Cynthia Cunningham, LMFT
Therapist in California
Cynthia Cunningham is a licensed marriage and family therapist in California with 27 years of clinical experience.
- License 34049 · California Expires November 2026
- NPI 1275798241 · national registry
- Experience and languages 27+ years in practice English
Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check any license with the state board and any NPI with the national registry.
About Cynthia
Cynthia Cunningham is a licensed marriage and family therapist in California with 27 years of clinical experience. She brings personal experience in long-term recovery to her work and speaks plainly about change and hope. Cynthia centers practical skills so people can make steady progress toward clearer boundaries and healthier habits.
Her approach aims to help people stop unhealthy patterns and build self-respect. Cynthia draws on cognitive behavioral tools to shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors.
Background and approach
She also uses Gottman Method ideas when relationship patterns are involved and attachment-based thinking to understand how early bonds shape current reactions. Sessions are conversational and goal-focused. Cynthia listens for what matters most, then teaches concrete steps such as how to say no kindly, manage anxiety and panic, or reduce compulsive behaviors tied to addiction or codependency.
She emphasizes small, repeatable skills that fit into everyday life. People come to her for help with depression, bipolar challenges, grief, stress, sleep and eating concerns, and career strain. She also supports those coping with ADHD, anger, intimacy-related issues, and family or blended family tensions.
Cynthia combines client-centered care with clear behavioral strategies to meet each person where they are. Her style is warm and straightforward. She frames therapy as a joint effort where the client sets goals and stays in control.
Cynthia invites new clients to take a first step and begin a practical, hopeful process toward change.
Credentials
- LMFT (California)
- License 34049 · expires November 2026
- NPI
- 1275798241 · national provider identifier
Both are public records. A state board register will confirm a license and its standing, and the national registry will confirm an NPI. This directory copies what the therapist lists and checks neither.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Cynthia lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Stress, Anxiety
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Sleeping disorders
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Antisocial personality
- Attachment issues
- Avoidant personality
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Co-morbidity
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Dependent personality
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Eating and food-related issues
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fertility issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hoarding
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Somatization
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Cynthia names
- Gottman Method
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Existential Therapy
- Hypnotherapy
- Imago Relationship Therapy
- Jungian Therapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
These are the approaches Cynthia names on their own professional profile. Naming an approach is not evidence of training or certification in it, and this directory checks no training records. Ask directly if it matters to you.
Online support
Therapeutic approaches that translate online
Cynthia uses several practical approaches that adapt well to online work. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on identifying values and taking small committed actions despite difficult thoughts or feelings; it can help with anxiety, depression, and life transitions. Gottman Method ideas help couples and individuals notice interaction patterns and learn clearer communication and repair skills for relationship stress. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early bonds shape responses today and helps people build more supported ways of relating.Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. Cynthia will discuss options and tailor methods to the client’s goals, needs, and preferences so the plan fits the person rather than fitting the person to a single technique. This collaborative process lets adjustments happen as progress unfolds.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which make it easier to schedule regular check-ins around work or family life. Video allows face-to-face interaction for skill practice, phone can be a good low-bandwidth option, and messaging supports shorter check-ins or ongoing reflection between sessions. These options help maintain momentum when life is busy or travel gets in the way.
We will earn a commission if you sign up through our link, at no cost to you. It does not change what you pay or the order of the listings.
Frequently asked
What concerns does she address?
Cynthia works with a wide range of concerns including addictions, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, grief, stress, and relationship and intimacy-related issues.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is conversational and practical, combining client-centered listening with tools from cognitive behavioral therapy and attachment-focused ideas to teach concrete skills.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 27 years of experience as a licensed marriage and family therapist in California and brings long-term personal recovery experience to her work.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds a California LMFT credential and practices in California.
Which languages are supported and are international clients accepted?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not accepting international clients.
What formats are offered for sessions?
Sessions are available by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to suit different scheduling needs.
How is cost handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule based on therapist availability.
More therapists in California
See all
Gian Sarabia
LMFT
Katherine Eldean
LMFT
Chauncey Chatman
LMFT
Earl Barrios
LPCC
Is this your profile?
Ask us to correct details or take the page down.