Dr. Darlene Viggiano , LMFT

Dr. Darlene Viggiano is a licensed marriage and family therapist and scholar who blends clinical practice with academic training. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology from Saybrook University in 2010 and completed a Master of Psychology at National University in 1995. Her professional license as an LMFT - a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist - dates back to 1999, and her background includes roles as an Intensive Outpatient Program clinician, case manager, and clinical lead supervisor.

Across her career she has provided training for paraprofessionals and students in therapeutic methods for working with abuse, addiction, and related clinical concerns. Her clinical work has addressed a wide range of difficulties, including treatment for adults molested as children, batterers intervention, dual diagnosis, infidelity, and perinatal substance abuse. She has also facilitated programs in anger management, couples communication, hypnosis, and mindful movement.

Dr. Viggiano holds certification in Clinical Hypnosis from the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis and earlier earned certification in the Duluth Model Batterers Intervention. She has presented workshops in Jungian and transpersonal psychology and authored two books: Dreams and Dream-like Experiences - Their role in spiritual emergence processes, and Carrying On - A workbook for women who’ve lost a pregnancy. Professional memberships have included the American Society for Clinical Hypnosis and the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, and she has been affiliated with the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis and the American Psychological Association Division 30, from which she received an Early Career Contribution Award.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Dr. Viggiano integrates Attachment-Based Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Emotionally-Focused Therapy into her clinical work. Attachment-Based Therapy explores how early relationship patterns shape current bonds and helps people improve connection and trust in intimate and family relationships. CBT focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns and teaching practical strategies to manage anxiety, depression, and stress. Emotionally-Focused Therapy centers on emotional experience within relationships, guiding couples and family members to recognize and reshape interaction patterns that drive conflict and disconnection.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Dr. Viggiano works with clients to assess their needs, goals, and preferences and tailors therapy accordingly, combining elements from different approaches when that best serves the client.

Online therapy modalities - including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging - make it easier to fit care into busy lives and to access licensed professionals from different locations. These options provide flexibility in scheduling, allow ongoing support between sessions, and can help maintain continuity of care when in-person visits are not possible.