Soul.Purpose.Therapy.
Signal Hill ~ Long Beach
Erin Sumner, LMFT
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, also known as a psychotherapist. I treat adult individuals (30 years & up), couples, and families. I prefer in-person therapy. My specialties include: Marital, Premarital, & Couples Counseling, Trauma, Sexual Abuse/Molestation, Sexual Assault, Relationship Issues, Divorce/Separation, Family Dynamics, Childhood Issues, Spirituality Growth, Anxiety, Stress, Conflict in the Work Environment, Emotional Processing, and Personal Crises. I have a lot of experience treating individuals and couples. I will only treat patients in my areas of expertise but please inquire as some of these areas are quite broad and also overlap. I do my best to provide referrals when I feel I am not the right fit.
For therapy to be successful, it is very important that you have a good relationship with your therapist, and this should include trust and respect. Finding a therapist that fits your style and needs can be difficult but it is possible. I genuinely want people to get the help that they need, whether that help comes from me or someone else.
My style of therapy is not typical, mostly because of my personality and intuition. I am deeply compassionate, and I allow myself to feel others' emotions so that I can help navigate through these emotions to find solutions. It has taken me years to admit to others that I have intuitive gifts, partly because I don't get to choose when those come into play, but nonetheless, I consider myself to be an intuitive and energy reader/healer. I am direct, straight-forward, and I address necessary issues. My role as a therapist is to support, teach, challenge, and guide patients so that they can create their own desired path.
I use a
wide range of treatment modalities and theoretical orientations, but I am far from being a textbook therapist. I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with all my clients, and I cater to the specific needs of each client. I do
believe that our past shapes who we are, and understanding our past can shape
who we will become. I also believe in focusing on the present moment to
find peace and happiness. I believe that when given the right
tools, we can change our thoughts and behaviors through self-awareness and
practice. Lastly, I take a mind/body/soul approach to therapy, but I only go the spiritual route if patients want to go in that direction.
2002 - University of California, Berkeley: Bachelor of Science in Psychology
2005 - California State Polytechnic University, Pomona: Master of Science in Clinical Psychology
2008 - California State License: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT46588
You are
welcome to email me if you have any interest or questions about the services I offer. I respond to emails quickly-
usually the same day. If for any reason you do not get a response within 48
hours, please contact me again. I correspond only through email for all non-urgent communication.