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LCSW

Esther Kennedy, LCSW

  • Experience35 years
  • LocationCalifornia
  • Focus areasADHD, Stress and Anxiety, and Trauma and abuse
  • Therapy approachesClient-Centered Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
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About Esther

Esther Kennedy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 35 years of experience helping people navigate stress, anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, and a range of life transitions.

Background and approach

She focuses on practical support and skills-building so clients can address relationship struggles, parenting challenges, career pressures, anger, and social-emotional development. Her work reflects a warm, nonjudgmental stance and an emphasis on cultural sensitivity and empathic listening.

Esther’s practice blends client-centered care with evidence-informed strategies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Emotionally-Focused and Mindfulness-based approaches. She has provided outpatient individual, family, and group services as well as psycho-social assessments, crisis intervention, case management, and substance misuse support.

Throughout her career she has partnered with children, adolescents, and adults to develop adaptive life skills, strengthen coping, and manage behavioral concerns. Clients seeking a collaborative therapist who combines practical tools with compassionate support will find Esther brings longstanding clinical experience and a focus on realistic, achievable goals.

She aims to help people build new patterns of coping and improve functioning across relationships, work, and daily life.

Practical approaches for online therapy and coping

Esther commonly uses Client-Centered Therapy, which emphasizes listening, empathy, and tailoring sessions to each person's values and goals. This approach helps people feel heard and supported while they explore changes they want to make. She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to identify unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns and to teach concrete skills for managing anxiety, depression, ADHD-related challenges, and stress. In some work she draws on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) techniques to build emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Finding the right blend of approaches is part of the therapeutic process, and Esther collaborates with clients to determine what methods best match their needs, goals, and personal preferences. She adjusts strategies over time, combining skill-building with empathic support so clients can try practical tools and refine what works.

Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which provides flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These formats make it possible to maintain continuity of care during busy periods and to use brief check-ins or longer sessions as needed, supporting progress across everyday life, work, and relationships.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she commonly help with?
Esther works with a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, self esteem, depression, coping with life changes, relationship and family challenges, parenting, anger, career concerns, and ADHD.
What is her general therapeutic style?
Her approach is client-centered and collaborative, blending empathy and cultural sensitivity with practical skills training from evidence-informed methods like CBT and DBT.
How much clinical experience does she have?
Esther brings 35 years of experience in behavioral health, including outpatient therapy, assessments, crisis intervention, case management, and group work.
What are her credentials and where is she located?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker - CA LCSW 12912 - and practices in California.
Does she work with clients who speak other languages or live abroad?
She conducts therapy in English and is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats are available?
Available formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to suit different preferences and scheduling needs.
How are fees and subscriptions handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling based on the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyTrauma and abuseSelf esteemDepressionCoping with life changes

Also works with

Relationship issuesFamily conflictsParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesADHD

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingSolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

35+ years

Licensed

California

Languages

English

What Esther can help with

Esther Kennedy works with clients on stress and anxiety, trauma and abuse, self esteem, depression, and coping with life changes.

Esther works with adults, children and adolescents.

Esther works with clients on anxiety.

How Esther approaches therapy

Esther's clinical approaches include Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Trauma-Focused Therapy.

Experience and training

Esther is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker practicing in California, with 35 years of clinical experience.