Ellen Silbert, LICSW

Ellen Silbert is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) based in Massachusetts. She has 40 years of clinical experience and a long history of supporting people through stress, anxiety, grief, parenting challenges, addiction, relationship and intimacy issues, and life transitions.

She uses straightforward conversation to help people make small, useful changes. Sessions focus on practical strategies and on understanding patterns that keep problems active. Ellen listens without judgment and encourages self-awareness so clients can try new ways of coping.

Her background spans medical and community settings, including work with new mothers in labor and delivery and with people in hospice care. That variety shaped a flexible approach to care across many life stages and medical situations. Clients bring both everyday concerns and complex, overlapping problems such as chronic illness, caregiving strain, or co-occurring conditions.

Ellen draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) along with client-centered and emotionally focused methods. She also uses mindfulness and motivational interviewing tools to support goals like better sleep, managing anger, or addressing addictive behaviors. The emphasis is on clear steps people can try between sessions.

Therapy can include messaging, live chat, phone, or video formats. Ellen tends to check messages daily and offers some evening and weekend slots. She works collaboratively with each person to plan sessions that fit their needs.

Practical approaches for online therapy

Ellen uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people identify unhelpful thinking and practice different behaviors; CBT is often useful for anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and managing mood swings. She also uses Client-Centered Therapy, which centers on listening, empathy, and building a trusting relationship so people can explore feelings at their own pace. Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) is part of her toolkit for addressing attachment and relationship patterns by naming emotions and how they shape interactions.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Ellen collaborates with each person to pick strategies that match their goals and preferences. She will check in about what is helping and adjust the plan over time so sessions stay relevant to life changes and immediate needs.

Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to increase flexibility. Video lets you read facial cues and do deeper conversations. Phone can work when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and messaging allow brief check-ins, ongoing reflections, and support between longer sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules and different daily routines.