Charlene Esquilin, LCSW

Charlene Esquilin is a licensed clinical social worker with ten years of experience helping people manage stress and emotional challenges. She works with adults who are coping with anxiety, depression, grief, relationship strain, addiction, and life transitions. Charlene aims to make therapy straightforward and practical for people who are worried or overwhelmed.

She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy along with client-centered and mindfulness approaches to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and learn new ways of responding. Sessions focus on skills that can be tried between meetings, like changes in behavior, breathing and grounding practices, and new ways of talking with loved ones. The work is collaborative - the person and therapist set goals together and track small changes.

Charlene pays attention to identity and culture and creates an affirming space for LGBT clients. She also addresses intimacy concerns, parenting stress, anger, self-esteem, career issues, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and trauma-related problems. Her aim is to match practical tools to the specific problem someone brings.

People can expect direct, simple guidance and a steady, respectful presence in sessions. Charlene values clear communication and helps people build routines that support emotional balance. Her New York practice centers on steady progress rather than quick fixes.

Outside of sessions she stays current on therapeutic methods and looks for ways to make therapy relevant to everyday life. She invites questions and works at a pace that fits each person's comfort level.

Evidence-based approaches adapted for online care

Charlene draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help identify unhelpful thinking patterns and replace them with practical actions that reduce anxiety and improve mood. CBT work often includes short exercises and between-session practice to build new habits. She also uses Client-Centered Therapy which focuses on listening, empathy, and working at a person's pace to explore what matters most to them. That approach supports people who need a steady, accepting space to talk things through. Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills are offered when emotion regulation, distress tolerance, or interpersonal effectiveness are priorities; DBT supplies concrete tools for managing intense feelings and improving communication.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals, preferences, and what feels most helpful. Together they decide which methods to try and adjust the plan based on progress and feedback, keeping the process collaborative and practical.

Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy fit daily life. Video is useful for in-depth conversations and skill practice, phone can be easier when bandwidth is limited, and chat or messaging suits quick check-ins or people who prefer typed communication. These options let people work on skills and track changes without rearranging a full day.