Esther Oh Psychotherapy & Coaching — Psychotherapist in Chinatown, CA

I still remember the day I reached out to Esther requesting for her psychotherapy service. I had just ordered all these self-help books via Amazon that were piling up on my nightstand, but my mind was all over the place and I couldn’t find a way to focus on where to begin. If you googled the phrase “woe is me”, the top result would probably be a photo of me. I needed someone to help navigate me through my anxious thoughts, someone to provide me with the right tools that would let me better articulate my feelings, someone to boost my confidence, but most importantly someone to just help me get a grip on my entire mental wellbeing. Fortunately shortly after reaching out to Esther, she was able to take me in. I remember feeling wary coming into our first session. I had worked with a couple therapists prior to her, but I didn’t feel like I got to where I needed to be with them. I remember during that very first session I was experiencing so much anxiety and overthinking so many events in my life. The simple question of “how are you doing/what is going on in your life?” sent me into a spiral and I remember just crying and pouring out so many bottled up emotions. By the end of our first session, we practiced a cognitive diffusion exercise together and I remember immediately feeling a sense of relief. I felt so much more hopeful than at the beginning of our session and that if I gave it more time I could overcome the mental obstacles that were holding me back. What really solidified my decision to stick with Esther was her hands on approach. With other therapists, we would have a full session of chatting, maybe do an exercise or two, and then pick up again the following week with nothing to hold me accountable with what we practiced. But with Esther, she would assign me homework that would consist of more than just reading. Each week she would assign me homework that would really challenge me to get out of my scared little comfort zone. Then the following week she would always follow up to make sure I really completed that homework. Six months later of consistent therapy with Esther, I can confidently say I am in a much better head space. She’s provided me with so many tools that really helped build my confidence and foster a better relationship with myself through emphasizing the importance of self care and just really speaking more kindly to myself. It sounds so simple, but it honestly is a lot of work. I’m so glad I got through it with Esther. She has such a kind, compassionate, and most importantly a nonjudgmental demeanor. I always felt safe during our sessions and that I could speak my mind no matter how silly I thought I might sound. She really helped boost my confidence and made me believe in myself and that under all this “woe is me” there truly is an amazing lovable confident person inside of me.

Working with Esther over the past two years has been nothing short of transformative. Her coaching is a rare blend of empathy, insight, and actionable tools, and it has profoundly shaped both my personal and professional growth. Esther’s ability to tailor her approach to individual needs is what truly sets her apart. She introduced me to practical techniques like affirmation exercises to reframe self-doubt, CBT to manage anxiety, and progressive muscle relaxation for stress relief. These tools have become invaluable in my life, helping me stay focused and balanced during high-pressure situations. What’s even more remarkable is her knack for bringing clarity to complex challenges. Whether it was navigating relationships, setting boundaries, or refining my communication skills, Esther consistently provoked insight that was both practical and empowering. She taught me how to ask insightful questions, practice advanced empathic listening, and use storytelling to foster deeper connections in personal and professional settings. Perhaps most impactful is her perspective on growth and abundance. Esther’s encouragement to detach from rigid outcomes and focus on the bigger picture has been a relief. This mindset has helped me approach everything, from startups to personal relationships, with confidence, resilience, and optimism. The results have been undeniable. Professionally, I’ve adopted an abundance mindset and have become more resourceful. Personally, I’ve deepened my relationships by prioritizing authenticity and meaningful connection. Esther has a way of making you feel seen and supported, all while pushing you to become your best self. If you’re seeking a coach who will challenge you, celebrate your progress, and equip you with tools that last a lifetime, Esther is your answer. Her wisdom, kindness, and personalized approach make her an invaluable partner in growth.

Esther is amazingly helpful and incredibly good at her job. It's night and day how different my life and mental health is (for the better) since working with her. She is attentive, engaging, and infectiously positive while also being realistic. She has a way of leading me towards discovering unhealthy habits/attributes of mine through my own reflection. Once those are uncovered, she is great at pointing me in the direction of healthy habits/tools that I can use for the rest of my life in order to break my unhealthy ways. She's also great at gently and realistically holding me accountable towards maintaining those healthy habits. Regardless of what topic we decide to focus on on a given day, she is always prepared and somehow has incredibly insightful answers at the ready. I feel like I'm in a much better place than I've ever been in life largely due to working with her. I'm happier and more fulfilled, and realize it's only up from here. I appreciate you Esther!

I am a big proponent of mental healthcare but have been hesitant to seek out therapy for myself. I was referred to Esther by an acquaintance at a time in my life when I was going through immense feelings of grief and isolation. After meeting with her, I was convinced that she was the right fit. Her use of research-based methods, calm demeanor, and empathetic approach to psychotherapy has been incredibly helpful for me to grow as an individual. After working with Esther for over a year, she has not only supported me through grief but has also helped me clarify my values, set goals for myself, and boost my resiliency. Speaking to an objective professional who is outside of my life has been extremely helpful. I am usually the listener for my friends and family and did not learn how to process my feelings and communicate in a productive way. However, Esther has actively listened and fostered an environment full of emotional support. She provides a safe space where I learned how to be a better communicator to my partner, friends, and family. Esther not only listens but holds me accountable by providing tools for improvement outside of our sessions. These are tools that I can take with me for the rest of my life as I continue to grow as an individual. Esther makes the effort to remember so many details that I mention and really makes me feel seen. I understand how difficult it may be if you are unsure if therapy is right for you. It is one of the best investments you can make for yourself and I sincerely recommend Esther as a guiding source to take you to where you want to be.

I've been visiting Esther for about a year now, every time after talking to her I feel relaxed and fully recharged. She helped me to realize what matters the most to me, and get closer to live the life I want. Initially I was seeking help to recover from my broke up last year, and she is a great listener, without judging my past behaviors, and analyzed what I value from my last relationship. Esther has tons of insights about relationships and a very enviable marriage. She taught me way more valuable lessons than my most "relationship experienced" friends. I once lived in a bubble and didn't realize what I really want out of a romantic relationship, but she helped me to see who I am deep down, and coached me to find my Mr. right, including help me revise my online dating profile, set strategies and recap my dating events, as well as recommended lots of books so I can understand deeply about the dating market and what guys are thinking. Last December I met my boyfriend after working on improve myself, and she is still giving advices whenever I have questions. She is helping me in ways more than relationships. She took time and effort to understand me from a variety of angles, helped me to realize what I desire for my life, and kept notes of all the events and updates I mentioned. All the lessons I learned from her, either for meditation, exercise, health, or psychological tools, are very practical and greatly improved my mindset. There're so many blind spots I didn't realize I have before, and I get to see more and more areas I need to improve after the coaching sessions. After the sessions with her, now I moved to a better apartment after overcame my superstition, got an adorable pet, built regular contact with my parents, being with an amazing boyfriend, on my way to manage ADHD, and just got a way better job offer, all in the year I met her. Could I do all that without her help? Maybe, but definitely will take much more time and learn from more failures before reaching any milestone. Esther gave me strong support whenever I need help or making a big decision, and she connects me to the best resources I can get. Having her to discuss before I make a decision always give me more confident and certainty about what's best for me. She gave me faith when I doubt myself, and taught me how to recover from triggers. Although she is way more knowledgable than me in lots of areas, she is still very open minded, and I can talk about any secret thoughts in my mind to her without hesitation. I had other therapists before Esther, and I have no doubt she is better than all others. She can relate to what I love, what I hate, and talking to her is like talking to a bestie who have objective opinions for you. Others therapists may make me a powerful person, but she makes me a powerful myself.

If I can give an infinite number of stars to Esther, I would. Mental health is important and we shouldn't overlook it - it impacts our emotional, psychological, social, and I'd say also physical well-being. We need to make sure we take ourselves seriously and have logical and scientific ways to work through challenges. Real talk - Esther is amazing. I found Esther through Lyra Health via our work benefits program because I was going through some personal things, stressed at work, thinking about applying to school, and all-in-all, felt that I was running around without a clear goal, so I kept on finding myself drained and feeling un-purposeful at the end of each day. I also knew that I've always had challenges with confidence. When I found out about Lyra, and was becoming increasingly aware that we need to take our mental health seriously, I searched for a therapist coach and voila - found Esther! Esther helped me learn more about myself via a series of exercises (such as design your life, ikigai, 5-min journal) and conversations that have really helped me understand myself, build a plan, and most importantly for me, gain confidence. She was there throughout my grad school application experience, work transition, and personal transition and she saw how much I've changed and grew - she told me that she's very proud of me :) Esther is a superb active listener and challenges my thoughts. She asks me questions that enable me to reflect and guides me through my thought process so I can arrive at conclusions on my own. She also keeps me accountable on things and checks in with me to make sure I'm building certain habits that'll improve my emotional and psychological well being - I really appreciate that. She pushes me to go beyond my limits and think about what really matters (or not matter). I am beyond grateful to have met Esther this year and gotten to know her, but honestly I think she's gotten to know me so well, and know so much about me that I don't even know, so she's helped me get to know myself better. I highly recommend Esther to anyone who feels a bit overwhelmed (don't we all?), a bit confused about what our purpose is, or just want a push here and there to know ourselves better so we can be more intentional about the decisions we're making in life. Thank you Esther :) I have so much more to say but I'll leave it here for now...