Meet Our Highly Experienced, Multi-disciplinary Staff

Cynthia Burns is a Board Certified, Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has extensive experience working with children and adolescents. She graduated from the University of Texas’ Undergraduate Honors Program (Plan II) with a concentration in Psychology. She received her MSW from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas, completing practical studies in both adult and child outpatient mental health facilities. Following graduation, Cynthia moved to Indianapolis and became a Medical Social Worker at Indiana University’s Medical Center’s pediatric facility, Riley Children’s Hospital. Here she worked with chronically ill and terminally ill children and their families. She also served as an Adjunct Lecturer at Indiana University and supervised graduate students interning at this hospital.

On moving to Florida, Cynthia worked as a Child and Family Therapist with Manatee Mental Health Center (The Glens) for many years before establishing a private practice with Counseling and Psychotherapy Associates in Bradenton. She also served as a Consultant to the Manatee County School System for students and families requiring mental health services. Most recently, Cynthia has provided counseling services to parochial schools in the Sarasota area. In this capacity, she worked individually with children and parents, served as a consultant to parents and teachers regarding the social, emotional, and behavioral issues of students, and provided groups for children who were experiencing trauma over the change in family structure due to death or divorce.

In her work with children, adolescents and families, Cynthia primarily uses a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approach and also utilizes Play Therapy with younger children to establish rapport and to facilitate the therapeutic process. She works with children, adolescents, adults, families and couples.