- Emotionally-Focused Therapy
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
About Arlene
Dr. Arlene Unger is a California psychologist (CA Psychologist 15383) with 30 years of clinical experience. She sees people who are coping with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, addiction and relationship concerns. She also addresses sleep and eating difficulties, parenting strain, ADHD, and questions about identity and intimacy.
Her work combines Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). She uses these methods to help people notice painful emotions, name them, and try new ways of responding. Sessions are intended to produce concrete strategies for handling panic, anger, and persistent worry.
Unger's background includes a PhD in Clinical Psychology and additional training in wellness, mindfulness, life coaching, nutrition, and substance abuse. She has written mindfulness visualization exercise books and published articles related to stress and coping. Her range of experience includes long-term clinical work and applied coaching approaches.
In sessions she works collaboratively to clarify goals and to practice new skills between meetings. That may mean learning acceptance exercises from ACT, testing small behavioral changes from CBT, or using EFT techniques to focus on strong emotions in the moment. The emphasis is on practical steps that can be used day to day.
People who contact her typically begin by completing a short questionnaire and scheduling an initial meeting. Costs vary by location and sessions use a cancelable subscription model. Sessions are offered in English and international clients are not accepted.
Using EFT, ACT and CBT in online sessions
Dr. Unger uses Emotionally-Focused Therapy to help people notice and name strong emotions and the patterns those emotions create in relationships and daily life. EFT in this context focuses on attachment-related feelings and the moment-to-moment experience of emotion to make those patterns clearer.She also draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to teach skills for making room for difficult thoughts and feelings while committing to values-based action. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is used to identify unhelpful thought and behavior patterns and to practice concrete experiments that change them. Together these approaches target anxiety, depression, panic, anger, and coping with life changes.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. She will collaborate with each person to decide whether EFT, ACT, CBT, or a combination fits best based on goals and preferences. The plan can be adjusted as therapy progresses so techniques are tested and refined.
Please confirm current online session options before booking, as formats are not specified here. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, allow shorter check-ins when needed, reduce commuting time, and enable consistent follow-up after a session. Licensed professionals can use video or phone to conduct focused emotional work, behavioral experiments, and between-session coaching, depending on the agreed format.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
30+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, addictions, relationship issues, and a wide range of other concerns such as sleep problems, parenting strain, ADHD, and identity questions.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
She combines Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) with ACT and CBT to help people recognize strong emotions and practice new behaviors between sessions.
What is her professional background?
She holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology and has 30 years of clinical experience, with additional training in mindfulness, nutrition, life coaching, and substance abuse work.
Where is she based and what credential does she hold?
She practices in California and is listed as CA Psychologist 15383.
Which languages are supported during sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with international clients?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are sessions paid for and what do they cost?
Costs vary by location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What should I do to begin working together?
Use the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.