- CBT techniques
- ACT strategies
- Motivational interviewing
About Marlene
Marlene Favors is a California licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) with 11 years of experience. She helps people who are carrying guilt or shame, and those dealing with stress, anxiety, addiction, anger, low self-esteem, and major life changes. Sessions are offered in English and Spanish. She does not accept international clients at this time.
Her approach focuses on clear, usable skills and honest conversation. She uses tools from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people notice thought patterns and choose actions that matter to them. Motivational Interviewing and Dialectical Behavior Therapy techniques are used when someone needs help shifting behavior or managing strong emotions.
Marlene pays careful attention to attachment and abandonment concerns, family problems, and the strain caregivers often carry. She also works with people processing divorce, separation, domestic violence, immigration stress, and feelings of emptiness or isolation. Guilt and shame are named concerns she addresses in session.
In a typical meeting she listens for the stories keeping someone stuck, then offers practical steps to practice between sessions. She helps people build coping strategies for day-to-day life and develop clearer communication skills. Her work aims to increase emotional awareness and reduce patterns that lead to self-criticism.
Clients can expect straightforward, goal-focused conversation and skill-building. To begin, people complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session through the service button provided.
How her approaches translate to online sessions
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on noticing unhelpful thoughts and choosing values-based actions. It helps people who feel stuck by shifting the relationship to their internal experience rather than trying to eliminate difficult feelings. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches concrete skills to reduce anxiety, manage guilt, and change unhelpful patterns. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) adds skills for tolerating intense emotions and improving emotional regulation when someone is overwhelmed.Finding the right approach is part of the work together. She will discuss how these methods might fit a person's needs and goals and adjust the mix based on what proves most useful. That collaborative process helps shape session focus and the homework or practice tasks between meetings.
Confirm the specific session formats before booking, as options are not listed here. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, shorten travel time, and allow for brief check-ins when schedules require. They also make it possible to practice skills in everyday settings and to schedule conversations without taking a full day away from work or family life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
11+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English, Spanish
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address related to guilt and shame?
She works with guilt and shame alongside stress, anxiety, addiction, anger, self-esteem, and life changes. Attachment, abandonment, forgiveness, and family problems are also areas she addresses.
How would she approach a client stuck in shame from childhood?
She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help identify unhelpful thoughts and practice new responses. Sessions include skills and reflective work to slowly shift long-held patterns.
What is her clinical background and experience?
She is an LMFT in California with 11 years of clinical experience working with people through life transitions and personal challenges.
Where is she licensed and based?
She holds a California LMFT credential and practices in California.
Which languages are available for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and Spanish.
Can people outside the United States work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are sessions scheduled and what about cost?
Sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time and cost varies with location. Exact pricing is provided during the sign-up process.
What are the first steps to begin sessions?
Start by selecting the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then 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.