As a therapist, Julia works with college students and young adults just entering the workforce. Julia has been successful in helping clients find relief from painful past experiences and overcome barriers towards meeting their goals. In your work together, clients will be able to discover new insights about themselves and get to the root of their challenges. Julia's goal is to help clients regain control of their lives and see long term change, and she does so through exploring how family dynamics may impact self-esteem, using creative outlets to explore and express emotions related to self-worth, and improving relationships and communication skills to enhance self-confidence.

• Credentials: Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)

• Education: MA, Baruch College

• Specialties: Trauma, Anxiety, Relationships, Transitions, Boundaries

• Modalities Used: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Person-Centered Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Therapy, Psychodynamic

As a therapist, Maggie works with adults in their 20s and 30s dealing with a history of unresolved pain. With a keen awareness of both individual factors and the impacts of social injustice and intersectional oppression, Maggie supports her clients on their journeys of personal growth towards true healing. Maggie utilizes mindfulness practices, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), somatic therapy, and narrative therapy to help her clients understand and reimagine past experiences, challenge negative thinking, and promote holistic healing within their minds and bodies.

Maggie is passionate about creating a nurturing and welcoming therapeutic space for every client. As a therapist, she recognizes the vital role of lived experience in the healing process, and by prioritizing safety and client autonomy, Maggie partners with clients to explore how systemic, intergenerational, and interpersonal harm can impact mental health and well-being. Her mission is to partner with clients on their healing journey, helping them restore their sense of self, uncover their personal strengths, and cultivate peace in their body. Ultimately, she aims to empower clients to enhance their overall well-being and achieve their goals.

• Credentials: Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW)

• Education: MSW, Columbia School of Social Work

• Specialties: Trauma, Anxiety, and Depression

• Modalities Used: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Somatic Therapy, Narrative Therapy

As a therapist, Allie helps clients overcome negative self-talk, life transitions, relationship issues, and imposter syndrome and achieve an increased understanding of feelings, emotions, relationships, communication, and self-worth. Allie works primarily with adults having difficulty managing the stress of their relationships, career, life transitions, self-esteem, communication, and boundaries. Allie works with her clients to create a safe space, empathetic self-perception, and an inviting environment to help clients achieve their goals and build long-lasting skills.

Allie creates a nonjudgmental and affirming space where her clients can feel seen and validated. This emphasizes a collaborative approach that fosters self-trust and personal empowerment, which is crucial when navigating identity struggles and societal pressures. Allie helps her clients gain a better understanding of the underlying factors to low self-esteem, and address and reframe internalized negative beliefs, which leads to improving their self-concept.

• Credentials: Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)

• Education: MA, Baruch College

• Specialties: Trauma, Anxiety, Relationships, Transitions, Boundaries

• Modalities Used: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Person-Centered Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Therapy, Psychodynamic

Greta helps highly sensitive young adults transform shame into self-acceptance. She understands that sensitivity is often seen as weakness, but works with clients to embrace their emotional depth as a strength. Her warm, collaborative approach helps you build confidence and develop a more compassionate relationship with yourself.

• Credentials: Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW)

• Education: Columbia School of Social Work (MSW); Yale University (BA French & History)

• Specialties: Highly sensitive people, perfectionism, comparison, emotional regulation, self-acceptance

• Modalities Used: Psychodynamic Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, mindfulness-based approaches

Lily helps clients build self-esteem by aligning their external life with their authentic internal sense of self. Through exploring identity, sexuality, and relationships, she supports you in developing self-acceptance and confidence during major life transitions and periods of uncertainty and growth.

• Credentials: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Certified Sex Therapist

• Education: NYU Silver School of Social Work (MSW); Northwestern University (BS)

• Specialties: Identity formation, self-acceptance, boundary-setting, sexual confidence, relationship self-worth

• Modalities Used: Attachment-based therapy, Narrative therapy, Mindfulness, DBT, CBT, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

Liz uses a strengths-based approach to help teens and adults build genuine confidence from within. She focuses on helping you recognize your inherent worth, develop emotional resilience, and stay connected to your values while navigating life's challenges with greater self-assurance.

• Credentials: Licensed Mental Health Counselor with Diagnostic Privilege (LMHC-D)

• Education: Marist University (MA Mental Health Counseling); Marywood University (BS Clinical Psychology)

• Specialties: Building confidence, emotional resilience, values-based living, adolescent self-esteem

• Modalities Used: CBT, DBT, Psychodynamic therapy, mindfulness-based strategies

Your therapist will greet you and invite you to sit comfortably.

They'll ask how you're feeling and if there's anything specific you want to discuss.

You'll talk about your concerns, experiences, or goals for therapy.

Your therapist will ask questions to gain deeper insight into your thoughts and feelings.

Depending on the therapy type, you might engage in specific exercises or activities.

Your therapist may offer observations or suggestions based on your discussion.

You might receive tasks or homework to complete between sessions.

The therapist will summarize the session and set the stage for the next meeting.

You'll confirm your next appointment before leaving so that you don’t leave it open-ended.

Low self-esteem is a complex issue that can stem from various sources throughout a person's life, like criticism from others, negative experiences, and internal feelings of failure.. It's often the result of a combination of factors, rather than a single cause, and can develop gradually over time.

Some potential factors that can contribute to self-esteem issues include:

• Childhood experiences, such as neglect, abuse, or excessive criticism

• Academic or professional failures

• Traumatic life events or prolonged stress

• Negative body image or physical health problems

• Social isolation or difficulties in relationships

• Cultural or societal pressures and expectations

• Comparison to unrealistic standards set by social media

• Perfectionism and setting unattainable goals

• Genetic predisposition to mental health issues like depression or anxiety

• Lack of positive reinforcement or support from significant others

• Experiencing discrimination or prejudice

• Economic hardship or job insecurity

It's important to remember that everyone's journey with self-esteem is unique. What impacts one person may not affect another in the same way. Through therapy, you can work with a professional to uncover the specific factors that have played a role in your own struggles with confidence. This personalized understanding is key to developing effective strategies for building a stronger, more positive self-image and improving your overall well-being.

There isn't a single "best" therapy for self-esteem issues, as the most effective approach often depends on the individual's unique circumstances and needs. However, several therapeutic modalities have shown promising results in treating low self-esteem:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

• Psychodynamic Therapy

• Mindfulness-Based Therapies

• Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)

• Gestalt Therapy

• Positive Psychology Interventions

All of our therapists use psychodynamic and cognitive behavioral therapies, meaning that they look back at your childhood with you to explore early experiences and messages, and then they identify where those messages became cognitive loops or thought patterns that cause certain behaviors today, in order to rewrite those cognitive loops and introduce healthier behaviors and internal narratives. Our therapists use an integrative approach, combining techniques from different modalities to tailor treatment to each client's specific needs. 

As virtual therapists serving the entirety of New York state, we can work with you anytime, anywhere, any way that suits you best. You can meet in the mornings after dropping the kids off at school, during your lunch break from a conference room, in the afternoon as you take your daily walk, or in the evening when everything is quiet and you have time to yourself. All you need is a quiet space and an internet connection. No sweaty commute. No awkward waiting room. Just expert support, wherever.

Therapy for low self-esteem will often uncover some root causes that meet the criteria for diagnosing anxiety, depression, or another mental health diagnosis whose treatment is covered by insurance. Discuss your concerns with your therapist during your initial free consultation, and they will be able to provide more information about a potential diagnosis should you decide to work together. Contact your insurance company to learn the particulars of your specific plan.

We are in network with all of the following New York state healthcare plans:

• Aetna

• Anthem

• Blue Cross Blue Shield

• Empire

• Optum

• Oscar

• United 

• Aetna EAP

• Spring Health EAP

and approved out of network providers for all other commercial healthcare plans.