Dr. Brian Esterling

Dr. Brian Esterling is a licensed psychologist with 30 years of professional experience who practices in Florida. He began his career on the faculty at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC, where he saw patients and supervised psychiatric interns during their outpatient rotations. Later he served as Clinical Director for a national managed care organization, overseeing the implementation of best-practice treatment planning and therapeutic techniques among more than 5,000 practitioners across a range of settings including inpatient hospitalization, partial and intensive outpatient programs, and standard outpatient care.

He currently serves as the Chair of the Graduate Psychology program at a major online university in Florida while maintaining a clinical focus on issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, self-esteem and motivation, career difficulties, addictions, relationship and family conflicts, grief, anger management, and coping with life changes. His therapeutic approach is client-centered and solution-oriented, emphasizing collaboration to identify areas of focus and a practical roadmap for change. He uses Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and mindfulness techniques to help clients examine the relationships among thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that may be limiting progress toward short- and long-term goals.

Dr. Esterling holds doctoral training in clinical psychology from the University of Miami and completed undergraduate studies in psychology and biochemistry at Rutgers College. He also earned an MBA from Pfeiffer University, reflecting an interest in financial models that support quality behavioral health care. He is licensed to practice psychology in both North Carolina and Florida.

Originally from the Midwest, he now lives in south Florida. Outside of his professional life he is a competitive rower and a devoted father of two. He enjoys spending time with his wife and children, traveling, working on home improvement projects, and restoring and maintaining a classic sports car.