Steven Osterstrom, LCSW - Therapist in New York

About Steven

Steven Osterstrom is a licensed clinical social worker who draws on a warm, interactive style to help people facing stress, anxiety, addictions, depression, and identity or relationship questions. He uses practical methods like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and mindfulness practices to help clients notice unhelpful patterns and try new ways of responding.

Steven brings 24 years of clinical experience and explains things plainly so people can make steady progress.

Background and approach

He makes sessions collaborative and focused on strengths. Conversations often identify beliefs and habits that get in the way of daily life. Then he helps people experiment with small changes that build confidence.

Mindfulness exercises and skills from DBT or ACT are used when they match the client’s needs. Steven has long experience teaching social work students and running group programs in correctional settings. Those roles shaped his ability to work with many viewpoints and backgrounds and informed a gender-inclusive, anti-racist stance in his practice.

He also brings experience supporting people through trauma, grief, addiction, and major life transitions. In sessions he emphasizes respect, sensitivity, and compassion. He encourages clients to notice their own answers and to use therapy as a space to try new approaches.

Steven frames therapy as a collaborative effort to create more meaningful, manageable days. Practical concerns and daily habits are often the starting point. Over time conversations move toward deeper patterns, forgiveness where it helps, and clearer life direction.

His goal is to help clients feel more capable in handling stress, relationships, parenting concerns, and career choices.

Evidence-based approaches for online support

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, focuses on helping people notice thoughts and feelings without letting them drive every choice. It encourages clarifying values and taking small steps toward them, which can help with anxiety, depression, and life transitions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, CBT, looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions and teaches practical skills to change unhelpful patterns; it is useful for stress, mood problems, and coping strategies. Mindfulness practices are used alongside these approaches to build present-moment awareness and reduce reactivity in everyday situations.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work and is done together. The therapist will ask about what feels most important, try techniques in session, and adjust based on how things are working. That collaborative process helps find methods that fit a person’s goals and preferences rather than forcing a single model.

Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which makes it easier to fit sessions into busy family and work schedules. These formats allow for consistent follow-up, brief check-ins between sessions, and practicing skills in real time. The variety of formats gives flexibility so people can pick what helps them engage and keep progress moving forward.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Less about arguing with difficult thoughts, more about loosening their grip and acting on what matters to you anyway. Values and committed action carry the work, which suits conversation at a distance.

Client-Centered Therapy

The direction comes from you rather than from a set programme. The therapist offers a warm, non-judgemental space to think out loud and work at your own pace. Online, this rests on the relationship rather than on being in the same room.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT looks at the link between what you think, how you feel, and what you do. You work on noticing unhelpful patterns and practising steadier responses. It suits online sessions well, because much of the work happens between appointments and can be talked through from anywhere.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of problems does he work with?

He helps people with stress, anxiety, addictions, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting concerns, and career challenges, among other areas.

What is his therapy style like?

Sessions are warm and interactive, with an emphasis on strengths and practical skills. He uses mindfulness and evidence-based techniques to help clients try different responses to old patterns.

How much clinical experience does he have?

He has 24 years of experience as a psychotherapist and has taught social work students for many years, bringing both clinical and educational perspectives to his work.

Where is he licensed and based?

He is a licensed clinical social worker with credential NY LCSW 070801 and practices in New York.

Which languages are supported in sessions?

Sessions are offered in English.

What formats are available for sessions?

He offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.

How are costs and billing handled?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin a therapy match?

Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to therapist availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience: 24 years
Licensed: New York
Languages: English

Next step

Talk to Steven

Takes a few minutes
Nothing to set up just to look
Stop at any point

Book with Steven