Ellen Silbert, LICSW

Ellen Silbert is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) based in Massachusetts with 40 years of experience in clinical social work. She earned a Master of Social Work in Clinical Social Work from New York University in 1984 and is a certified telehealth clinician. Over a long career she has worked with people across the life span - from supporting new mothers in labor and delivery to providing end of life care in hospice settings. That range of experience informs her work with individuals and families facing depression, anxiety, stress, trauma and abuse, addictions, eating and sleeping difficulties, relationship and parenting struggles, grief, bipolar disorder, and other life transitions.

Silbert emphasizes the importance of a trusting therapeutic relationship and aims to create an open-minded, nonjudgmental, and supportive space that fosters self-awareness and insight. She integrates approaches such as client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, emotionally-focused therapy, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing to tailor care to each person's needs. She offers messaging, live chat, and phone sessions with limited evening and weekend availability, and she typically checks messages each day and responds within 24 hours. Prospective clients are encouraged to reach out by message to confirm scheduling options and to begin the process of working together.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Ellen Silbert draws on client-centered therapy to build a respectful, empathetic relationship that helps people explore their values and personal goals. This approach focuses on listening and supporting the client's own capacity for growth and is helpful for a wide range of life changes and emotional concerns.

She also uses cognitive behavioral therapy, a practical method that helps identify and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. CBT is often applied for anxiety, depression, stress management, and patterns that interfere with daily functioning. Additionally, emotionally-focused therapy is part of her work for relationship and attachment issues - it helps people and couples understand emotional responses and reshape interactions to improve connection and intimacy.

Finding the right approach is part of the process, and she works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences. Licensed professionals and therapists often combine techniques to create a tailored plan that fits the individual.

Online therapy with video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging offers flexible ways to stay connected with care. These options can make scheduling easier, support continuity when life is busy or mobility is limited, and allow people to choose the communication style that feels most comfortable while working with a licensed professional.