Dr. Carole Matlen , CA Psychologist 17461

Dr. Carole Matlen is a licensed psychologist practicing in California with three decades of clinical experience. She blends a teaching and ministry background with long clinical practice to offer a compassionate, thoughtful approach to care. Her work has spanned many settings, which informs a broad, accepting perspective when addressing complex emotional and relational challenges.

Dr. Matlen concentrates on a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and intimacy difficulties, eating and body-image issues, addictions, grief and loss, family and parenting problems, anger, self-esteem, career concerns, bipolar disorder, and coping with life changes. She also addresses focused areas such as abandonment, adoption and foster care, attachment issues, blended family dynamics, communication and control problems, codependency, and family-of-origin wounds.

Her therapeutic stance emphasizes strengthening resilience and building self-confidence. She integrates evidence-informed methods - including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) - tailoring interventions to the individual. Dr. Matlen holds a California license as a psychologist (CA Psychologist 17461) and draws on a range of modalities to fit each person’s needs.

She approaches care as a collaborative process, partnering with people to clarify goals and apply practical strategies that support meaningful, sustainable change.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify their values and take action toward a meaningful life while learning to accept difficult thoughts and feelings. It is often useful for anxiety, stress, and patterns that keep people stuck. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on patterns of relating that originate in early relationships and helps rebuild trust, safety, and connection in current relationships - it can be especially helpful for intimacy, abandonment, and family-of-origin concerns.

Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathy, active listening, and support to help people develop self-awareness and self-directed growth. It is often combined with other methods to strengthen confidence and personal agency when facing life transitions, grief, or identity issues.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey. Dr. Matlen collaborates with each person to identify goals, explore preferences, and adapt methods so that therapy fits the individual’s needs and pace. This collaborative process helps determine whether ACT, attachment work, client-centered methods, or a blend of approaches will be most helpful.

Online therapy offers flexibility by enabling sessions through video calls, phone conversations, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules, maintain continuity through life changes, and access licensed professionals from different locations. The variety of formats supports different communication styles and practical needs while preserving the therapeutic relationship and progress.