Online therapy · Massachusetts & New York

“Every soul journeys down into this world with two suitcases. One is packed with challenges. The other holds the strengths to meet them.”

— Aron Moss

I'm Esther, and I help you unpack the second suitcase. Our sessions offer warm, practical, evidence-based therapy for anxiety, OCD, ADHD, and life's transitions. Adults and teens meet with me online across Massachusetts and New York.

Book a free 15-minute call See how I work

LICSW · LCSW Nearly a decade in practice In-network with major plans

Specialties

What I help with

Maybe your mind won't stop running worst-case scenarios, or the day keeps disappearing while the to-do list doesn't. You might just be looking for better tools — for dating, parenting, or changes at work. Either way, we work on strategies that stick and help you adjust.

Anxiety & panic

Quiet an alarm system that keeps going off without a fire.

We map what sets off the spiral, then build skills to interrupt it — so a racing heart or a racing mind stops running your day. Expect concrete practices, not vague reassurance.

OCD & intrusive thoughts

Unwanted thoughts lose their grip when you stop wrestling them.

I use Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) — the gold-standard treatment for OCD. Gently, at your pace, you learn that the thoughts are noise, not orders. Scrupulosity and religious OCD included.

ADHD & time management

Time, tasks, and organization — systems that work with your brain, not against it.

Missed deadlines and mounting piles aren't a character flaw. We build routines, external structure, and self-compassion that actually hold up on a bad day.

Life transitions

New city, new baby, new chapter — support while the ground moves.

Even good change is destabilizing. Therapy gives you a steady place to sort out who you are in the new chapter and what you want from it.

Parenting

I teach parents strategies to manage their children's disruptive behavior.

You're not failing — you're outmatched by a pattern. We build a calm, consistent plan for the flashpoints (mornings, homework, bedtime) and practice it until home feels steadier.

Dating & marriage

Real tools for finding a relationship — and for strengthening one.

Daters get steadier footing for the discouragement and second-guessing. Spouses get practical tools for communication and closeness. Either way: fewer loops, clearer lines.

The approach

Warm, collaborative, and skills-focused.

You'll feel understood — and you'll leave each session with something to use.

We name it

What's actually happening, in plain language — often a relief all by itself.

You get tools

Evidence-based skills matched to you, taught in session.

We make it stick

Practice between sessions until the tools hold on hard days.

ACTStop fighting your thoughts. Start moving toward what matters.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy teaches you to unhook from unhelpful thoughts instead of arguing with them, and to put your energy into the life you actually want — values first, feelings following.

CBTCatch the thought patterns that drive the spiral.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy connects the dots between thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Once you can see the pattern in real time, you can change it — with skills you keep for life.

ERPFace fears in small, planned doses until they shrink.

Exposure and Response Prevention is the most-researched treatment for OCD. Together we approach the feared thing step by step — without the rituals — and your brain learns, from experience, that you're safe.

About

A little about me

I'm a licensed clinical social worker (LICSW in Massachusetts, LCSW in New York) with nearly a decade of experience. I see adults and teens 13+, entirely online. My style is warm and direct: you'll feel heard, and you'll leave with something to use.

I'm deeply at home in the Jewish community — clients from every corner of it never have to translate their world for me. And clients of every background are welcome here.

More about my path

Before and alongside private practice, I've spent years working across Jewish communal and educational settings — from Modern Orthodox to Syrian and Yeshivish communities — which taught me how much culture shapes the way we struggle and the way we heal. My clinical training is in ACT, CBT, and ERP, and I keep sessions practical: insight matters, but so does what you do Tuesday at 4pm when the anxiety spikes.

The practical part

Fees & insurance

No surprises. Here's exactly how it works.

Session (50 min)$150–175

Sliding scaleLimited spots — just ask

Free consult call15 minutes, no commitment

WhereSecure video · MA & NY

AetnaEmpire BlueCrossOptumOxfordUnitedHealthcare

Do you take my insurance?

I'm in-network with the plans listed here, billed through Alma or Headway. On our free call we'll confirm your exact plan and what a session will cost you — usually just your copay.

Is online therapy actually effective?

For anxiety, OCD, and the other concerns I treat, research consistently finds telehealth as effective as in-person care — and it means no commute, no waiting room, and sessions from wherever you're comfortable.

Do you see teenagers?

Yes — I work with teens 13 and up, and with their parents when helpful.

What happens on the free call?

Fifteen relaxed minutes. You share what's going on, ask me anything, and we see if it feels like a fit. If I'm not the right person, I'll point you to someone who is.

How long will I be in therapy?

As long as it's useful, and no longer. Some people come for a season around something specific; others stay for deeper work. We check in regularly so therapy keeps serving you — not the other way around.

Prefer to get a feel for Esther first?

Watch her speak — a few minutes tells you more than any bio.

Watch on YouTube

Next step

Ready when you are.

A free 15-minute call — no forms to dread, no commitment. Just a conversation to see if we're a fit.

estherebsteinlicsw@gmail.comthe fastest way to reach Esther

Book through Almainsurance & scheduling handled there

Book through Headwaycoming soon

Esther replies within 1–2 business days. Reaching out is the hardest step — it gets easier from here.