Dr. Carole Matlen, CA Psychologist
Compassionate psychologist focusing on practical change
Details
| Name | Dr. Carole Matlen |
|---|---|
| Credentials | CA Psychologist |
| Based in | California |
| Licensed in | California |
| Session format | Online |
| Languages | English |
| Years in practice | 30 |
About Carole
Dr. Carole Matlen is a California psychologist with three decades of experience helping people manage stressful life changes. She combines practical methods with a calm, accepting approach.
People come to her for issues like anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship strain, and eating concerns. Dr. Matlen brings a background in teaching and ministry to her clinical work, which shapes how she listens and responds.
She aims to build on each person's strengths and boost self-confidence.
Background and approach
Sessions focus on concrete steps as well as understanding emotional patterns from the past. She uses short-term, reality-based techniques alongside deeper work about personal history when that fits. Dr.
Matlen works with common life difficulties such as grief, anger, parenting strain, and complications after separation or loss. She also supports people facing body image and eating concerns, addiction struggles, and challenges tied to abandonment or family of origin issues. Her practice blends Narrative methods with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment-based ideas, client-centered listening, and cognitive behavioral techniques.
These different approaches are selected to match each person’s needs instead of following a single formula. Sessions are offered in English and take place through video calls, phone, live chat, or text messaging. Her credential is CA Psychologist 17461, and she practices in California.
Dr. Matlen aims for a collaborative, respectful process that focuses on practical change and clearer personal meaning.
What this therapist works with
Her listing names Stress, Anxiety, Relationship issues, Trauma and abuse among the things Carole works with, alongside the areas below.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
- Intimacy-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Addictions
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Attachment issues
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Dependent personality
- Divorce and separation
- Eating and food-related issues
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexual dysfunction
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Approaches listed
- Narrative Therapy: Named in her listing among her approaches.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Listed by Carole among the ways she works.
- Attachment-Based Therapy: Listed by Carole among the ways she works.
- Client-Centered Therapy: Listed by Carole among the ways she works.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Listed by Carole among the ways she works.
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT): Listed by Carole among the ways she works.
- Existential Therapy: Listed by Carole among the ways she works.
- Jungian Therapy: Listed by Carole among the ways she works.
- Mindfulness Therapy: Listed by Carole among the ways she works.
- Motivational Interviewing: Listed by Carole among the ways she works.
- Psychodynamic Therapy: Listed by Carole among the ways she works.
- Solution-Focused Therapy: Listed by Carole among the ways she works.
- Trauma-Focused Therapy: Listed by Carole among the ways she works.
- Training stated: This directory copies the approaches a therapist names and does not check training records. Ask Carole directly how much of the work is narrative and what a session usually looks like.
Narrative Therapy in this listing
Narrative Therapy appears in this therapist's own list of approaches. That tells you it is part of how she works. It does not tell you how much of a session it shapes, and this directory does not check or rate training.
If a narrative approach is what you are looking for, it is worth asking Carole directly how she uses it and what a session usually looks like.
Online session options
Narrative and Practical Approaches for Online Therapy
Dr. Matlen uses Narrative Therapy to help people rewrite the stories that shape their lives. This approach helps when past patterns make current problems feel stuck by separating problems from a person and exploring alternate meanings.She also uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to teach clearer values-based choices and practical skills for coping with painful thoughts and feelings. ACT can help with anxiety, depression, and life transitions by focusing on action that matters to the client.
Attachment-based ideas guide work on close relationships and recurring emotional reactions rooted in early bonds. These sessions look at how connection patterns affect trust, intimacy, and conflict.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. Dr. Matlen will talk with each person about goals and preferences and then try methods that fit. She adapts over time, combining narrative, ACT, and attachment perspectives as needed so the plan feels collaborative and sensible.
Online therapy offers flexibility for busy schedules. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when themes benefit from visual cues. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or for shorter check-ins. Live chat and text messaging provide options for brief updates, between-session coaching, or people who prefer writing. These formats make it easier to keep continuity of care across distance and changing life demands.
Common questions about this listing
What kinds of concerns does she help with?
She helps people dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and intimacy issues, eating and body image concerns, addictions, grief, parenting strain, anger, and self-esteem struggles.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is collaborative and practical. She builds on strengths, uses short-term steps, and also looks at the story behind recurring feelings and behaviors.
What kind of experience does she bring?
She has 30 years of clinical experience and has worked in a range of settings. Her background in teaching and ministry informs how she listens and supports clients.
What credentials and where does she practice?
She is listed as CA Psychologist 17461 and practices in California.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the U.S. work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are available?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and communication preferences.
How does billing and getting started work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability and uses a subscription that can be canceled at any time. To begin, select the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.
Contacting this therapist
Sessions with Carole are arranged through our partner platform. It asks a few questions about what you are looking for, then shows you the therapists available to you, including Carole where she has space. Ask about fees, and whether she holds a licence or registration where you live.
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