Corona del Mar Chamber
Arolyn Burns, LMFT, LPCC / The A Treatment Center

About Us

Arolyn Burns is an entrepreneur, therapist, and published author from California. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) with a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Azusa Pacific University. Operating from her office in Newport Beach, CA, she also provides virtual therapy services to clients throughout California.

A respected voice in her field, Burns has been invited as a guest speaker at prestigious institutions including UCLA, Pepperdine University, and Las Encinas Hospital. Her expertise has made her a recurring expert guest on various radio and television programs. Beyond her clinical work, Burns is also a published poet, bringing a creative dimension to her professional identity.

In 2014, her exceptional work earned her award for Exceptional Social Work during her tenure as a Children’s Social Worker at LA County Department of Children and Family Services.

Expertise & Specializations

With over 25 years of experience working with trauma clients since 1997, Burns has developed specialized expertise in EMDR therapy, trauma processing, and grief counseling. Her pioneering approach has been particularly effective in helping professional athletes overcome performance anxiety (the “Yips”), enabling them to return to competition, secure professional team positions, and even win Olympic medals.

As a Level 3 Gottman-trained therapist, she skillfully guides clients through relationship challenges, difficult breakups, infidelity, marital problems, and divorce recovery. Her impressive credentials include certifications in EMDR, Hypnotherapy, Mediation, and John Maxwell coaching. She is also an Experienced Facilitator of Domestic Violence Groups, bringing compassion and expertise to this challenging area.

Therapeutic Approach

Burns believes that psychotherapy is a collaborative journey where the connection between therapist and client is paramount. Her holistic approach emphasizes balancing body, mind, and spirit, often incorporating multi-sensory elements like lights, colors, sounds, and somatic experiences into her practice.

Clients describe her counseling style as warm, empathic, direct, candid, and genuine—often finding themselves comforted through challanges and finding hope through tears. As a solution-focused, cognitive behavioral, client-centered therapist, Burns provides practical tools, therapeutic homework, and empathic understanding. She firmly believes in every person’s capacity for positive change within a safe, accepting environment.

Professional Journey

In 2002, Burns founded The A Treatment Center in Pasadena with a mission to help clients discover their best selves and create extraordinary lives. She expanded her practice in 2017 with the opening of her Corona del Mar(Newport Beach) office, allowing her to extend her therapeutic reach to more individuals in need.

Her humanitarian spirit has led her to support survivors of major traumatic events, including Hurricane Katrina and the Route 91 Vegas shooting. She has worked extensively with First Responders in the City of Pasadena, helping these essential workers process their unique occupational traumas and also volunteered throughout California fires in 2025.

In addition to her clinical practice, Burns frequently provides corporate training on Stress Management, offers Employee Assistance Program (EAP) counseling, and conducts engaging “Stress Less” workshops ranging from two hours to two days. Her commitment to education extends to coaching and mentoring interns and sharing her knowledge at professional conferences.