Gordon Shippey

Hi, I'm Gordon Shippey and I'm a therapist/counselor but you might also call me a social skills coach.

I help guys who want to succeed socially but feel awkward or unlikable or like an outsider.

I know how it feels to be an outcast because that's how I grew up. I was, for lack of a better term, a huge nerd. Glasses, awkward, funny-looking, obsessive, introverted, you name it. I wanted more friends but didn't know how to overcome my limitations. Later I wanted to date but felt hopeless.

Kids are mean. There was bullying. I was beaten up to the point where I went through three pairs of glasses in one week. But the social humiliation and shunning were worse. Not knowing what else to do, I started isolating myself to avoid the problem. It seemed like I was going to spend the rest of my life alone.

But things started to change when I began using my strengths -- my curiosity, mental flexibility and analytical skills -- to treat socializing as a research project.

I majored in Psychology in college. I devoured mountains of self-help books, tapes and CDs. I went to week-long personal development seminars and learned to meditate. I lifted weights with trainers and ran my first 10K race. I went to therapy. I took karate classes. I even walked over hot coals. What I was really doing was learning how to effectively use my entire self: my mind, my body and my emotions.

Life got better. I made some amazing friends. I fell in love and got married and we're still together and happy after over 25 years. My world is far from perfect but I have personal and social resources to draw on when I need them.

Curiosity led me in many directions academically and professionally. I earned my BA in Psychology at Emory then researched Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech. After graduating with a Masters from Tech, I worked for some Internet startups and later for larger organizations. Everywhere I went I was able to observe the emotional and social terrain. I learned how important mindset and social skills were in each of these arenas.

Earlier in my life, I noticed that some people seemed to be especially charming, warm and easy to talk to. I wanted what they had. Investigating, I found a lot of them were therapists. After years in industry I went back to school to train as a therapist. My Masters in Counselling added a new dimension to my skills. As a Licensed Professional Counselor, I became qualified to work with my clients through therapy and coaching.

Now I give to my clients what I desperately wanted when I was younger: a proven path for gaining acceptance and love. Creating a vibrant social life isn't nearly as hard as I once believed. Today I support my clients as they overcome their social anxiety and create strategies for social success.

If you want to speak up at work, ask for a date, or have more friends in your life, please email me at gordon@gordonshippey.com or give me a call or text at 404-530-9057 so we can take the next steps together.