Arlene Drake, LMFT

Arlene Drake is a licensed marriage and family therapist with 40 years of experience. She helps people facing sexual intimacy concerns, relationship struggles, anxiety, stress, and life transitions. She also supports those working through trauma, family conflict, and issues related to identity and belonging.

She approaches therapy with respect for each person's story and strengths. Arlene believes clients are the experts on their lives and works alongside them to set practical goals. Sessions focus on clear steps, honest conversation, and building skills to manage emotions and improve relationships.

In practice she draws on evidence-based therapeutic techniques to address trauma, attachment patterns, and intimacy-related problems. Typical work might include talking through past hurts, noticing unhelpful patterns in relationships, and practicing new ways of relating. She also helps people cope with major life changes and the stress that comes with them.

Arlene has spent four decades helping adults in California navigate complex personal issues. Her style is straightforward and supportive. She aims to create a space where difficult topics can be addressed without judgment.

Clients who choose her can expect collaborative goal setting and practical strategies tailored to their situation. She encourages follow-through between sessions and revisits approaches when something isn’t working. To begin, visitors are asked to complete a short questionnaire and schedule based on availability.

Practical approaches for intimacy and healing online

Arlene uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on relationships, trauma recovery, and improving intimacy. One common approach helps people notice old patterns in relationships and try new behaviors; this supports work on communication, commitment concerns, and rebuilding trust. Another approach focuses on processing traumatic experiences in small, manageable steps so symptoms like hypervigilance, avoidance, or shame become easier to handle and day-to-day functioning improves.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will listen to your goals and preferences and recommend methods that fit your needs. This is a collaborative process and adjustments are made when something is not helping.

If you are considering online therapy, confirm current session options before booking since formats are not specified here. Many people find that remote sessions help fit therapy into busy schedules, reduce travel time, and make it easier to keep regular appointments. Others appreciate shorter check-ins when time is limited or choosing audio-only when bandwidth is low. Discuss practical arrangements during the initial scheduling so sessions match your day-to-day life and therapeutic goals.