Hi, I'm Arlene, a licensed clinical social worker in the state of NJ and I have been practicing for almost a decade. I am dedicated to helping individuals untangle their thoughts, strengthen their emotional resilience, and create meaningful change. Whether you're navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, relationships, or just feeling stuck, I’m here to offer a grounded space where healing and growth can happen, without judgment, and at your pace.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
In our first session together, we'll start with brief introductions. You can expect a warm welcome, active listening in a relaxed environment, and judgment-free conversation where we’ll get to know each other. Then we will dive into the specific challenges you're facing. I’ll ask about what’s bringing you in, your goals, and your personal history. This will help me create a tailored plan for us to work through in follow-up sessions. It’s also a chance for you to ask questions and see if we’re a good fit. Together, we’ll engage in collaborative goal-setting to start shaping a plan that feels right for you.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
One of my greatest strengths as a provider is my ability to create a safe, empowering, and nonjudgmental space where clients feel truly heard and understood. I’m deeply empathetic, curious, and collaborative, which helps me meet clients where they are while gently guiding them toward growth. Having worked with a wide range of individuals experiencing various life challenges for the past 9 years, I also bring strong clinical insight and the ability to tailor my approach to each person’s unique needs and pace, while we identify the root causes of your challenges and develop strategies to address them.
Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.
I enjoy working with individuals who are ready to explore their inner world, even if they’re not exactly sure where to start. They may feel overwhelmed, stuck, or disconnected, but they’re open to being curious, honest, and gently challenged in the process. Whether they’re navigating anxiety, life transitions, relationship patterns, or just a general sense that “something isn’t right,” they’re committed to growth, even when it’s uncomfortable. I especially enjoy working with people who are reflective, emotionally intelligent (or want to be), and value a warm, collaborative therapeutic relationship.
About Arlene Joseph-Younger
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VirtualMy treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
As a licensed clinical therapist, I regularly use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in my clinical work with individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, and stress-related disorders. Over the years, I've found CBT to be highly effective in helping clients recognize the connection between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. I often begin by working collaboratively with clients to identify unhelpful thought patterns that contribute to emotional distress. From there, we use structured techniques such as cognitive restructuring, behavioral activation, and exposure exercises to challenge these thoughts and develop healthier coping mechanisms. My clients often report feeling more equipped to manage their challenges after just a few sessions. Overall, CBT allows me to offer a structured, evidence-based approach that produces real and lasting change.
Trauma Informed Care
In my work as a therapist, I consistently apply a trauma-informed approach across all areas of my practice. Trauma-Informed Care is not a specific set of techniques, but rather a framework that emphasizes understanding, recognizing, and responding to the effects of trauma. I ensure that every interaction with clients is grounded in principles of safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment. Many of the individuals I work with have histories of trauma—whether developmental, interpersonal, or systemic. I focus on creating a safe therapeutic environment where clients feel heard and in control of their healing process. I integrate trauma-informed principles with evidence-based modalities such as CPT, or somatic-based therapies, depending on the client's needs. I also pay close attention to the mind-body connection, helping clients notice and regulate their physiological responses to stress and trauma. My goal is always to support healing in a way that avoids re-traumatization, respects clients' lived experiences, and reinforces their strengths. Over time, I've seen how a trauma-informed lens helps build trust and significantly improves outcomes, especially for clients who have previously struggled to engage in traditional therapeutic models.
Prolonged Exposure Therapy
In my work with clients, I start by educating them about how trauma impacts the brain and the body, and the role avoidance plays in maintaining PTSD symptoms. I explain that while it may feel overwhelming at first, the goal of PE is to help them face their trauma in a way that decreases the emotional charge over time. Throughout the process, I provide a lot of support, ensuring clients feel safe and validated. I also emphasize that it's normal for emotions to intensify before they get better, and we work at a pace that feels manageable. One of the most rewarding aspects of using PE is seeing how clients, over time, regain control over their lives. They go from being overwhelmed by their memories and avoidance behaviors to finding relief and a sense of mastery over their trauma.
Eclectic
As a therapist, I utilize an eclectic approach, drawing from a variety of therapeutic modalities to tailor treatment to the unique needs and preferences of each client. I believe that no single therapy fits every person, and my goal is to create a flexible, individualized treatment plan that incorporates the best techniques from different therapeutic approaches. What I appreciate about the eclectic approach is that it allows me to be responsive to the client’s changing needs. I find that many clients benefit from this flexible approach, as it allows me to draw on multiple perspectives and tools to address a range of emotional, cognitive, and behavioral issues. The eclectic approach also encourages me to remain open-minded, creative, and responsive in the therapeutic process. By pulling from a diverse set of modalities, I’m able to help clients develop practical coping skills, gain insight into their emotions, and work toward lasting change in a way that feels personalized and holistic.
Attachment-based
In my work as a therapist, I often use attachment-based therapy to help clients explore how early relational experiences, particularly with primary caregivers, have shaped their current emotional patterns, self-perception, and relationships. I find this approach especially valuable when working with individuals who struggle with trust, intimacy, abandonment fears, or emotional regulation. Many of my clients come to therapy with histories of inconsistent, neglectful, or even traumatic early relationships. As we explore these experiences together, I help them recognize how these past dynamics influence their present behaviors, such as avoidance, people-pleasing, or fear of closeness. A key part of my role is to provide a secure therapeutic relationship where clients can begin to experience a different kind of connection, one that is consistent, attuned, and nonjudgmental. I often integrate attachment theory with other modalities like Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), psychodynamic therapy, or trauma-informed approaches, depending on the client's needs. Using an attachment-based lens has been deeply impactful in my practice, particularly for those who may not have experienced safe or reliable caregiving early in life.