Dr. Brian Esterling

Dr. Brian Esterling is a licensed psychologist with more than 30 years in clinical practice. He blends client-centered care with solution-focused strategies to help people manage depression, anxiety, career challenges, and everyday stress. He emphasizes clear goals and practical steps so clients know what to work on between sessions.

He started on the faculty at Duke University Medical Center, where he saw clients and supervised psychiatric interns. He later served as Clinical Director for a national managed care organization, overseeing treatment planning across many settings. He now chairs a graduate psychology program at an online university in Florida.

Dr. Esterling uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness methods, and motivational interviewing to help people notice how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect. He works with clients to define a roadmap and then takes measurable steps toward those goals. Sessions focus on skills that can be tried and refined in daily life.

He also brings a practical perspective from his MBA and administrative roles, thinking about how systems and finances affect access to care. That background informs discussions about work, career planning, and organizational stressors.

Outside of his clinical work he rows competitively and spends time with his wife and two children. He enjoys travel, home improvement projects, and maintaining a classic sports car.

How his approaches work for online therapy

Dr. Esterling uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice and change thought and behavior patterns that block their goals. CBT often involves identifying unhelpful thoughts, testing them in real situations, and practicing new responses to reduce anxiety or depression.

He also draws on Client-Centered Therapy, which focuses on listening closely and helping people define their own goals. This approach emphasizes collaboration and respect for the client's perspective as the work moves forward.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will work together with each person to choose techniques that match their needs, goals, and preferences. That might mean combining mindfulness practices, CBT skills, and solution-focused steps in a plan that fits the client.

Confirm the available session options before booking, since specific formats are not listed in the biography. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy schedule, shorten a check-in when time is limited, or avoid travel on a workday. Licensed professionals can also use brief skill-focused meetings to track progress between longer sessions.