Therapist profile
Patricia Sumlin, LMFT
Washington
LMFT - Anger and Trauma-focused work
Continue with PatriciaKey details
- CredentialsLMFT
- LicenseLMFT, California / 44844; LMFT, Washington / LF 60059026
- NPI1891899027
- Experience25 years
- LanguagesEnglish
- LocationWashington
About
- Anger management skills
- Trauma informed care
- DBT and CBT techniques
About Patricia
Patricia Sumlin is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with 25 years of clinical experience based in Washington. She works with adults facing stress, anxiety, relationship and family concerns, trauma and abuse, depression, addictions, grief, anger, and a broad range of life changes. Patricia also supports people navigating ADHD, intimacy and self-esteem issues, career strain, and caregiving stress.
Her approach blends several evidence-informed methods in straightforward, practical ways. She uses cognitive behavioral ideas to identify unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns. She draws on dialectical behavior strategies to teach emotional regulation and distress tolerance skills. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy techniques are used to clarify values and guide committed action.
Patricia emphasizes honest, direct collaboration. Sessions tend to focus on skill building, practical problem solving, and gaining clearer understanding of how past experiences shape current responses. She aims to help clients reduce reactive anger, manage workplace frustration, and handle resentment that accumulates over time.
Her background includes work with diverse and multicultural communities, outreach in rural Alaskan villages, behavioral health settings, and programs addressing trauma, substance use, and chronic illness. That experience informs an approach that is clinically informed and pragmatic.
To begin, people complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session. Patricia notes that cost varies with location and that services use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How sessions work
How her approaches translate to online work
Patricia commonly draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy in her work. CBT focuses on spotting and shifting unhelpful thoughts and behaviors to change how someone feels and acts. It is helpful for anxiety, depressive patterns, and anger linked to automatic thoughts. DBT emphasizes emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness skills. It can be useful when strong reactions, impulsive behavior, or relationship conflict are central concerns.Choosing the right approach is collaborative. Patricia will work with each person to weigh goals, preferences, and practical needs. Together they decide whether CBT, DBT, ACT, or elements of attachment-based work should guide sessions and which techniques to prioritize.
The original biography does not specify which session formats are used for remote work, so confirm current options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, shorten travel and scheduling barriers, and allow focus on skill practice between meetings. Some formats also let people use audio-only check-ins when bandwidth is limited or schedule shorter sessions for quick problem-solving. These practical benefits help integrate ongoing work on anger, coping skills, and relationship patterns into everyday life without requiring major changes to routine.
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 help with?
She helps adults with stress, anxiety, relationship and family concerns, trauma and abuse, depression, addictions, grief, anger, and related life changes.
What is her therapeutic style?
Her style is direct and practical, focusing on skill building, emotion regulation, and clearer understanding of behavior patterns from past experience.
How much experience does she have?
She has 25 years of clinical experience working in a range of settings including outpatient clinics, residential programs, and community health services.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is an LMFT licensed in California and Washington (CA LMFT, WA LMFT LF) and practices from Washington.
Are sessions offered in other languages or to international clients?
Sessions are offered in English. She is not accepting international clients.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not list specific session formats; please confirm current session options before scheduling.
How does payment work and what does it cost?
Cost varies with location, and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a 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 unsafe, use the crisis numbers.