Patricia Sumlin

Patricia Sumlin is a licensed marriage and family therapist with 25 years of experience. She works with people facing anger, stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship strain, addiction concerns, and many life transitions. Patricia aims to give straightforward, practical help so people can build better emotional control and clearer relationships.

She blends several therapy approaches to match each person's needs. Sessions focus on teaching coping skills, emotional regulation, and ways to respond differently to old patterns. Patricia uses direct, nonjudgmental feedback and practical exercises so clients leave with usable tools rather than only ideas.

Her background includes running outpatient clinics, DBT groups, medical behavioral health programs, and trauma-informed work in rural Alaska. She has experience with diverse and multicultural populations and has provided services in settings that included hospice, substance-use treatment, and re-entry programs for formerly incarcerated people.

Patricia commonly helps people dealing with trauma histories, traumatic bonding and narcissistic abuse, and adults on the autistic spectrum who want to better understand Asperger's in their lives and relationships. She also provides support around parenting concerns, caregiving stress, and workplace issues related to ableism and bullying.

In sessions she draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, cognitive behavioral techniques, attachment-based ideas, dialectical behavior approaches, and client-centered work. The goal is to increase resilience, strengthen coping, and improve daily functioning through a collaborative therapeutic alliance.

Therapeutic approaches that translate to online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on noticing painful thoughts without getting stuck in them and choosing actions that match personal values. It can help with anxiety, anger, life transitions, and low motivation. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and uses practical exercises to change patterns that fuel depression, anxiety, and anger. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) teaches concrete emotion-regulation and interpersonal skills useful for intense moods and relationship conflict.

Figuring out which approach fits best is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to match techniques to goals, combining methods when useful. That process is gradual and guided by what helps in day-to-day life.

Confirm the current session options before booking, as formats are not listed here. Many people find online therapy easier to fit into a busy routine and to maintain consistency. It can reduce travel time, allow shorter or more focused check-ins when needed, and make it simpler to schedule sessions around work or caregiving responsibilities. Licensed professionals can adapt exercises and skill-building work to an online setting so progress keeps moving forward.