Dr. Arlene Unger, CA Psychologist
Calm-focused psychologist helping manage strong emotions
Book with ArleneWorks with
- Anger
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- Grief
- Depression
How Arlene works
Practical facts
- Credentials
- CA Psychologist
- Licensed in
- California
- Years in practice
- 30
- Languages
- English
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Arlene
Dr. Arlene Unger uses straightforward, evidence-based approaches to help people manage strong emotions and daily pressures. She is a California-licensed psychologist with three decades of experience.
She helps people who are dealing with stress, anxiety, anger, grief, addiction, depression, and other life challenges. Dr. Unger draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Emotionally-Focused Therapy.
In sessions she breaks problems into manageable steps and teaches skills people can use between meetings.
Background and approach
She focuses on what feels most urgent for each person and builds on their strengths. Her background includes a PhD in clinical psychology and a long history of working with adults on coping skills, behavior changes, and emotional regulation. She also has experience addressing sleep, eating, and relationship concerns as they relate to mental health.
Her years of practice inform a practical style that aims for clear, usable tools. People often come for help with communication problems, control issues, guilt and shame, loneliness, and challenges around life purpose. Dr.
Unger introduces exercises and small experiments to test new ways of responding to stress and anger. She encourages steady progress rather than quick fixes. Sessions are available in English and conducted online by video, phone, live chat, or text messaging.
To begin, a short matching questionnaire is completed and appointments are scheduled according to availability. Many people find the mix of skill-building and emotional work helpful when dealing with change.
What Arlene works with
Everything Arlene lists, in the therapist's own terms. Anger is the reason this directory exists; the rest tells you what usually sits alongside it in Arlene's practice.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- Grief
- Depression
- LGBT
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Intimacy-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
Approaches Arlene lists
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Approaches for online work with strong emotions
Dr. Unger commonly uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people manage difficult feelings and behaviors. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy focuses on clarifying values and taking meaningful action even when emotions are uncomfortable; it can help with anger, grief, and life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy looks at how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact and teaches concrete skills to reduce anxiety, panic, and unhelpful patterns.Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals and preferences, try techniques together, and adjust the plan based on what helps. That means sessions often include short exercises, homework, and regular check-ins to see what is working.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs. Video is useful when visual cues matter, phone sessions can work when bandwidth is limited, and brief chat or text can help with quick check-ins or between-session support. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, caregiving, or busy schedules while keeping the focus on useful skills and steady progress.
Questions people ask about Arlene
What concerns does Dr. Unger address?
She works with a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, anger, grief, depression, addictions, trauma, sleep and eating problems, and issues around intimacy and self esteem.
What is her therapeutic style?
Her approach mixes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Emotionally-Focused Therapy to teach practical skills and explore emotional patterns.
How much clinical experience does she have?
Dr. Unger has 30 years of experience in clinical psychology working with adults on coping skills, behavior change, and emotional regulation.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is licensed as a California Psychologist, credential CA Psychologist 15383, and practices from California.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
Therapy is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging.
How does payment and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.