Dr. Arlene Unger, CA Psychologist
Compassionate, practical help for stressed parents
Book with Arlene- Years in practice
- 30
- Credentials
- CA Psychologist
- Licensed in
- California
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Addictions
- Focus
- Relationship issues
About Arlene
Dr. Arlene Unger is a licensed California psychologist with 30 years of experience. She focuses on practical strategies parents often need when life feels overwhelming.
She writes short mindfulness exercises and offers straightforward tools to manage stress, anxiety, and relationship strain. Her work draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Emotionally-Focused Therapy. She uses these approaches to help people notice what matters, change unhelpful thinking, and rebuild closer connections.
Background and approach
Sessions aim to be direct and useful for day-to-day parenting challenges. Dr. Unger completed a PhD in Clinical Psychology and maintains the credential CA Psychologist 15383.
She combines that background with training in nutrition, wellness, mindfulness, life coaching, and substance abuse support. That mix informs focused plans for sleep, eating, mood, and addictive behaviors. People turn to her for help with grief, coping with life changes, anger, self-esteem, and burnout.
She also supports those navigating identity and intimacy-related issues, social anxiety, panic, and ADHD symptoms. The emphasis is on small, doable steps for steady improvement. Sessions are available by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit busy schedules.
Getting started involves a short matching questionnaire and scheduling a time that works with the therapist’s availability. Dr. Unger aims to make the first step straightforward and manageable.
What Arlene works with
Everything Arlene lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Arlene helps people with.
- 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.
How Dr. Unger’s Approaches Work Online
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people clarify what matters most and take small steps toward those values. It focuses on accepting difficult feelings while committing to actions that support family and personal priorities. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy breaks problems into thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches concrete skills to shift unhelpful patterns. It is often used for anxiety, panic, sleep issues, and mood. Emotionally-Focused Therapy centers on emotional connection and helps people understand and change interaction patterns that cause distance or conflict.Choosing an approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will review your concerns, try techniques, and adjust the plan based on what helps. Clients often mix elements from different approaches so sessions match their goals and daily realities.
Online therapy offers practical flexibility. Video calls let you work face-to-face without travel. Phone sessions can fit a break at work or require less bandwidth. Live chat and text-based messaging make brief check-ins and coping reminders possible between sessions. These options help people maintain consistent work on goals while juggling parenting and other responsibilities.
Questions people ask about Arlene
What concerns does Dr. Unger address?
She works with a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, grief, addictions, parenting challenges, relationship and intimacy issues, sleep and eating problems, and ADHD-related struggles.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her approach is practical and collaborative, using techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Emotionally-Focused Therapy to build skills and improve daily functioning.
What is her background and experience?
She holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology and brings 30 years of clinical experience along with training in nutrition, wellness, mindfulness, life coaching, and substance abuse support.
Where is she licensed to practice?
She is licensed in California and holds the credential CA Psychologist 15383.
Which languages are used in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work together with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
Clients can meet by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules and preferences.
How are fees and starting therapy handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability and uses a subscription model that can be canceled at any time; to begin, select Start Therapy, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session.
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