Therapist profile
Patricia Sumlin, LMFT
LMFT helping adults with family and parenting concerns
Continue with PatriciaAbout
- Emotion regulation skills
- Trauma recovery
- Parenting stress
About Patricia
Patricia Sumlin is an LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist) with 25 years of clinical experience, practicing in Washington. She works with adults facing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and family concerns, parenting strain, addiction, grief, and a broad range of interpersonal and life-change issues.
Patricia uses straightforward, practical methods in sessions. She mixes approaches to help people build emotional regulation skills and practical coping strategies. She emphasizes honest, direct feedback and clear boundaries so clients know what to expect in therapy.
Her work includes attention to trauma histories and recovery from abusive or controlling relationships. She also offers support for people on the autistic spectrum who want to understand Asperger's and how it affects daily life and relationships. She provides services for LGBTQIA individuals around identity, coming-out issues, intimacy, and social stigma.
Over her career she has worked in many community settings, including outpatient clinics, residential programs, hospice bereavement services, and trauma-informed programs in Alaska. That background informs a practical, skills-focused style rooted in evidence-based approaches such as CBT, DBT, ACT, attachment work, and client-centered practices.
In sessions she helps people learn concrete skills - managing emotions, improving communication, and handling parenting stress. The aim is to increase confidence and daily functioning so clients can cope better with ongoing life demands.
To begin, visitors are encouraged to use the site's matching process to schedule an initial session and confirm current session options and terms.
How sessions work
How therapeutic approaches shape online sessions
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying personal values and taking steps that match those values while learning to accept difficult thoughts and feelings. It can help with persistent anxiety, stress, and decisions around family roles. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches practical techniques for changing unhelpful patterns. CBT is often used for anxiety, depression, sleep and eating concerns, and parenting-related stress. Attachment-Based Therapy pays attention to how early relationships influence current patterns and helps people understand and adjust how they relate to others, which can be useful for relationship and intimacy issues.Finding the right approach is collaborative. The therapist will discuss goals and preferences with the client and suggest which methods to try. Over a few sessions the style and tools can be adjusted based on what is most helpful for the client's needs and daily life demands.
The profile does not list specific online formats, so confirm available session options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions around parenting, work, or medical needs because it reduces travel time and can allow shorter check-ins when days are busy. It can also let people join from quieter surroundings, or choose options that use less bandwidth when video is difficult. Licensed professionals aim to match format and pacing to each person's schedule and goals.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
25+ years
Listed in
California, Washington
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she work with?
She works with adults dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and family concerns, parenting challenges, addiction, grief, and related issues.
What is her therapy style like?
Her approach is practical and direct, combining evidence-based methods with clear feedback and skill building to help manage emotions and improve day-to-day functioning.
How long has she been practicing?
She has 25 years of clinical experience working in a variety of community and clinical settings.
Is she a licensed professional in Washington?
Yes. She is an LMFT licensed in California and Washington as listed, and she practices in Washington.
Are sessions available in other languages?
Sessions are offered in English only according to the profile information.
What session formats are offered?
The original profile does not specify session formats. Please confirm current session options before booking.
How are fees handled?
Costs vary with location; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started with her services?
Use the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If anyone is in danger, use the crisis numbers.