Licensed to practice in California and accepts 27 insurances. Specializes in Anxiety, Depression, Life Transitions and 10 more.

Esther Kang

LMFT, 7 years of experience
Authentic
Warm
Intelligent
VirtualAvailable

About me

Hi, I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California. I received my Bachelor's in Psychology and Sociology at the University of Washington, as well as my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy at Chapman University. I believe in guiding individuals towards their authentic selves and empowering them to live fulfilling lives. My goal is to help you identify your aspirations, overcome obstacles, and develop strategies to achieve your true potential.

Get to know me

In our first session together, here's what you can expect

In the first session, I will introduce myself to you and explain my background. I will ask you some questions to gather information about your background, goals for therapy, and any challenges you are facing. Then we can collaborate on your goals for therapy to create a treatment plan tailored to you.

The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions

I believe my greatest strengths are empathy, emotional intelligence, and cultural competence. I believe these traits create a safe, nonjudgmental space where clients can truly be seen and heard, which brings about meaningful change.

The clients I'm best positioned to serve

My ideal clients are individuals and couples who are curious about themselves and ready to begin making meaningful changes, even if they feel uncertain about where to start. You may be struggling with anxiety, depression, past trauma, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, life transitions, or patterns that continue to leave you feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or stuck. I especially enjoy working with clients who want to better understand how their past experiences, relationships, family dynamics, and cultural backgrounds influence the way they think, feel, and connect with others. I welcome clients navigating cultural or identity-related concerns, intergenerational conflict, difficult family relationships, women’s issues, and the challenges of balancing personal needs with family or cultural expectations. You do not need to have everything figured out before beginning therapy. My hope is that you are willing to be open, curious, and engaged in the process. Together, we can explore the deeper emotions and experiences underlying your current struggles, develop healthier coping and communication skills, and work toward greater self-understanding, confidence, and more fulfilling relationships.

Specialties

Top specialties

Anxiety

Depression

Other specialties

Addiction

Anger Management

Grief

Identifies as

Serves ages

Teenagers (13 to 17)

Licensed in

Location

Virtual

My treatment methods

Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)

CBT is a therapeutic approach that focuses on how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected. I use CBT by assessing the client's thoughts, emotions, and behaviors related to their presenting issue. This involves identifying the cognitive distortions and behaviors that are not aligned with who they truly are. I work collaboratively with the client to set goals that are attuned to improving the client's wellbeing.

Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy can help you develop a different relationship with difficult thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Rather than trying to eliminate every uncomfortable feeling, ACT focuses on helping you make room for what you are experiencing while continuing to move toward the life you want. In therapy, we may explore patterns such as avoidance, overthinking, self-criticism, perfectionism, or feeling stuck in painful emotions. You will learn skills to observe thoughts without automatically believing or acting on them, remain more present, and respond to yourself with greater openness and flexibility. We will also identify the values that matter most to you—such as connection, growth, family, stability, authenticity, or self-respect—and use them to guide meaningful choices. The goal is not to feel good all the time, but to build a fuller and more purposeful life even when anxiety, sadness, fear, or uncertainty are present.

Attachment-based

Our attachment patterns can influence how we communicate, respond to conflict, regulate emotions, trust others, and navigate intimacy. In therapy, we'll explore these patterns with curiosity rather than judgment. Together, we'll identify recurring cycles that may be keeping you stuck and work toward creating healthier, more secure ways of relating. My goal is to provide a safe, supportive space where you can process difficult emotions, build self-awareness, strengthen your relationships, and develop lasting emotional security. This approach can be especially helpful for individuals experiencing anxiety, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, fear of abandonment, emotional disconnection, or challenges with trust and vulnerability. I also integrate attachment-based principles into couples therapy to help partners recognize negative interaction patterns, improve communication, and create deeper emotional connection.

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

I use Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to help clients better understand the emotions and attachment needs underlying their reactions and relationship patterns. Rather than focusing only on surface-level conflict, we explore the deeper fears, longings, and protective responses that can leave people feeling disconnected, misunderstood, or stuck. Through this process, clients can develop greater emotional awareness, communicate more vulnerably, and create more secure and meaningful connections with themselves and others.

Multicultural

I use a multicultural framework in therapy to understand how each client’s culture, family background, identity, values, and lived experiences shape their emotional well-being and relationships. I recognize that concerns such as anxiety, depression, trauma, and relationship conflict may also be influenced by immigration experiences, intergenerational differences, family expectations, gender roles, discrimination, and cultural beliefs about mental health. My approach is collaborative, respectful, and tailored to each client rather than based on a one-size-fits-all model. Together, we explore how cultural and family influences may affect your thoughts, emotions, choices, and relationships while also identifying the strengths and resilience within your background. The goal is to help you develop greater self-understanding and make choices that feel authentic, meaningful, and aligned with your values.

, 10 ratings

1 rating with written reviews

July 24, 2026

Ether is an amazing listener and made me feel comfortable and heard

Verified client, age 45-54
Review shared after session 1 with Esther