About David
David Ackerman is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) based in New York with 22 years of practice. He focuses on helping people who are feeling anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed by life changes. He also supports those coping with grief, trauma, addictions, and issues like self-esteem and sleep problems.
He meets each person where they are and builds a working relationship based on respect and listening. Sessions are interactive and aim to identify practical steps that fit the client's daily life.
Background and approach
He blends straightforward talk with reflective work to help people notice patterns and try new behaviors. Over two decades he has helped people manage chronic conditions such as bipolar disorder and long-term anxiety, and has worked with concerns that include eating and anger problems, communication and commitment issues, and caregiving strain.
He draws on several therapeutic approaches to match the work to the person’s needs. David uses techniques that help clients clarify values, tell their stories in new ways, and practice skills that change how they respond to stress. He emphasizes small experiments between sessions so changes feel manageable.
The goal is clearer thinking, steadier mood, and more satisfying relationships. People who choose him can expect a calm, steady presence and a practical focus. He helps people set realistic goals and notices progress along the way.
He works collaboratively to adapt the plan as challenges evolve.
How his approaches translate to online care
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify what matters to them and practice small actions that match those values. It is useful for anxiety, stress, and life transitions by focusing on workable steps rather than changing feelings first. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes active listening and empathy so clients feel heard and can explore what matters to them at their own pace. This approach supports building trust and strengthening motivation for change.Choosing an approach is part of the work. He will talk with each person about their goals and preferences and then try methods that fit the situation. If something isn't helpful, the plan is adjusted. The therapist and client decide together which techniques to emphasize as trust and progress grow.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video helps with face-to-face interaction and reading nonverbal cues. Phone sessions can work when bandwidth is limited or a simpler check-in is needed. Live chat and messaging let people send short updates, try brief exercises between sessions, or fit therapy into a busy day. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent while balancing work, family, and travel.
Questions people ask
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What this therapist works with
Most often
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Parenting issues
Also listed
- Abandonment
- Addictions
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Antisocial personality
- Attachment issues
- Avoidant personality
- Bipolar disorder
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Cancer
- Career difficulties
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Co-morbidity
- Coaching
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Dependent personality
- Divorce and separation
- Eating and food-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Family conflicts
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fertility issues
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- LGBT
- Life purpose
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Post-traumatic stress
- Postpartum depression
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexual dysfunction
- Sexuality
- Sleeping disorders
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trauma and abuse
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 22 years
- Licensed
- New York
- Languages
- English
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