About Rita
Dr. Rita Dumas is a licensed marriage and family therapist with 15 years of clinical experience in California. She focuses on stress, anxiety, relationships, parenting concerns, and building self-esteem.
Her approach aims to make the first steps toward change feel manageable and supported. She uses client-centered methods to create a respectful, empathetic space where people can speak freely and be heard. She also draws on cognitive behavioral therapy, helping people notice and shift patterns of thinking that keep them stuck.
How Rita works
Sessions are shaped to match each person's needs and pace. Common topics she addresses include abandonment wounds, communication problems, control issues, and the fallout of divorce or separation. She also helps people work through family of origin issues, guilt and shame, and learning self-love.
Practical tools and small experiments are offered alongside reflective conversation. Dr. Dumas emphasizes collaboration.
She works with clients to set clear goals and tracks progress over time. The process is described in plain language so parents and busy people can use it between sessions. Her style is warm and steady, and she encourages action that fits real life.
People who want help coping with life changes or strengthening relationships will find concrete strategies as well as emotional support.
Rita lists 2 ways of working on the entry:
What Rita works with
The areas below are the ones Rita selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Parenting issues
Also listed
Training and background
| Register | LMFT |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 15 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | California |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
How client-centered and CBT techniques translate online
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening, empathy, and following the client's lead. In online sessions this means the therapist creates space for people to describe what matters most and reflects that understanding back so goals become clearer. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) looks at thoughts and behaviors and uses short exercises to test new habits. Online CBT can include thought records, behavioral experiments, and step-by-step skill practice between sessions.Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals and preferences and suggest which methods to try first. Plans are adjusted over time based on what helps, so the work is responsive rather than fixed.
Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect. Video calls let people work face to face when deeper conversation is helpful. Phone sessions are useful when bandwidth or camera use is difficult. Live chat and text-based messaging allow brief check-ins, homework support, and more frequent contact without scheduling a full session. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives and to use different formats for different needs.
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Common questions
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A practical next step
Write down two things you would want to be different in six months. That is the most useful thing to bring to a first session, whoever it is with. If you would rather start now than keep reading, online sessions are the quickest route.
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