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- Stress and anxiety
- EMDR and CBT
- Couples work
About Cynthia
California LMFT Dr. Cynthia Curnan has practiced for 32 years. She focuses on stress, anxiety, relationships, trauma and abuse, grief, and intimacy-related issues. She also works with concerns such as abandonment, caregiver stress, chronic illness and pain, communication problems, control issues, divorce and separation, and life purpose.
Dr. Curnan combines talk-based work with body- and memory-focused methods. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, Trauma-Focused Therapy, hypnotherapy, and the Gottman Method with couples. She also draws on breath work, focused meditation, dream work, and inner-child approaches adapted from her earlier teaching of Inner Guidance.
Her sessions aim to help people recognize how internal parts and habits shape their choices. She guides clients to identify perfectionist patterns and learn different internal responses. The goal is to shift from self-judgment toward steadier self-knowledge and more effective personal action.
Dr. Curnan trained in psychology and completed a PhD in 1996 after earning her California license as a licensed marriage and family therapist in 1992. She is the author of a book on perfectionism and keeps that theme in much of her clinical thinking. In practice she blends practical skills, memory-processing tools, and reflective work.
People who choose her work can expect direct discussion of past wounds alongside hands-on techniques. She helps clients set goals, practice new responses, and track changes over time. This approach is presented plainly and in steps clients can use outside sessions.
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How her approaches translate to online sessions
Dr. Curnan uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify unhelpful thoughts and test new behaviors in everyday life. CBT sessions are hands-on and often include specific exercises and homework to try between meetings.She also uses Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, which helps process distressing memories by combining focused memory work with guided bilateral stimulation. EMDR is commonly used for trauma-related symptoms and memory processing.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. She will collaborate with clients to decide whether CBT, EMDR, trauma-focused work, or hypnotherapy fits best. That choice is based on the client's goals, history, and comfort with different methods.
Session formats are not listed in the biography, so confirm the current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to schedule short check-ins, reduce travel time, and fit sessions into a busy week. Therapists can also adapt exercises and breathing or hypnotherapy practices to a virtual meeting so clients can apply techniques at home.
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Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
32+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
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Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she support?
She supports stress, anxiety, relationship problems, trauma and abuse, grief, and intimacy-related issues. Additional focuses include caregiver stress, chronic illness and pain, hoarding, and midlife concerns.
How does she approach therapy?
She combines talk therapy with memory-processing and somatic techniques such as EMDR, hypnotherapy, breath work, and focused meditation. The work includes identifying perfectionist patterns and developing clearer self-knowledge.
How much experience does the therapist have?
She has 32 years of clinical experience and a PhD in psychology earned in 1996.
What are her credentials and location?
She is a California LMFT and practices in California.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are accepted.
What session formats are available?
Current session formats are not specified here; please confirm the therapist's offered formats before booking.
How does payment and cost work?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the See online therapy options button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the urgent help numbers.