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LMFT

Matthew Esselstrom, LMFT

  • Experience22 years
  • LocationCalifornia
  • Focus areasADHD, Stress and Anxiety, and Relationship
  • LanguagesEnglish
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About Matthew

Matthew Esselstrom is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) practicing in California with 22 years of professional experience.

Background and approach

He draws on long experience helping people manage stress and anxiety, address relationship and intimacy concerns, work through grief and trauma, and navigate mood and motivation challenges such as depression, bipolar symptoms, and addiction. Matthew emphasizes respect, sensitivity, and compassion in each therapeutic connection.

His approach is collaborative and individualized, shaping conversations and treatment plans to match a person’s circumstances and goals. Matthew also supports clients with self-esteem, anger management, sleeping and eating concerns, career and parenting stress, and areas like ADHD, attachment issues, and codependency.

He aims to empower clients to take courageous steps toward more fulfilling, functional lives while adapting methods to each person’s needs.

Evidence-based approaches and flexible online care

Matthew uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on practical change and emotional processing. One common approach emphasizes structured coping and skills practice to reduce anxiety, manage mood fluctuations, and improve sleep and daily functioning; this method teaches concrete strategies clients can apply between sessions. Another frequently used focus targets relational patterns and attachment, helping clients explore how past experiences shape current intimacy, communication, and codependency dynamics so they can build healthier connections.

Finding the right approach is part of the work itself, and Matthew collaborates with each person to determine which techniques best match their needs, goals, and preferences. He adapts methods over time, combining strategies and therapeutic pacing to create a plan that feels useful and realistic for the client.

Online therapy with Matthew is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to increase accessibility and scheduling flexibility. These formats make it easier to fit regular sessions into busy lives and to continue care through transitions, while allowing therapists and clients to focus on progress and practical tools.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does Matthew address?
He works with a broad range of issues including stress, anxiety, relationship and intimacy matters, grief, trauma, addictions, mood disorders such as depression and bipolar, as well as ADHD and related challenges.
What is his therapeutic style like?
Matthew emphasizes a respectful, sensitive, and compassionate tone while tailoring dialogue and treatment plans to each person’s needs. The process is collaborative and goal-oriented.
How long has he practiced clinically?
He brings 22 years of professional experience working with diverse concerns and combining practical strategies with supportive care.
What credentials and location apply?
He is a licensed marriage and family therapist, CA LMFT 37943, and practices in California.
Does he offer services in other languages or to international clients?
Sessions are provided in English and he is not currently accepting international clients.
Which session formats are available?
He offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences and schedules.
How are fees and subscriptions handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin therapy?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling according to therapist availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCoping with life changes

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseGriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersParenting issuesCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderDepressionCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeBlended family issuesCaregiver issues and stressCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)Divorce and separationDrug and alcohol addictionEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameImpulsivityInfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyMen's issuesMidlife crisisMood disordersNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Self-harmSelf-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaYoung adult issues

Experience

22+ years

Licensed

California

Languages

English