- Guilt and shame work
- Trauma and abuse
- LGBT concerns
About Arlene
Arlene Drake is a California licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) with 40 years of professional experience. She works with adults dealing with relationship concerns, trauma and abuse, LGBT issues, stress and anxiety, and life changes. She also addresses intimacy-related problems and career or family strains.
Arlene approaches therapy as a collaborative process. She treats each person as the expert on their own life and looks for strengths to build on. Sessions focus on practical steps and honest conversation rather than jargon or long lists of techniques.
When guilt or shame is part of the concern, she helps people name those feelings and look at how they affect choices and relationships. She talks through the events and patterns that keep those feelings active. The goal in sessions is clearer thinking and more manageable next steps, not quick fixes.
Her work draws on evidence-based therapeutic techniques to address trauma, attachment issues, and relationship patterns. She pays attention to how past losses, abandonment, or discrimination may shape current behavior and self-view. This includes help with issues such as infidelity, codependency, body image, and post-traumatic stress.
People meet with her to sort out complicated family problems, to consider separation or divorce, or to work on commitment and intimacy concerns. She also supports those navigating adoption and foster care questions, aging and geriatric issues, and broader life-purpose concerns. Sessions are conversational and focused on practical change.
Arlene conducts her practice in California and works in English. Before booking, people should confirm the current session options and scheduling details through the service's online process.
Evidence-based approaches and online sessions
Arlene uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on how past experiences shape current feelings and behavior. One common thread is work on trauma-related responses, which involves identifying triggers and practicing ways to reduce their hold on daily functioning. This kind of work can help when post-traumatic stress or past abuse affects relationships and mood.Another area she emphasizes is attachment and relationship-focused work. This approach looks at patterns in close relationships, helps people notice how those patterns repeat, and practices different ways of relating that feel safer and more effective. It can be useful for intimacy issues, codependency, and commitment concerns.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. She will collaborate with each person to decide which techniques fit their needs, goals, and preferences. That process usually begins with a short assessment and then adjusts as the person and therapist learn what helps most.
Confirm the session formats before booking to know what is offered. Many people value online sessions for fitting therapy into a busy week, shortening travel time, or allowing a quieter check-in during a lunch break. Others prefer settings that involve less video or a shorter phone-style conversation; check current options to see what is possible with this practice.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Experience
40+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she help with?
She works with relationship issues, trauma and abuse, LGBT concerns, stress, anxiety, life changes, and intimacy-related problems, plus related topics such as infidelity and codependency.
How would she approach shame or guilt?
She helps name and track those feelings, examines the events and patterns that keep them active, and looks for concrete steps that reduce their impact on daily life.
What is her professional background?
She has 40 years of professional experience working with adults on relationships, trauma, and life transitions.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is a California LMFT and practices in California.
Which languages are supported in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are sessions paid for?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.