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CC Portrait of Dr. Cynthia Curnan

Dr. Cynthia Curnan

Experienced therapist focused on relationships and trauma

LMFT California

Experience
32 years in practice
Focus areas
Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse
Approaches
Gottman Method, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Languages
English

About Cynthia

Dr. Cynthia Curnan helps people facing stress, anxiety, relationship trouble, trauma, grief, and intimacy concerns.

Background and approach

She draws on decades of practice to guide clients through painful patterns and toward clearer choices. Cynthia speaks plainly and focuses on practical steps people can use right away.

She combines relational work with trauma-informed tools to address wounds from the past. Her approach includes methods that help process traumatic memories and reduce overwhelm.

Sessions often include breathing, focused attention, and techniques to shift difficult reactions. Cynthia learned about Inner Guidance before training as a psychotherapist, and that early work shapes how she listens.

She encourages clients to notice inner senses such as intuition and imagination and to use those strengths to make better decisions. This is done in small, steady steps so change feels manageable.

Her background includes a PhD in psychology and a California license as a marriage and family therapist, LMFT. She has practiced for over 30 years and has written about perfectionism and self-direction.

That experience informs how she helps people recognize and soften self-critical patterns. In sessions she blends talk with experiential practices like dream work, interactive hypnotherapy, EMDR-related methods, and exercises for becoming present.

The goal is practical self-knowledge and more freedom to pursue meaningful goals. Clients leave with clearer priorities and tools for everyday life.

Online approaches for relationship and trauma work

Dr. Cynthia often integrates the Gottman Method, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and EMDR-related approaches into online work. The Gottman Method focuses on communication patterns and practical skills for managing conflict and improving connection in relationships. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps people identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and replace them with more effective responses to anxiety and stress. EMDR-related methods aim to process painful memories and reduce the intensity of traumatic reactions by using guided attention and bilateral stimulation techniques.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Cynthia reviews a person’s history, current goals, and comfort with different techniques and then suggests a path forward. Together they try methods in session and adjust as needed so the work fits the client’s needs and pace.

Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy easier to fit into daily life. Video calls allow face-to-face work for skill practice and EMDR-style techniques. Phone sessions can be useful when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is preferred. Chat and messaging let people keep momentum with short updates or reflection between longer sessions, offering flexibility across schedules and time zones.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of problems does this therapist help with?
Cynthia focuses on stress, anxiety, relationships, trauma and abuse, grief, and intimacy-related issues. She also addresses concerns like abandonment, caregiver stress, chronic illness, communication problems, and life purpose.
What is the therapy style like in sessions?
Sessions mix straightforward talk with experiential practices such as breathing exercises, meditation, dream work, and hypnotherapy. The aim is to build self-knowledge and reduce unhelpful patterns with concrete steps.
How much clinical experience does the therapist have?
Cynthia has 32 years of clinical experience and a long history teaching inner guidance and personal development. That background shapes a calm, exploratory pace in sessions.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is a California licensed marriage and family therapist, LMFT, and maintains a practice based in California.
Are sessions offered in other languages or internationally?
Sessions are offered in English, and international clients are accepted.
Which session formats are available for online work?
Therapy can be done via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to suit different scheduling needs and communication preferences.
How is cost handled for therapy?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What steps do I take to begin therapy?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling according to therapist availability.

Areas of expertise

Therapeutic approaches

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Gottman MethodHypnotherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

32+ years

Licensed in

California

Languages

English