promoted engaging with reality, a valuable message. My grandpa was also an actor, and though he began his career as a comedic actor, in time he took on much darker roles, always believing that there is humanity in all of us, even in those we might see as “monsters.”

Around the age of six I think, I started splitting my time between Paris and Tallahassee, Florida, with my dad. He made my childhood even more eclectic. In the South, my connection to nature truly began — fireflies, lightning storms and hurricanes, Spanish moss dangling from the century-old trees. The clear springs and landscapes had a very Faulknerian feel. It sparked my curiosity about Native American culture too.

I had a very cultured Parisian girl childhood and a more raw, natural American tom-boyish one as well haha. I guess I was always destined to embrace multiplicity.

You are currently leading an initiative that is helping to promote mental wellness. Can you tell us a bit more specifically about what you are trying to address?

Yes. So I founded my own mental health private practice because I wanted to do things differently. I quickly found out that the mental health care field isn’t as ethical as it should be. Many private practices run like factories, sometimes even led by people with no background in mental health. During interviews, employers seem more excited to discuss their business plan than to understand the values or competencies of their clinicians. Client intakes are automated, treatment plans are downloaded from databases, and progress notes are generated for insurance audits. It all feels very dystopian to me, like late-stage capitalism gone too far. There’s no space for the human being — on either side of the equation. I don’t want to work like that; I want to focus fully on my clients and the therapeutic rapport.

In grad school, I also realized that getting a degree was a very transactional process, more about paying money and jumping through hoops than about demonstrating competency or intent. I had hoped it would be different so I was pretty disappointed. Except for a couple teachers, the education overall felt superficial — students were too triggered for genuine learning and debate, and there was little room for developing and understanding context.

I decided to create something to address that lack of context and depth. So I wrote an ecopsychology course, a 40,000-word synthesis of history, depth psychology, anthropology, biology, linguistics, critical theory, ecotherapy, and post-modernism. The course promotes a mutual type of therapy, where both therapist and client are changed, based on principles of coevolution. None of that non-reciprocal stuff they push on you at school. I was told there not to ‘relate’ to my clients, to use scripted language like an automaton. I found that shocking and depressing. I think empathy and genuine connection are what matter most when someone is in front of you, baring their soul and suffering. This whole idea of neat separation is a problematic aspect of so many fields, especially in modern mental health care, but ecopsychology gives us a way to challenge and overcome that.

Can you tell us the backstory about what inspired you to originally feel passionate about this cause?

I had someone in my life who needed help, and I became acquainted with mental health care in the U.S. It was a pretty horrible experience that didn’t end well. I’m also an avid reader, and I discovered depth psychology, which drew me in further. The more life experience I gained, the more I came to see that everything is ultimately psychological.

When you look at 2,000 years of Western philosophy, which culminates in the idea that people want to pursue happiness and that the ‘greater good’ is a subjective notion, you realize how psychology is often missing from the equation — and how detrimental that is. I would say that more than trying to be happy, people engage in all sorts of self-destructive or damaging behaviors in a struggle to protect their ego-integrity and their mental schemas.

This idea that there is no greater good, only a subjective one, is something I can’t agree with either. To me, biodiversity and ecosystem health represent the greater good. We are part of these ecosystems. It’s about recognizing that the healthier we are, the happier and healthier the world becomes and vice versa. We need to fix our relationship with nature and a fundamental shift in how we apprehend reality.

Many of us have ideas, dreams, and passions, but never manifest them. They don’t get up and just do it. But you did. Was there an “Aha Moment” that made you decide that you were actually going to step up and do it? What was that final trigger?

Trauma, haha. Literally having my entire mental frame shattered. How do you go back to living your life as it was before? I knew I couldn’t, that I had to upgrade my life in some way. I was desperate for meaning, and I realized that the only worthwhile thing for me was to help people with their emotional pain and relationship to reality. That’s when I decided to go back to school and get my counseling license.

I also developed a deeper relationship with the universe, becoming more open to symbols and redirection. That’s actually how I came to name my practice “Hermes,” after the Greek god. There was a day when I was feeling particularly low, and I decided to spend some time in the woods. While I was out there, I saw two rattlesnakes mating, coming towards me. I didn’t know it at the time, but rattlesnakes mate standing up. It was really scary moment and it left a strong impression on me. It was like the veil between conscious and subconscious had lifted. I asked myself many times if I was injecting meaning in a random event or if I had been shown a sign. I eventually came across a concept called the transpsychic and I understood that reality is more unified than that.

Later, I connected this image to Hermes’ caduceus, and the archetype of the messenger god seemed to fit my practice well, especially as it began to emerge during my work in the jail. I often felt like I was traveling to the underworld. A jail or prison is a place outside of society. But it’s possible to bring some humanity in there with you and make meaningful connections.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?

One of the most profound experiences I’ve had was during my time working at the jail. It was a spiritual awakening for me and a moment when I truly grasped the principles of coevolution.

I felt like I had come full circle, understanding what my grandfather embodied. He gave a voice to those who couldn’t defend themselves, and there I was, listening to voices that hadn’t had a chance to speak. I struggled for a long time to understand ideas like pantheism or post-modernist philosophies like rhizome philosophy, but little by little, it started to make sense to me. Life is about networks of multiplicity and reciprocity, and this understanding deepens for me every day. I’ve also found these same notions echoed in Native American wisdom — everything is interconnected and interdependent.

None of us can be successful without some help along the way. Did you have mentors or cheerleaders who helped you to succeed? Can you tell us a story about their influence?

My parents were my biggest supporters. They’ve always believed in me and encouraged me to find my path. During a particularly difficult time in my life, my dad told me it was the perfect moment to do something meaningful, and he was right. He didn’t pity me; he empathized but pushed me forward, which is what I needed. In times of crisis, when we’re vulnerable, the right or wrong influence can make all the difference. But pain will certainly lead to growth if you let it.

I’m also fortunate to have a network of friends who let me vent and process what I’m going through. I’ve always been vocal about my experiences, for better or worse, haha. I wish I could say I had inspiring mentors at school or at the jail, but I didn’t. I actually faced a lot of internalized misogyny, anti-intellectualism, and fear in those environments. I was full of ideas when I first arrived at the jail and I was immediately told that the inmates had a “5th grade reading level” so to tone it down with the philosophy.

Interestingly, the inmates I worked with are the ones that had a huge influence on me. They were more human and authentic than many of the staff. They trusted me, and their responses to my work were always genuine and grateful. They were very receptive to many complex intellectual concepts. That mutuality — the way we impacted each other — helped me understand who I am as a practitioner. They were there when my practice started to take shape, and I’ll never forget that.

According to Mental Health America’s report, over 44 million Americans have a mental health condition. Yet there’s still a stigma about mental illness. Can you share a few reasons you think this is so?

I think there are a lot of reasons for this stigma. First, there’s a lack of education around mental health — many people don’t understand what mental illness is or how it affects someone’s life. Cultural factors also play a big role; in some communities, mental health issues are still seen as a sign of weakness or something to be ashamed of. Then there’s the media, which often portrays mental illness in a sensationalized or negative way, reinforcing misconceptions. And honestly, sometimes it’s because of bad therapists or experiences within the mental health system itself. Those negative encounters can turn people away from seeking help or make them distrustful of the whole process. Social media also promotes a sort of pop psychology that I find very detrimental and it adds to the general confusion.

We also live in a sick society that — as Murray bookchin so eloquently said — “seeks to adapt organic beings to inorganic conditions”. This creates an environment where people are led to believe that something is wrong with them, rather than recognizing that the real issue might lie with the system itself. It’s a reflection of how the system can be out of touch with our true needs and well-being.

In your experience, what should a) individuals b) society, and c) the government do to better support people suffering from mental illness ?

a) Individuals should take proactive steps to care for their mental and physical well-being by prioritizing self-care, seeking therapy when needed, and fostering healthy habits. Embracing mindfulness and emotional intelligence is essential for managing mental health effectively. It’s also important for individuals to develop a broader understanding of their historical and philosophical context. This perspective shift involves not only immediate self-care but also understanding oneself within a larger framework. Acceptance is key — learning to embrace reality, no matter how challenging or uncomfortable it may be.

b) Society should focus on creating an environment that supports mental health by improving education and access to nutritious food, reducing the focus on profit, and enhancing the overall quality of life. Cultivating healthier relationships with nature, fostering a sense of community, promoting better friendships, encouraging curiosity about the world, and nurturing openness can collectively create a more supportive society.

c) Governments should ensure that leadership positions are held by individuals who genuinely care about societal well-being. We need to rethink our reliance on corporations and prioritize policies that make mental health a core component of healthcare. Expanding education programs in general and integrating nature into daily life are crucial steps. Indigenous people, as the guardians of biodiversity, should be given more leadership roles. With only 5% of the world’s population, they protect 82% of the planet’s biodiversity — imagine the positive impact if we empowered them to lead instead of marginalizing them.

What are your 5 strategies you use to promote your own well-being and mental wellness?

1 . Working out. Exercise is essential for my mental and physical health. Whether it’s yoga, skateboarding, kickboxing, or swimming, it helps me manage stress while allowing me to tap into a sense of playfulness and childlike wonder. For me, it’s crucial to be physically exerted by the end of the day — to feel like I’ve truly used my body. I find that pushing myself physically helps clear my mind too, and reset my mood.

2 . Reading. Books are a lifeline. I have an insatiable need to encounter new ideas, think critically, and learn. Reading has always provided that for me, whether it’s philosophy, history, or fiction. One book often leads me to another, creating a continuous thread of exploration and growth. It’s through reading that I challenge my own beliefs, expand my perspective, and gain insights that inform both my personal life and my work.

3 . Being mindful of my emotional reactivity. I’ve learned not to take things personally and to recognize that people often project their own experiences and insecurities onto others. When someone is angry or dismissive, it’s usually more about them than it is about me. This understanding has helped me aim for emotional balance, reducing unnecessary conflict and generally be more compassionate in my interactions. Always a work in progress though.

4 . Expressing and experiencing my love for the natural world. Exploring vast landscapes, hiking, camping, or horseback riding helps me reconnect with a deeper part of myself. Recently, I spent time in Utah, riding horses and experiencing the great expanse of the land. I slept under the stars, embraced spontaneity, and felt a profound connection to the natural world. These moments of adventure and discovery are vital for my well-being. I think we all need to escape sometimes into something that feels more real. There is also something about the silence in nature that really soothes me. We all get overstimulated with light, noise and pollution, and everything else modern society has brought along with it.

5 . And then of course, attempting to alleviate pain. This is my purpose and what gives my life meaning. I feel a deep calling to help others find relief from their suffering. While I sometimes embrace the absurdity or the purely physical aspect of existence, at other times, I need things to make sense. Helping others, whether through therapy, conversation, or simply being present, grounds me and fulfills that need for meaning. It’s what drives me every day. Otherwise I can feel guilty and helpless like so many of us do, watching the news and thinking that’s it’s all too far gone for any of us to interfere. That’s why you gotta get up and do something, help someone, help yourself, or go play.

What are your favorite books, podcasts, or resources that inspire you to be a mental health champion?

I find inspiration from a wide range of books and thinkers. I love diving into non-fiction because one book often leads me to explore others, keeping a continuous thread of inquiry. I also rely on recommendations from friends and conversations.

Some of my favorite authors include Yuval Noah Harari, Barbara Ehrenreich, Bertrand Russell, Christopher Ryan, Bell Hooks, Murray Bookchin, David Foster Wallace, Cormac McCarthy, Beckett and Aldous Huxley. Their works challenge and expand my understanding of society, philosophy, and the human experience.

Philosophy, whether I agree with it or not, is essential for grasping why we think the way we think today, and why society looks the way that it does. I like delving into the ideas of Spinoza, Hegel, Marx, Plato, Aquinas, Beauvoir, Sartre, Nietzsche, etc.

For insights specifically related to mental health, I turn to Susan Pease Banitt, Clarissa Pinkola Estés, and Carl Jung. Their contributions offer valuable perspectives and deepen my appreciation for the intricacies of mental wellness. I also love eastern philosophy, whether it’s Buddhism or zen literature. To me, everything intertwines with mental health, shaping a holistic approach to understanding ourselves and our world.

If you could tell other people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?

I’d say we have only one life to live. Do you want to be a passive observer, or do you want to take the reins and make a difference? Life is always transforming around us, whether we’re actively engaged or not. Why not seize the opportunity to be an alchemist — to shape, transform, and elevate your experience? Opus Magnum. Choose to be someone who actively creates your life and impacts the world, rather than standing by and watching it all happen. Life is a miracle. Sometimes it’s truly horrifying. But regardless of the bad, it’s so incredible to be alive and have self-awareness. Reality needs us. Why not try to inject more joy, compassion, playfulness and creativity in the world? I think there are forces that need to be counter-balanced and we all need to stop thinking we are powerless.

How can our readers follow you online?

You can find me on my website www.hermespsychotherapy.com or on instagram @hermespsychotherapy

This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!

About The Interviewer: Eden Gold, is a youth speaker, keynote speaker, founder of the online program Life After High School, and host of the Real Life Adulting Podcast. Being America’s rising force for positive change, Eden is a catalyst for change in shaping the future of education. With a lifelong mission of impacting the lives of 1 billion young adults, Eden serves as a practical guide, aiding young adults in honing their self-confidence, challenging societal conventions, and crafting a strategic roadmap towards the fulfilling lives they envision.

Do you need a dynamic speaker, or want to learn more about Eden’s programs? Click here: https://bit.ly/EdenGold