Thank you for considering Better Help to be a support for you! Change is easier when you feel heard, understood, validated and empowered. I believe that a trusting and honest relationship where your therapist helps you feel that you are the expert to your experience is extremely important to your belief that you can achieve the goals you set for yourself. My name is Charlene Esquilin and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of New York. I earned my Masters in Social Work from Hunter College in 2013. I identify as a Hispanic/Black Female and I believe my identity can be relatable for many. I grew up in a community where getting support through counseling was not very supported. As I’ve gotten older I began to understand the importance of feeling supported, validated and getting guidance from someone that looks like me and can relate to me . Having that connection was and is so vital to how I developed and are continuing to develop my identity and confidence. My desire is to be this support for others. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 10 years of experience in the field. I earned my Masters in Social Work from Hunter College in 2013. I identify as a Hispanic/Black Female and I believe my identity can be relatable for many. I grew up in a community where getting support through counseling was not very supported. As I’ve gotten older I began to understand the importance of feeling supported, validated and getting guidance from someone that looks like me and can relate to me. Having that connection was and is so vital to how I developed and are continuing to develop my identity and confidence. My desire is to be this support for others. I have found that using a client center approach in sessions is very beneficial to building a safe and supportive environment. My goal in therapy is to create a comfortable space where clients feel that they are seen as people, that they can share whatever they feel comfortable to share at their own pace and that they feel heard and that their feelings and and valid no matter how big or small. It is also a goal of mine to provide an environment where I come alongside clients in a collaborative way to support them to accomplish the goals that are important to them. During my time in this field I have learned that providing a respectful, nonjudgmental environment is what contributes to a healthy therapist-client relationship where the client can thrive and feel most empowered. I’ve worked in many different settings with individuals and families which include working with children and adults with disabilities, working with individuals who have open ACS cases, as well as adults, children, teenagers and families experiencing challenges connected to emotions likes anxiety, depression, anger, relationship problems, addictions and adjusting to different life situations. I also have experience working with parents in a group setting providing them support as they improve their parenting skills. I have worked in a variety of settings such as foster care agencies, schools, clinics and religious organizations. You are welcome to message me anytime through Better Help. I will usually check messages twice each day, seven days per week. I will offer messaging, live chat and phone sessions with evening availability Monday through Thursday and Morning and evening times Friday though Sunday. Please note that what you see in my calendar may not reflect my only availability so you always want to check that out with me through messaging first. I look forward to working with you!