- Direct compassionate approach
- Skill building focus
- Experience with trauma
About Patricia
Patricia Sumlin is a licensed marriage and family therapist with 25 years of experience. She aims to help people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship strain, addiction, or big life changes. Her style is direct and practical, with an emphasis on building skills people can actually use day to day.
She blends several approaches to match each person's needs. Sessions focus on learning tools to manage emotions, reduce reactivity, and improve communication. She also helps people sort out the effects of trauma, address identity and intimacy concerns, and navigate parenting or career stressors.
Her background includes work in outpatient clinics, residential programs, and community settings. Patricia has provided services in diverse and rural communities, including experience with Native American and Native Alaskan populations and programs in Alaska. She has run DBT groups, led medical behavioral health efforts, and supported people in hospice and re-entry programs.
Current focus areas include trauma-related anxiety, recovery from narcissistic or traumatic bonding, depression, ADHD and neurodiversity concerns, and issues facing LGBTQIA people. She also addresses eating, sleep, body image, and caregiver stress. Patricia emphasizes respectful, honest collaboration to help people build confidence and practical coping skills.
If someone wants to begin, she asks people to reflect on their goals and readiness for change. The work is collaborative and paced to the individual's needs, with an emphasis on creating lasting skills for stability and resilience.
She blends several approaches to match each person's needs. Sessions focus on learning tools to manage emotions, reduce reactivity, and improve communication. She also helps people sort out the effects of trauma, address identity and intimacy concerns, and navigate parenting or career stressors.
Her background includes work in outpatient clinics, residential programs, and community settings. Patricia has provided services in diverse and rural communities, including experience with Native American and Native Alaskan populations and programs in Alaska. She has run DBT groups, led medical behavioral health efforts, and supported people in hospice and re-entry programs.
Current focus areas include trauma-related anxiety, recovery from narcissistic or traumatic bonding, depression, ADHD and neurodiversity concerns, and issues facing LGBTQIA people. She also addresses eating, sleep, body image, and caregiver stress. Patricia emphasizes respectful, honest collaboration to help people build confidence and practical coping skills.
If someone wants to begin, she asks people to reflect on their goals and readiness for change. The work is collaborative and paced to the individual's needs, with an emphasis on creating lasting skills for stability and resilience.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
AddictionsLGBTGriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD
Additional focus areas
AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)DissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFirst responder issuesGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameHearing impairedHIV / AIDSHoardingHospice and end-of-life counselingImmigration issuesImpulsivityInfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexual dysfunctionSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaTrichotillomaniaVisually impairedWomen's issuesWorkplace issues
Therapeutic approaches
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Gottman MethodJungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems
Experience
25+ years
Credentials
California, Washington
Languages
English
Approaches that translate to online work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying personal values and taking committed action toward them while learning simple techniques to notice painful thoughts without getting stuck. It often helps with anxiety, depression, and life transitions. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationships shape current patterns and helps people notice connection needs and build healthier ways of relating to others. Client-Centered Therapy centers the person in the room, using reflective listening and empathy to help them find their own solutions and sense of direction.Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what feels helpful. Together they decide which methods to use and adjust them over time so the approach fits the individual's needs.
Confirm the available session options before booking, since formats are not listed in the biography. Many people find online sessions easier to fit into their schedules, allow shorter check-ins when days are busy, or make it simpler to access care from different locations within the same state. Online work can support consistent skill practice, regular follow-ups, and flexible scheduling to match everyday life.
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Patricia address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and family issues, addictions, grief, intimacy and sexual identity concerns, ADHD, parenting strain, anger, self esteem, career stress, and related areas.
What is her therapy style like?
Her approach is straightforward and practical. She blends skill-focused methods with insight-oriented conversation to help people learn coping tools and improve emotional regulation.
How much experience does she have?
She has 25 years of clinical experience working in outpatient clinics, residential programs, hospice, community settings, and specialized programs in Alaska and other locations.
What credentials and region are listed?
She is a LMFT with CA LMFT and WA LMFT LF credentials and practices in Washington.
What languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are available?
Confirm current session options before booking, as formats are not specified in the biography and may vary by therapist and location.
How is cost handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working together?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.