Mental Health Counselor / Therapist in San Diego, CA
Dr. Barbara Cunningham, Psy.D., MFT | Mental Health Counselor / Therapist photo
Dr. Barbara Cunningham, Psy.D., MFT
Thrive, Don't Just Survive!
Affordable Relationship Counseling: Dr. Barbara Cunningham, MFT
Location
2835 Camino Del Rio South, Ste. 120-C   
San DiegoCA 92108
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Practice Information
As a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in couples therapy as well as divorce therapy, I am expert in helping marriages and individuals to thrive, not merely survive! By understanding yesterday, people can be empowered to gain more fulfillment in the present and realize dreams into the future.

As a clinician with training at the doctoral level, I have assisted married and divorcing couples, families and individuals for years. I address numerous concerns, including marital problems, family conflict, parental issues, depression, anxiety, grief and loss, substance abuse, and aging issues such as empty nest adjustment, to name a few. I am passionate about my work in the fields of individual counseling, couples counseling, and family counseling. I am very respectful of the notion that it takes great courage to embark upon a path of personal growth and change.

In working with couples, I believe that two strong "I's" make the strongest possible "we." Because I am a systems therapist, I also believe that it is possible to do couples therapy with only one partner. In systems thinking, if there is a change in one person, the relationship will be impacted and change as well. Thus, if one partner is resistant to couples counseling or counseling that moves a divorcing couple toward an amicable conclusion, the other partner may still positively impact the relationship by doing individual work.

I bring with me rich life experience and clients have often noted my warm, nurturing style of practice. I am easy to talk to, supportive, and not judgmental. While working toward change is serious business, humor has its place in my sessions as well. I bring a wealth of knowledge that I have acquired through my doctoral studies, teaching, and life experience. I am a firm believer in the notion that we are always "becoming," and adversity offers all of us the opportunity to become stronger, not in spite of the adversity, but because of it!
Licenses/Certifications
 Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
License Info
MFC44053-CA
Education
Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy-Alliant International University, 2003
Psy.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy-Alliant International University, 2006
Bio:
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of California (#44053). I have rich clinical and life experience and have counseled couples, adolescents, and families since 2001. I began my practicum training as a clinical intern at YMCA Youth and Family Services in San Diego. For five years, I received stellar training in a model of therapy known as Bowen Family Systems Therapy. Since then, I have also taught graduate and undergraduate classes in marriage and family therapy at Alliant International University in San Diego. Alliant International University is a COAMFTE accredited school, the highest accreditation a school can receive in training MFT graduate students. I have taught classes such as spiritual and developmental aspects of aging, parent child therapy, MFT techniques, and MFT theories. Recently, I guest lectured to graduate students on Bowen Family Systems Theory at San Diego State University. Additionally, I have recently completed a manuscript detailing a family systems treatment for the impaired physician and his/her family. This manuscript is a chapter in an updated academic textbook on special populations suffering from alcoholism and addiction. The textbook is entitled Alcoholism and Substance Abuse in Diverse Populations, Second Edition (eds. Gary W. Lawson and Ann W. Lawson). The chapter is entitled "A Family Systems Treatment of the Impaired Physician." This book has already been used in many training programs for graduate students. I became fully licensed in 2006 and am now in private practice in the heart of the Mission Valley area of San Diego. As a professional who specializes in marriage counseling and relationship counseling, I view my model of practice as more of an approach to life than a toolbox of techniques. How one lives in relationships depends on the way one thinks about one's own part in any dynamic.
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Practice Areas/Issues Treated
 Therapy
 Anger Management
 Anxiety and Panic
 Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
 Body Image Issues
 Caregiver Issues
 Chronic Illness
 Couples
 Depression
 Divorce
 Eating Disorders
 Grief and Loss
 Life Transitions
 Loneliness
 Marriage & Family Therapy
 Marriage Counseling
 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
 Online / Teletherapy
 Pre and Postpartum Mental Health
 Relationship Issues
 Self-Esteem Issues
 Seniors and Elder Care Issues
 Stress Management
 Trauma and PTSD
 Work and Career Issues
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Nearby Cities
  Chula Vista   Lemon Grove
  Coronado   Lincoln Acres
  El Cajon   National City
  La Jolla   Santee
  La Mesa   Spring Valley
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