About Pat Sumption, LCSW

psychotherapist

About Me

I believe a therapist needs more than the requisite degrees and licenses to be truly helpful to those who are having difficulties.

 

A good therapist needs broad, deep personal and professional experience to make genuine healing connections!

 

 My experiences are broad and deep – I’ve done many things in many places. That allows me to relate to lots of different people and challenges. Our work may be to alleviate discomfort that has manifested in your life as anxiety, depression, trauma, etc. Or you may be seeking clarity about what you want, where you’re going and how to get there. 

 

Either way – I can help.

 

It’s more about me as a person than it is about my education and training that makes me a good therapist. It’s a combination of life and professional experience that allows me to connect with and help people. I offer psychotherapy to adults with an emphasis on coping with the present, coming to peace with your past and embracing your future.

 

 

What kinds of issues can you help with?

I work with a broad spectrum of issues including anxiety, depression, trauma, relationships, substance abuse and addiction, stress and adjustment disorders and personality disorders. I have my own way of making sense of the challenges people face. People and situations are multi-determined; each is a unique mix of their experiences, genetics and current situation. 

No text book, no training is going to be able to capture you and your situation.

rendered blocks

For 20 years Pat has helped many people 

 

How did I end up feeling like this?

 

I think that we learn to make sense of the world around us when we’re very young – 0 to 5. Think about it. That’s when we first encounter love, hate, hugs, punishment, fear, courage, connection and everything else.  

 

Those first impressions give you lenses that you use to build future connections and make sense of people, feelings, the world! The trick is that our lenses are not the only lenses. Others picked up a different set of lenses. So you’re not going to make sense of the world in the same way. It can really make things difficult. 

 

We can discover new lenses together.

 

I believe…

 

  • that things are not black and white but grey. 

  • people are not good or bad, they’re just trying to do the best they can – and sometimes it’s not so good. 

  • decisions are not right or wrong; they will lead you in different directions.

  • in changing that which you can and accepting that which you can’t. 

  • in knowing what you truly, deeply believe and feel and finding a way to say it so that you are heard and seen.

 

 

I believe mental health comes down to being free of resentments and hurt from your past in order to move forward unencumbered.

rendered blue path

I practice psychodynamic therapy – the classic talk therapy you see in the media. It is not, however, the cliche you might imagine. I can help you look at things in new ways – with new lenses. I don’t think everything in your life is a result of  your childhood. But I think it plays a big part.  Our parents can care deeply for us and have the best intentions. That doesn’t mean something didn’t impact you negatively. 

 

My personal passion. 

Supporting other parents of children with special needs.

 

As the proud parent of a young man with special needs,  I am passionate about serving other parents of children with special needs, an often unrecognized mental health need.

 

My master’s degree in clinical social work and post-graduate training in psychoanalysis combined with my broad life experiences provide the perfect combination to help people feel better. I believe in ongoing education and personal work to grow and continue to provide deep and lasting work that can help you move on in peace.

connect with Pat now by text 512.699.1561 

 email pat@austintherapysolutions.com

More about Pat, in no particular order

                              

  • Retail manager and home goods buyer for 12 years

  • Managed up to 50 employees

  • Behavior specialist in high schools for 6 years

  • Addictions specialist in rehab centers for 6 years

  • Trained in interior design

  • Certified Daring Way Facilitator

  • Psychoanalytic training 

  • Moved 22 times to 5 major geographic areas

  • Born in Santa Monica

  • Lived in San Francisco, Chicago twice, Houston twice and Austin for the last 20 years

  • Loves to travel – traveled a lot but never enough

  • Real estate licenses in CA, IL and TX 

  • Flipped many, many houses

  • Expert packer

  • Returned to school at 30 to get her Masters in Social Work

  • Had her son at 35; diagnosed on the autistic spectrum when he was 3

  • Certified special education teacher

 

connect with Pat now by text 512.699.1561 

 email pat@austintherapysolutions.com