Charlene Alugbue
LCSW, 4 years of experience
About me
Hi, I’m Charlene, a licensed therapist dedicated to supporting individuals through anxiety, depression, trauma, and life transitions. I take an integrative, evidence-based approach, combining Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to help clients develop practical skills, increase self-awareness, and create lasting positive change. I believe that therapy is a collaborative process. I work alongside my clients to understand their unique experiences, identify patterns that may be holding them back, and develop strategies to manage emotions, improve relationships, and navigate life’s challenges with confidence. My approach is compassionate and nonjudgmental, providing a safe space to explore difficult emotions, heal from past experiences, and build the life you want. In our work together, you can expect to gain tools to cope with stress, regulate emotions, and reduce anxiety or depressive symptoms. I also focus on helping clients strengthen self-esteem, set healthy boundaries, and develop skills for resilience in everyday life. Whether you’re facing a major life change, struggling with ongoing emotional challenges, or simply seeking personal growth, my goal is to empower you to feel more in control, resilient, and aligned with your values.
Get to know me
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
In your first session with me, we will focus on getting to know each other and understanding your reasons for seeking therapy. I’ll ask you about your background, current concerns, and what you hope to achieve in therapy. Together, we’ll explore your goals and identify the challenges or patterns that may be keeping you stuck. I will also explain my approach to therapy, including the methods and tools we might use, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness techniques, or coping strategies tailored to your needs. You can expect a safe, nonjudgmental space where your experiences are heard and validated. By the end of our first session, we’ll have a clearer understanding of how we might work together, and you’ll leave with some initial insights or small strategies you can begin practicing right away. My goal is to make your first session informative, supportive, and empowering, setting the foundation for meaningful growth in therapy.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
One of my greatest strengths is my ability to create a safe, compassionate, and nonjudgmental space where clients feel heard and understood. I am skilled at helping clients identify unhelpful thought patterns, manage difficult emotions, and develop practical coping strategies that lead to meaningful change. I take a collaborative and individualized approach, tailoring therapy methods to each client’s unique needs, goals, and personality. I integrate evidence-based techniques, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and skills-based interventions, to help clients gain insight and build lasting resilience. Clients often appreciate my ability to balance empathy with structure—I provide support while guiding them toward actionable steps that create real progress. Many find that this approach not only helps them navigate current challenges but also equips them with tools to manage future stressors independently.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I work best with individuals who are motivated to understand themselves more deeply and develop practical strategies for managing life’s challenges. My ideal clients are those experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship difficulties, or stress related to life transitions, and who are open to exploring thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in a supportive, collaborative way. I particularly enjoy working with clients who want to build coping skills, increase self-confidence, and create meaningful changes in their daily lives.
Specialties
Top specialties
I identify as
Serves ages
My treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
In my work, I begin by helping clients develop awareness of their automatic thoughts and the connections between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. For example, I may use thought records, mood tracking, or guided reflection to help clients notice recurring cognitive distortions such as catastrophizing, overgeneralization, or all-or-nothing thinking. Once insight is established, I use collaborative interventions to challenge and restructure these maladaptive thought patterns. This may involve Socratic questioning, behavioral experiments, or cognitive reframing to help clients test the accuracy of their beliefs and replace them with more balanced, reality-based perspectives. Behavioral strategies are also an important component of my approach. Depending on the client’s needs, I integrate exposure techniques, activity scheduling, or behavioral activation to support clients in facing fears, increasing motivation, and reinforcing adaptive coping. In sessions, I emphasize skill-building and empowerment, teaching clients practical tools such as relaxation exercises, problem-solving strategies, and mindfulness-based techniques. I often assign homework between sessions to help clients apply what they learn in real-life contexts and reinforce long-term change. Throughout treatment, I maintain a collaborative and goal-oriented framework, reviewing progress regularly and adjusting interventions to meet each client’s unique needs and readiness for change. My goal is to help clients develop a deeper understanding of themselves, improve emotional regulation, and build sustainable coping strategies that foster resilience and well-being.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
My experience with DBT involves using its core principles in both individual and group therapy settings to support clients in managing overwhelming emotions, reducing harmful behaviors, and improving interpersonal effectiveness. My approach emphasizes a balance between acceptance and change, helping clients recognize and validate their emotional experiences while also developing practical skills to manage them more effectively. I integrate the four main components of DBT—mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness—into the therapeutic process. Through mindfulness, clients learn to stay present and observe their thoughts and emotions without judgment. Distress tolerance skills help them cope with crises and emotional pain without resorting to impulsive behaviors. Emotion regulation focuses on identifying and managing emotional triggers, while interpersonal effectiveness builds confidence in asserting needs and maintaining healthy boundaries.
Trauma Informed Care
My approach to trauma-informed care is grounded in the understanding that trauma affects how people think, feel, and relate to others. Rather than asking “What’s wrong with you?” the focus shifts to “What happened to you?” This perspective allows clients to explore their experiences without shame or judgment. I emphasize the core principles of trauma-informed practice, including safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment. Establishing safety—both emotional and physical—is always the first step, as healing can only occur when clients feel secure and supported. In sessions, I use grounding and self-regulation techniques to help clients manage distress and stay connected to the present moment. I also integrate psychoeducation to help clients understand how trauma impacts the brain and body, empowering them with knowledge about their symptoms and responses. My therapeutic style is collaborative and client-centered, allowing each person to set the pace of their healing journey. I am careful to avoid re-traumatization by checking in regularly about comfort levels and boundaries, and I focus on building resilience and restoring a sense of control and self-worth.