- Years in practice
- 21
- Credentials
- LMFT
- Licensed in
- Connecticut
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Relationship issues
- Focus
- Grief
- Focus
- Self esteem
About Norja
Dr. Norja Cunningham is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) with 21 years of clinical experience. She helps people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, grief, parenting challenges, or relationship and intimacy concerns.
Her tone is direct and practical, aimed at parents who want clear, usable strategies rather than long theory talks. She blends established approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy with client-centered and acceptance-based ideas.
Background and approach
Sessions often focus on identifying unhelpful patterns, trying small behavior changes, and building skills for handling intense emotions. The work can include short experiments between sessions to see what actually helps. Dr.
Cunningham adapts her role to the moment - sometimes guiding like a coach, sometimes listening like a counselor, and sometimes teaching new skills. She keeps professional boundaries so sessions stay focused and productive. Her background emphasizes cultural awareness and respect for different life experiences.
Many clients come to her for parenting-related worries, compassion fatigue, or trouble coping with major life changes. She supports people in turning insight into action, not just understanding problems but interrupting old habits. Practical tools and steady follow-through are central to her approach.
Outside of clinical work she enjoys singing, creative writing, sports, weightlifting, and travel. Those interests inform a lively, down-to-earth style in sessions that aims to fit the realities of daily family life.
What Norja works with
Everything Norja lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Norja helps people with.
- Relationship issues
- Grief
- Self esteem
- Coping with life changes
- Compassion fatigue
- Stress, Anxiety
- LGBT
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Intimacy-related issues
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Depression
- ADHD
- Attachment issues
- Body image
- Communication problems
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Mood disorders
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Workplace issues
Approaches Norja lists
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Existential Therapy
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
- Systemic Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Therapeutic approaches that translate to online care
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on noticing thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, then taking actions that match your values. It can help with anxiety, parenting stress, and coping with major life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) breaks problems into thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and tests small behavior changes to shift how a person feels. It is often useful for mood disorders, worry, and unhelpful habits. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes a respectful, nonjudgmental relationship where the therapist follows the client's lead and helps them find their own solutions.Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and day-to-day realities and then try methods that fit those needs. That may mean mixing techniques so the work stays practical and relevant to parenting and life demands.
Online sessions make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and skill practice, phone sessions can be simpler when bandwidth is limited, and live chat or text-based messaging support brief check-ins or ongoing reflection between appointments. These options give flexibility for parents who need different formats on different days and help maintain steady progress without frequent travel.
Questions people ask about Norja
What concerns does Dr. Cunningham address?
She works with a broad range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and intimacy issues, compassion fatigue, parenting concerns, and trauma-related problems.
What is her therapy style like?
Her style is practical and adaptable, shifting between coaching, teaching, and traditional therapy to meet each client's needs while keeping sessions structured and goal oriented.
How long has she been practicing?
Dr. Cunningham has 21 years of clinical experience working with adults on a wide range of emotional and relational concerns.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) practicing in Connecticut.
Which languages are supported in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What formats are available for meeting online?
Clients can connect via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on what works best for them.
How do payments and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; services are delivered through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to therapist availability.
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