California Therapy Finder

Therapists licensed in California, available online across the state

Self-Esteem Therapists Licensed in California

This page lists therapists licensed in California who work with self-esteem. It is for you if low confidence, harsh self-criticism, or difficulty asserting yourself are affecting your relationships, work, or mood. Compare clinicians by their approaches, such as cognitive-behavioral methods, acceptance-based work, or psychodynamic therapy, and by areas of focus like body image, social anxiety, or career confidence. A California licence covers the whole state, so city or ZIP is not a barrier when choosing an online therapist. Read profiles to find a style and training that match what you need from therapy.

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  1. 1. John Hammond, LMFT

    40 years in practice · English · Male

    California LMFT with 40 years experience

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Grief · Self esteem · Depression · Coping with life changes

    Continue with John Online sessions

  2. 2. Melissa Fletcher, LCSW, CSW

    12 years in practice · English · Female

    Direct, supportive therapy focused on real-life change

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · LGBT · Parenting · Depression · Coping with life changes

    Approaches Client-Centered Therapy · Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) · Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

    Continue with Melissa Online sessions

  3. 3. Dr. Frederick Smoot, LMFT

    5 years in practice · English · Male

    Compassionate LMFT for relationships and transitions

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Family · Depression · Compassion fatigue

    Approaches Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) · Client-Centered Therapy · Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

    Continue with Dr. Online sessions

  4. 4. Jennifer Stocker, LMFT

    8 years in practice · English, Spanish · Female

    Bilingual LMFT focused on healing and resilience

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Family · Self esteem · Depression

    Continue with Jennifer Online sessions

  5. 5. Nathalie Contro, LMFT

    3 years in practice · English, Spanish · Female

    Collaborative LMFT for relationships and trauma

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Addictions · Relationship · Family · Depression

    Approaches Attachment-Based Therapy · Client-Centered Therapy · Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

    Continue with Nathalie Online sessions

  6. 6. Matthew Esselstrom, LMFT

    22 years in practice · English · Non-binary

    California LMFT with 22 years experience

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Anger · Self esteem · Coping with life changes

    Continue with Matthew Online sessions

  7. 7. Carol Wood, LMFT

    29 years in practice · English · Female

    LMFT providing relationship and trauma support

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Family · Intimacy-related issues · Self esteem

    Approaches Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) · Mindfulness Therapy

    Continue with Carol Online sessions

  8. 8. Sheila Owens, LCSW

    8 years in practice · English · Female

    Supportive therapy for change and resilience

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Self esteem · Bipolar · Depression

    Approaches Client-Centered Therapy · Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) · Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

    Continue with Sheila Online sessions

  9. 9. Christine Piddington, LCSW

    11 years in practice · English · Female

    Support for grief, stress, and life transitions

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Family · Trauma and abuse · Grief · Depression

    Approaches Existential Therapy · Solution-Focused Therapy

    Continue with Christine Online sessions

  10. 10. Stacey Sugar, MD, LCPC, LPCC

    14 years in practice · English · Female

    MD, LCPC, LPCC therapist helping rewrite life stories

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Family · Intimacy-related issues · Coping with life changes

    Approaches Attachment-Based Therapy · Client-Centered Therapy · Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

    Continue with Stacey Online sessions

  11. 11. Claudia Santiago, LCSW

    12 years in practice · English, Spanish · Female

    California LCSW supporting complex emotional challenges

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Trauma and abuse · Grief · Self esteem · Depression

    Approaches Client-Centered Therapy · Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) · Gottman Method

    Continue with Claudia Online sessions

  12. 12. Susan Sheldon, LMFT

    40 years in practice · English · Female

    Experienced California marriage and family therapist

    Works with Relationship · Family · Self esteem · Career · Coping with life changes

    Continue with Susan Online sessions

  13. 13. Hyun Joo Kim, LMFT

    21 years in practice · English · Female

    Compassionate LMFT for relationships and trauma

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Trauma and abuse · Self esteem · Depression

    Continue with Hyun Online sessions

  14. 14. Federico Godina, LCSW

    7 years in practice · English · Male

    California LCSW specializing in stress and trauma

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Trauma and abuse · Anger · Self esteem · Depression

    Approaches Client-Centered Therapy · Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) · Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

    Continue with Federico Online sessions

  15. 15. Janice Snyder, LMFT

    10 years in practice · English · Female

    Compassionate LMFT helping with relationships and anxiety

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Grief · Self esteem · Depression

    Continue with Janice Online sessions

About self-esteem therapy in California

Everyone listed on this page holds a licence to practise in California and works online. That matters more than it sounds: a licence is issued by the state, not by a city, so a therapist is available to anyone in California regardless of how far away they are. Someone outside a major metro can work with a therapist whose books would otherwise be out of reach.

1,979 therapists match this page, all of whom name self-esteem among the areas they work with. Fifteen are shown above. The list changes between pages, so it is worth looking at more than one if none of these feels like a fit.

What to compare

  • Credential. LMFT, LCSW and LPCC are different training routes to the same licensed practice. None outranks the others; they shape emphasis rather than quality.
  • Years in practice. Shown for every therapist here. More experience is not automatically better, but it is a fair proxy for how much of a given problem someone has seen.
  • What else they work with. A therapist whose other focus areas overlap with your situation is usually a better starting point than one whose listed areas stop at the single thing you searched for.
  • Approach. CBT, psychodynamic, solution-focused and the rest describe how sessions tend to run. If you have tried therapy before and it did not suit you, changing approach is often more useful than changing therapist.
  • Language. Shown where a therapist offers sessions in more than English.

How online sessions work

Sessions run by video or by messaging, arranged through our partner platform rather than booked directly with the therapist. There is no travel and no waiting room, which for most people is the difference between starting and not starting. Pricing is set by the platform and shown before you commit.

Common questions

How do I choose a therapist for self-esteem issues?

Look for therapists who list self-esteem, self-compassion, or confidence building among their specialties. Compare their therapeutic approaches, such as CBT for negative thoughts or acceptance-based work for self-criticism. Check whether they note experience with related problems like body image or social anxiety. Read profile descriptions to see how they describe goals and methods, then contact a few to ask how they would approach your concerns.

Can online therapy with a California-licensed clinician help with low self-worth?

Many people find online therapy useful for addressing low self-worth because it allows regular sessions focused on building kinder self-talk, challenging negative beliefs, and practicing new behaviors. Different therapists emphasize different tools—skills training, reflection, or trauma-informed care—so it helps to ask about their typical techniques for improving self-esteem and how they measure progress with clients.

What should I ask a prospective therapist about their experience with self-esteem?

Ask how often they work with self-esteem issues, which approaches they use, and what a typical course of work looks like. You can inquire about their experience with related concerns you have, such as perfectionism or social anxiety. Also ask how they help clients practice new habits between sessions and how they support setbacks in the change process.

Self-Esteem therapists by city

Other focus areas