Hello, I am a licensed clinical social worker based in California. I received my master's from California State University Bakersfield and have been practicing for approximately 11 years; however, I have about 18 years total experience in the mental health field. I help clients of all ages who struggle with anxiety, depression, coping skills, relationship conflict, family conflict, substance abuse, and many other treatment concerns. I pride myself on a nonjudgmental approach and the usage of an unconditional positive regard perspective.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
I believe it is important to obtain all the client's foundational information in the first session. After gaining this information and collaborating on the intake process, the client and I can start working towards developing treatment goals and objectives and applying the steps to achieve these goals. This is a large part of the first session in therapy and is integral to setting the tone for future sessions.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
Having worked in the middle field for the last 18 years, I believe my strengths as a provider include humility, active listening, empathy, unconditional positive regard, honesty, transparency, and staying in tune with the client's needs. An additional strength would be acknowledging that my career is not only a career, but I also assist in “bearing the burdens” of others during therapy.
Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.
I enjoy working with clients who struggle with anxiety and depression, as well as many other concerns. I have found that these emotional states are common among many, but with proper psychoeducation and the application of intervention techniques, the impact of these emotions can be minimized. I enjoy working with clients confronting difficult emotions, finding the origin of these emotions, and then finding methods to overcome them.
About Denzel Sumlin
Denzel Sumlin offers therapy covered by Central California Alliance for Health (Medi-Cal), Gold Coast Health Plan (Medi-Cal), Health Plan of San Joaquin - Medi-Cal, L.A. Care Health Plan (Medi-Cal), Orange County Mental Health Plan (Medi-Cal), Partnership HealthPlan of California (Medi-Cal) and San Francisco Health Plan (Medi-Cal) in California.
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VirtualMy treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psychotherapeutic treatment that helps people learn to identify and change destructive or disturbing thought patterns that negatively influence their behavior and emotions. Cognitive behavioral therapy combines cognitive therapy with behavior therapy by identifying maladaptive patterns of thinking, emotional responses, or behaviors and replacing them with more desirable patterns. Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on changing the automatic negative thoughts that can contribute to and worsen our emotional difficulties, depression, and anxiety. These spontaneous negative thoughts also have a detrimental influence on our mood. Through CBT, faulty thoughts are identified, challenged, and replaced with more objective, realistic thoughts.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
The “dialectic” in dialectical behavior therapy is an acknowledgment that real life is complex, and health is not a static thing but an ongoing process hammered out through a continuous Socratic dialogue with the self and others. It is continually aimed at balancing opposing forces and investigating the truth of powerful negative emotions. DBT acknowledges the need for change in a context of acceptance of situations and recognizes the constant flux of feelings—many of them contradictory—without having to get caught up in them. Therapist-teachers help patients understand and accept that thought is an inherently messy process. DBT is itself an interplay of science and practice.
Attachment-based
Attachment-based therapy is a brief, process-oriented form of counseling. The client-therapist relationship is based on developing or rebuilding trust and centers on expressing emotions. An attachment-based approach to therapy looks at the connection between an infant’s early attachment experiences with primary caregivers, usually with parents, and the infant’s ability to develop normally and ultimately form healthy emotional and physical relationships as an adult. Attachment-based therapy aims to build or rebuild a trusting, supportive relationship that will help prevent or treat mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
Mindfulness, from a therapeutic, secular perspective is a conscious awareness of our present moment. This includes openness and non-judgment about the experience. It is often coupled with other types of therapy, such as Cognitive-based Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Mindfulness therapy is not concerned with relaxation, though that might be a result of certain practices. The focus is on increasing our awareness of the thoughts, feelings, and actions that hinder our progress. When we are better able to do that, we can engage with those aspects of ourselves, learn to tweak our language, and choose how to respond.
Couples Counseling
Couples therapy involves a deeper process that explores the roots of partners’ current problems with the intent of resolving dysfunctional patterns of interaction. Often it has to undo the emotional damage that partners have inflicted on each other. Typically, it helps individual partners understand themselves and their own needs so they know how to ask the other for what they want and know how to support their partner well.