IFSTherapists

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LMFT

Cynthia Cunningham, LMFT

  • Experience27 years
  • LocationCalifornia
  • Focus areasAddictions, Relationship, and Family
  • Therapy approachesInternal Family Systems and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
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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 personal experience in long-term recovery and work on codependency into a practice grounded in evidence-based methods.

Background and approach

Her background includes helping people facing addiction, relationship and intimacy challenges, mood concerns such as depression and bipolar disorder, anxiety and panic, as well as stress, grief, self-esteem, sleep and eating difficulties. Cynthia favors collaborative work that centers the client's goals and choices.

She draws on Internal Family Systems alongside cognitive behavioral strategies and attachment-informed perspectives to help clients recognize patterns, set boundaries, and build healthier responses. Clients who struggle with commitment, communication, avoidance, body image, caregiver stress, or co-occurring issues can expect practical tools along with attention to emotional experience.

She offers guidance for people coping with major life transitions and helps those seeking greater self-direction and resilience in daily life.

Adapting therapy approaches to online care

Internal Family Systems (IFS) offers a way to understand internal parts that hold different feelings and roles; online sessions can help clients gently explore those parts, often to reduce self-criticism and improve internal cooperation. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying values and taking committed action while accepting difficult thoughts and feelings, which can be useful for anxiety, addiction, and stress-related concerns. Attachment-Based Therapy addresses patterns formed in relationships and helps people develop more supported ways of relating and expressing needs.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist works with each client to identify which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting techniques over time so the work remains meaningful and practical. Clients have a role in guiding the pace and focus of treatment while the therapist offers structure and clinical perspective.

Online therapy with Cynthia is offered via video, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility for varied schedules and comfort levels. These formats make it possible to continue consistent work from different locations, support stepwise progress between sessions, and choose the communication style that feels most accessible for a given person.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does this therapist address?
Cynthia works with a broad range of concerns including addictions, relationship and intimacy issues, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, grief, stress, self-esteem, sleep and eating problems, and career or life transition challenges.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her approach is collaborative and client-centered, combining practical skills with exploration of emotional patterns so clients remain in control of therapy and focus on their goals.
What is her clinical experience?
She has been practicing as a licensed marriage and family therapist for 27 years and brings lived experience in long-term recovery to her clinical work.
What are her credentials and where is she located?
She is a California licensed marriage and family therapist - CA LMFT 34049 - and practices with a California-based license.
Does she offer services in multiple languages or accept international clients?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not currently accepting international clients.
Which session formats are available for remote work?
She offers a variety of online formats including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs and schedules.
How are costs handled for therapy with this provider?
Session costs vary with location and therapist availability, and services are provided via a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to begin working together?
To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions 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