01 · Who Marlene works with

Marlene works with stress, Anxiety, addictions and anger management

Marlene lists 5 specialisms and 17 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Marlene chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Marlene's own words

What Marlene says about the work

Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.

As a licensed therapist in California, I specialize in supporting individuals navigating complex life transitions and personal challenges. My professional approach centers on empowering clients to develop resilience, self-understanding, and meaningful strategies for emotional wellness.

I have extensive experience helping individuals address stress, anxiety, addiction, and self-esteem challenges. My practice focuses on supporting women and men through significant life changes, including divorce, midlife transitions, attachment issues, and healing from past trauma. I am deeply committed to creating a compassionate, non-judgmental space where clients can explore their experiences and cultivate self-love and personal growth.

My therapeutic work emphasizes understanding individual narratives, supporting emotional healing, and helping clients develop robust coping mechanisms. I draw from evidence-based practices to guide individuals toward greater self-awareness, emotional balance, and personal empowerment. Whether you're confronting relationship challenges, processing life transitions, or seeking deeper self-understanding, I'm dedicated to walking alongside you with genuine care and professional expertise.

Marlene Favors, on the BetterHelp listing · read 9 Oct 2026

03 · How Marlene works

The 4 approaches Marlene lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Marlene lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Marlene's - a general explanation of what each method is, so the list means something before you have spoken to anybody. They are not a claim about how Marlene runs a session.

Acceptance and Commitment TherapyACT

Rather than trying to argue a painful thought away, ACT works on loosening its grip and getting on with what matters to you anyway. Sessions spend real time naming your values, then building action around them while difficult feelings are still present.

Cognitive Behavioural TherapyCBT

Structured, present-focused work on the loop between what you think, how you feel and what you then do. Usually means noticing a thought pattern in the room, testing it against evidence, and practising something different between sessions. Among the most heavily researched talking therapies for depression and anxiety.

Dialectical Behaviour TherapyDBT

A structured skills-led adaptation of CBT built around holding two things at once: accepting yourself as you are and working to change. Teaches concrete skills for distress tolerance, emotion regulation and relationships. Developed for people whose feelings arrive at overwhelming intensity, and strongest-evidenced there.

Motivational InterviewingMI

A way of talking about change with somebody who is genuinely in two minds about it. The therapist does not argue for the change; they help you say your own reasons out loud, which is the part that predicts whether it happens. Common around substance use and health behaviour.

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Marlene practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Marlene's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.

1. A questionnaire, not a booking form

   BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Marlene at this point.

2. Naming Marlene specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Marlene is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Marlene.

3. If the caseload is full

   You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.

4. The first conversation

   A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.

5. If the fit is wrong

   Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.

05 · Before you commit

2 questions worth asking Marlene

Built from what Marlene actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Marlene's - Marlene has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.

• “How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”

  On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.

• “You offer sessions in English and Spanish. Does the work change depending on which we use?”

  People often reach different material in a first language than in a second. Worth naming before you choose.

06 · Practical details

Credentials and licensing

Credential

LMFT

Licensed in

California

Licence

CA LMFT 154534

Licence number

154534

Licence expires

30 Apr 2027

NPI

1487152161

Years in practice

11

Gender

Female

Languages

English, Spanish

International clients

Not accepted

Listed since

15 May 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Marlene's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 9 Oct 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.

The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.

Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Marlene. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.

Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.