Esther Avital Gottesman
Verified
Mental Health Counselor, Psychotherapist
MSC
250-350 NIS
None
Sliding Scale | Free Consultation
Seeking help is a courageous endeavor. If you are here, you have already taken that first step.
Knowing that therapy can be approached with apprehension and uncertainty, I work to create a warm, safe, nonjudgmental, and nurturing environment. My intention is to afford clients the space needed to grow and heal at their own pace, providing focus, encouragement, and guidance along the way. I welcome transparency and trust in the natural process that unfolds. I view the client as the expert of herself and draw on this expertise to guide the therapy. My approach is Humanistic, specifically Existential, and I incorporate a number of theories, including Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Trauma‑Focused Therapy, and Client-Centered Therapy. I utilize techniques and tools from models like ACT, DBT, CBT, Parts, and Inner Child. Expressive arts and somatic interventions are a large part of my work, and I combine psychoeducation and practical tools with deeper work. My approach is tailored to fit the client and their wants and needs.
I received my master's in Mental Health Counseling in the States. I completed post-master's clinical training programs in family therapy, trauma, and sexual abuse. I am experienced in C-PTSD, PTSD, DID, anxiety disorders, including OCD, and depressive disorders, including Bipolar I and II. My speciality is complex cases, and I often assist clients in managing chronic mental illness. I especially enjoy working with women 55+, but work with woman of all ages. I welcome and appreciate clients of all backgrounds, and I have experience working with such.
In addition to running my own private practice, I am a staff therapist at The Family Institute of Neve Yerushalayim.
I look forward to connecting with you and hope you will take advantage of my no-cost 15-minute consultation.
MSC
Capella University
2008
7
Certificate, Sexual Abuse, 2024, The Family Institute of Neve Yerushalayim
Certificate, Trauma, 2022, The Family Institute of Neve Yerushalayim
Certificate, Family Systems Psychotherapy, 2021, The Family Institute of Neve Yerushalayim
Certificate, Emergency Services, 2006, Trauma Intervention Programs
Certificate, Sexual Assault Victim Counseling, 2005
Telephone Counseling, Online Therapy
In its most general sense, self-care is often equated with self-pampering. Given this notion, it can be seen as selfish. However, that idea is mistaken.
Anxiety / Panic
Depression
Dissociative Disorders
Sexual Abuse / Rape
Trauma / Post Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD
Bipolar Disorder
Codependency
Grief
Mood Disorders
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Postpartum Depression
Psychosomatic Disorders
Self-Esteem
Self-Harm / Suicide
Sexual Issues
Spiritual Concerns
Stress Management
Adolescents
Adults
Women
Geriatric
English
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a form of psychotherapy that encourages individuals to accept their thoughts, feelings, and experiences without judgment and to use them as tools to help them to make changes in their lives that are consistent with their values. It is based on the idea that by changing the way we think about our inner experiences, we can reduce emotional distress and increase our sense of well-being.
Art TherapyArt therapy has clients express themselves through creative mediums such as drawing, painting, collage, coloring, or sculpting. Clients can interpret their subconscious world that is expressed in their art which could lead to a better understanding of their feelings and behavior. Artistic talent is not a prerequisite for art therapy as it’s not as much about the end result as much as it is about the process. The therapist looks for meaning in the creative choices of the work and the clients’ inner world. This therapeutic method enables clients to express their inner thoughts and feelings through creative expression rather than just talking about them.
Body-Mind PsychotherapyBody-mind psychotherapy is an integrative approach to psychological treatment that draws from both psychotherapeutic and somatic/body-based approaches. It emphasizes the interconnection between physical, emotional, cognitive and spiritual aspects of being. This approach seeks to help individuals explore how physical sensations, emotions, thoughts and beliefs influence their behavior and well-being. Through this exploration, individuals can gain insight into how the body and mind interact to create patterns of behavior, and how those patterns can be changed to promote healing and wellness.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on how one's thoughts, feelings and behaviors are connected and can be changed. It is based on the idea that how we think (cognition) and how we feel (emotion) can influence how we behave. CBT helps people identify and challenge distorted thinking and replace it with more balanced thinking, leading to improved mood and behavior. ‘Homework’, usually containing practical writing exercises, is often completed by the client between sessions to reinforce the therapy. Examples of tools that practitioners often use are journaling, challenging beliefs, and mindfulness.
Dance / Movement Therapy (DMT)Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) is a psychotherapeutic approach that uses movement as a medium for self-expression, exploration, and healing. It is based on the belief that the body and mind are interconnected, and that the body is a source of knowledge and wisdom. Through the practice of DMT, individuals are encouraged to explore movement in order to gain insight into their emotional state and gain insight into the underlying causes of their difficulties. The goal of DMT is to help individuals identify, process, and integrate their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in order to improve their overall well-being.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy developed by Marsha Linehan to help people learn to better manage and cope with emotions and stress. It focuses on developing skills and strategies to help regulate emotions, improve relationships and communication, and reduce self-destructive behaviors. Through DBT, people learn to identify and modify unhealthy thoughts and behaviors, while also learning to accept and validate their own feelings. DBT teaches skills to help individuals become aware of and accept and regulate their emotions, tolerate distress, and improve interpersonal relationships.
DreamworkModern dreamwork asserts that the only person that can make meaning of their dream is the dreamer, which is what separates dreamwork from dream interpretation. In dreamwork, the practitioner is a guide in the exploration of the dream, with the client making meaning of the dream for themselves. The reason the practitioner is only a guide is because thoughts, emotions, as well as meaning of symbols are deeply personal and subjective. Dreams can be used to uncover hidden feelings and beliefs, develop self-awareness, and gain insight into problems and potential solutions. Dreamwork is often paired with other therapeutic modalities.
Existential PsychotherapyExistential psychotherapy is a form of psychotherapy that emphasizes an individual’s subjective experience of existence. It is a philosophical approach to psychotherapy that views the individual as ultimately responsible for creating a meaningful life. This form of psychotherapy helps individuals explore their subjective experiences, understand their personal values and beliefs, find ways to live more authentically, and make meaningful choices. The ultimate goal is to help the individual reach a greater sense of self-awareness and personal fulfillment.
Expressive Arts TherapyExpressive Arts Therapy is particularly beneficial for clients who struggle with describing what they are feeling verbally. Through imagination and creation of different art forms, clients are able to interpret and communicate their inner world and catalyze healing. Expressive arts therapy can involve the use of multiple modalities, such as visual arts, music, movement, drama, storytelling, poetry, and play. It is used to help individuals of all ages, including children and adults, to explore their feelings, reconcile emotional conflicts, foster self-awareness, manage behavior and addictions, develop social skills, improve reality orientation, and solve problems.
Family Systems TherapyFamily Systems Therapy is an approach to psychotherapy that emphasizes the importance of understanding how the family functions as a whole, and how individual family members interact and affect one another. It focuses on how family dynamics, such as communication patterns, roles, and power dynamics, shape behavior, and how changing these dynamics can lead to positive change. Family Systems Therapy is a collaborative approach, where the therapist works with the family as a whole to identify and address areas of conflict and distress.
Guided ImageryGuided imagery is a form of visualization used for relaxation and healing. It uses the power of the imagination to create positive changes in a person's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It is also used to reduce stress and anxiety, cope with physical and emotional pain, increase motivation, confidence, and self-esteem, and to improve focus and concentration. During a guided imagery session, the practitioner will guide the client through a series of visualizations, using words and descriptions to help them create mental images in their mind. These visualizations can take many forms, such as a comforting place from the past or the client’s future goals.
Holistic PsychotherapyHolistic psychotherapy emphasizes the individual's interconnectedness between the individual's physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects and views them as inseparable components of a single holistic system. Holistic psychotherapy focuses on understanding how these components interact and affect a person’s wellbeing. The goal of holistic psychotherapy is to create a sense of wholeness and harmony within the individual, and to foster self-awareness and self-care. Holistic practitioners use a variety of approaches, including traditional talk therapy, mindfulness practices, and body-based therapies like movement therapy. They also may incorporate nutrition, physical activity, and other lifestyle factors into treatment plans.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an evidence-based psychotherapy that uses the metaphor of an internal family of parts to help people gain awareness of how different parts of themselves can interact in healthy and unhealthy ways. IFS encourages people to become curious about their different parts, with the goal of helping them gain access to their true Self or core. Through this process, people can learn to recognize and care for the different parts of themselves, as well as develop compassionate understanding for the origins of their parts. A key principle of IFS is that each part within the person has its own positive intention and is trying to protect the person in some way. By understanding the positive intention of each part, the practitioner and client can work together to help the parts feel heard and understood, and to find more adaptive ways of meeting their needs. IFS has been found to be an effective treatment for a variety of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, trauma, and relationship issues.
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is a form of therapy that combines cognitive behavioral therapy with mindfulness practices. It is based on the idea that our thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations can affect our mental health. MBCT helps individuals become aware of their thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations in order to gain insight and control over them. MBCT helps clients learn how to recognize their sense of being and see themselves as separate from their thoughts and moods. This separation can free the client from thought patterns in which the repeated negative messages may be dominating the client’s focus. After developing an awareness of the separation between thoughts, emotions, and the self, people in treatment may find that while the self and the emotions may exist simultaneously, they do not have to exist within the same dimension. The healing can take place when one learns how to interject positive thoughts into negative moods and thereby create a shift in mood.
Music TherapyMusic therapy is a type of expressive art therapy that can be used to treat a variety of mental health issues. Music therapy interventions can include active music making, listening to music, songwriting, music imagery, singing, and lyric analysis. Through these interventions, clients can experience increased emotional regulation, improved communication, and increased motivation. Music therapy can also be used to address social and behavioral issues such as aggression, impulsivity, and noncompliance. As with all expressive arts approaches, the therapeutic use of music can sometimes elicit responses that may not appear through more traditional forms of treatment. When people find it difficult to express themselves verbally, music therapy can help them access and express feelings that would be more difficult for them to talk about in a more traditional form of therapy. No background in music is required for a person to benefit from this approach.
Person-Centered Therapy (Rogerian Therapy)Person-centered therapy, or Rogerian therapy, was developed by Carl Rogers in the 1940’s. It is a form of talk therapy that emphasizes the importance of providing psychological safety, unconditional positive regard, and empathic understanding to clients. This type of therapy is based on the belief that individuals have an innate capacity for self-actualization and self-understanding and that the therapist's role is to provide a supportive environment in which this process can take place. Through the use of active listening, open-ended questions, and non-judgmental reflection, the therapist helps the client to explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a safe and accepting environment. By doing so, clients are able to gain insight into their issues, develop a greater understanding of themselves, and work towards personal growth.
Sandplay TherapySandplay therapy is a form of psychotherapy that is based on Jungian psychology and is used to help children and adults explore their inner world using symbols and metaphors. It is a form of non-directive play therapy in which participants create a “sandbox” in which they construct three-dimensional scenes using tiny figurines and sand. Sandplay therapy is an effective form of therapy that helps clients explore their inner world, gain insight, and develop creative solutions to their problems. Sandplay therapy allows a person to construct their own microcosm using miniature toys and sand. What’s created acts as a reflection of the person’s own life and allows them the opportunity to resolve conflicts, identify and remove obstacles, and gain acceptance of self.
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)Solution-focused therapy is a type of therapy that focuses on what is going right in a person’s life, as opposed to what is going wrong. It is based on the premise that when a person can identify what is working, they can build on it and make positive changes to the areas of their life that need improvement. A therapist using this approach will often ask questions designed to bring out a person’s strengths and resources, rather than focusing on problems or past issues. The aim of this type of therapy is to help people find solutions to their current problems, in order to build a better future. A solution-focused therapist encourages those in treatment to develop a vision of the future and offers support and guidance as they determine the skills, resources, and abilities needed to achieve that vision successfully.
Systems Theory / TherapySystems therapy is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on understanding how people's behavior is affected by their relationships with others. This form of therapy is based on the idea that the individual is embedded within a larger system, such as a family unit or work environment, and that changes to that system can cause changes in an individual's behavior. Systems therapy emphasizes the importance of understanding how these systems interact and how they can be changed to improve the individual's mental health. The therapist works to identify patterns of behavior in the system, identify areas of conflict or stress, and help the individuals develop strategies to make changes within the system that will lead to healthier outcomes.
Individual Therapy
Group Therapy
Workshops/Educating
Home-based Therapy
In its most general sense, self-care is often equated with self-pampering. Given this notion, it can be seen as selfish. However, that idea is mistaken.