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LMFT

Cynthia Cunningham, LMFT

  • Experience27 years
  • LocationCalifornia
  • Focus areasADHD, Addictions, and Relationship
  • Therapy approachesAcceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Attachment-Based Therapy
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About Cynthia

Cynthia Cunningham is a California-licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) with 27 years of clinical experience. She brings a lived understanding of recovery and personal change, having maintained sobriety for 35 years and worked through co-dependency and love addiction in her own life.

Background and approach

That history informs a compassionate, pragmatic approach that emphasizes personal agency and sustainable change. Her practice addresses a wide range of concerns including addictions, anxiety and depression, relationship and intimacy issues, grief, stress, self-esteem, sleep and eating difficulties, bipolar disorder, career challenges, and ADHD.

Cynthia draws on evidence-based tools such as cognitive behavioral therapy alongside attachment-focused and emotionally-focused work to help clients identify patterns, build boundaries, and practice new ways of relating. She presents herself as a companion in the therapeutic process, supporting clients to choose goals and move at their own pace while teaching concrete skills like assertive communication and self-care.

Cynthia invites people who are ready to take a first step toward change to explore therapy together, emphasizing that clients remain in control of their treatment decisions and pace throughout the work.

Therapeutic approaches and online care that fit your life

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify their values and take committed steps toward a meaningful life while learning to relate differently to difficult thoughts and feelings. It is often useful for stress, anxiety, and patterns that block progress.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and teaching concrete skills to shift them, which can be effective for anxiety, depression, sleep and eating issues, and some addiction-related patterns.

Finding the right approach is part of the work; the therapist partners with each person to identify which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences. That collaborative process may combine elements from different therapies so the plan fits the individual's life and values.

Online therapy formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, offering options to match schedules and comfort levels. These formats make it easier to attend sessions from different locations, maintain continuity during busy periods, and practice strategies between meetings with ongoing contact when needed.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does Cynthia address?
She works with a broad set of issues including addictions, anxiety, depression, relationship and intimacy problems, grief, stress, self-esteem, sleep and eating concerns, bipolar disorder, career challenges, and ADHD. Additional focus areas include attachment and communication problems, codependency, and caregiver stress.
What is her therapeutic style like?
The approach blends practical skill-building and exploration of relational patterns, using techniques from cognitive behavioral work, attachment-based and emotionally-focused therapies. Therapy emphasizes collaboration, clear boundaries, and actionable steps clients can practice between sessions.
How much experience does she have?
Cynthia has practiced as a licensed marriage and family therapist for 27 years and brings personal experience in long-term recovery, which she integrates into her clinical perspective.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is licensed in California as an LMFT with license number CA LMFT 34049 and provides services from that location.
Can non-English speakers work with this therapist?
Sessions are offered in English only, so clients should be comfortable conducting therapy in English.
Are international clients accepted?
International clients are not currently accepted, so appointments are limited to those eligible to work with a California-licensed clinician.
How are sessions scheduled and what formats are available?
Therapy sessions can be conducted via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility in how clients meet with the therapist.
What does therapy cost and how do I begin?
Costs vary by location and therapist availability and are billed through a subscription that can be canceled at any time. To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

AddictionsRelationship issuesFamily conflictsAnger managementSelf esteem

Also works with

Stress, AnxietyGriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderDepressionCoping with life changesADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)Divorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFertility issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHoardingImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisMoney and financial issuesMood disordersNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential TherapyGottman MethodHypnotherapyImago Relationship TherapyJungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

27+ years

Licensed

California

Languages

English

What Cynthia can help with

Cynthia Cunningham works with clients on addictions, relationship issues, family conflicts, anger management, and self esteem.

Cynthia works with anxiety/panic and depression.

How Cynthia approaches therapy

Cynthia's clinical approaches include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Existential Therapy, Gottman Method, and Hypnotherapy.

Cynthia uses cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and psychodynamic therapy.

Experience and training

Cynthia is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist practicing in California, with 27 years of clinical experience.