Dr. Darlene Viggiano
Practical relationship and trauma-focused therapy
LMFT California
- Experience
- 18 years in practice
- Focus areas
- Relationship, Family, Trauma and abuse
- Approaches
- Gottman Method, Attachment-Based Therapy
- Languages
- English
About Darlene
Dr. Darlene Viggiano helps people facing relationship strain, trauma, grief, addiction, anxiety, and stress.
Background and approach
She also supports those dealing with parenting challenges, sleep problems, anger, self-esteem issues, and life changes. Darlene is a licensed marriage and family therapist with almost two decades of clinical experience in California.
She approaches work in a straightforward, practical way. Sessions focus on communication, coping skills, and concrete steps to reduce conflict and distress.
She draws on several methods to match what each person needs in the room, and she keeps language plain and direct so parents can follow along easily. Her background includes clinical leadership and work in intensive outpatient programs.
Early in her career she led batterers' intervention and provided services for dual diagnosis and perinatal substance use. She has also offered anger management, couples communication work, hypnosis, and mindful movement in clinical settings.
Darlene earned a PhD in Psychology from Saybrook University in 2010 and a master's degree from National University in 1995. Her license as a marriage and family therapist dates back to 1999, and she holds a certification in clinical hypnosis from the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis.
She has presented workshops on Jungian and transpersonal topics and authored two books on dreams and pregnancy loss. That combination of academic training and hands-on clinical work shapes a practical, informed approach to common family and relationship problems.
Clients can expect a collaborative process that balances emotional work with clear skill-building. Dr.
Viggiano uses tools that address patterns in relationships while helping individuals handle everyday stresses and long-term concerns.
How online sessions use relationship and attachment approaches
Dr. Viggiano often draws on the Gottman Method to address relationship patterns and improve communication. Gottman-informed work focuses on practical exercises couples and partners can use to reduce conflict and rebuild connection. Attachment-Based Therapy is also part of her approach and looks at how early bonds shape current relationship reactions; this helps people understand why they respond the way they do and how to form steadier emotional ties.Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. The therapist and client will decide together which tools to use based on goals, comfort, and what is happening in sessions. This collaborative planning means methods can shift over time as needs change.
Online therapy offers flexibility for people balancing work, childcare, and travel. Video calls allow face-to-face interaction when tone and nonverbal cues matter. Phone sessions work when bandwidth is limited or a quieter voice check-in is easier. Live chat and text-based messaging suit brief check-ins, homework support, or days when a shorter contact is preferred. These formats let licensed professionals deliver focused relationship work and coping strategies without requiring in-person visits.
Frequently asked questions
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Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
18+ years
Licensed in
California
Languages
English