Danielle Esses, PsyD is a clinical psychologist offering therapy in Beverly Hills and across California and New York. She's dedicated to helping people who feel deeply — whose emotions rise quickly, feel intense, and take longer to settle.
clinical psychologist,
california and New York
Meet Dr. danielle Esses
Dr. Esses completed her APA-accredited internship at Montefiore Medical Center and postdoctoral fellowship at CBT California, where she received advanced training in DBT. She received additional training at Stanford University School of Medicine, the Palo Alto VA, and Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
Many of her patients are thoughtful, capable, and outwardly high-functioning, yet privately struggle with anxiety that’s always humming in the background, painful relationship patterns, emotional overwhelm, or urges to escape or shut down when things feel like too much.
Dr. Esses published a video series for the American Academy of Ophthalmology to support physicians in managing surgical anxiety.
related work
2024
Dr. Esses was invited as a speaker at the 2025 American Academy of Ophthalmology Conference.
2025
current and ongoing
Dr. Esses has served as a study rater for psychiatric clinical trials for multiple years. In this role, she conducts structured diagnostic and symptom assessments for research studies, including trials investigating cutting edge treatments for major depressive disorder. This work keeps her closely connected to advances in evidence-based assessment and measurement.
Dr. Esses also conducts forensic and psychological evaluations for courts and legal teams, including assessments related to mental health, risk, and treatment needs. This work requires careful, unbiased clinical judgment and a deep understanding of how mental health intersects with real-world decisions — a perspective that also informs her therapeutic work with patients facing complex, high-stakes life situations.
training
Dr. Esses received her doctoral training at the PGSP–Stanford PsyD Consortium, jointly run by Palo Alto University and Stanford University School of Medicine. This generalist training prepared her to assess and treat a wide range of psychological concerns.
From early in her training, Dr. Esses developed a particular interest in borderline personality disorder (BPD) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). She was mentored by Dr. Janice Kuo, an expert in the field. Her dissertation on mechanisms of change in DBT earned her the Cheryl Koopman Dissertation Award.
Dr. Esses' clinical experience spans outpatient, intensive outpatient, psychiatric ER, and inpatient settings. While she has special expertise in helping those with borderline personality disorder, she also has extensive experience treating trauma and PTSD, anxiety and mood disorders, substance use, OCD, and psychosis. She completed her APA-accredited internship at Montefiore Medical Center, one of the most competitive psychology internships in the country. Her postdoctoral fellowship was at CBT California, where she honed her expertise in treating a broad range of concerns while receiving advanced training in comprehensive, high-fidelity DBT.
Today, she works with adults and teens presenting with mild to complex symptoms, and intentionally reserves space for individuals navigating self-harm, emotion dysregulation, or recent hospitalization.
doctoral training
specialization in personality disorders
clinical experience
current clinical focus
Do you accept insurance?
Dr. Esses does not accept insurance. She can provide you with a superbill to submit for possible reimbursement.
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What state(s) are you licensed to practice?
Dr. Esses is licensed in California and New York. She sees patients in-person in Los Angeles, and via telehealth across California and New York.
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Do you provide in-person or telehealth therapy?
Dr. Esses provides both telehealth services and in-person services at 9401 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 730 in Beverly Hills, CA.
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what are your fees?
Dr. Esses offers a complimentary 15-minute initial phone consultation prior to the first appointment. Her rates for individual therapy are comparable with other doctoral level practitioners in California and will be discussed during the phone consultation.
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How do I get started?
If you think you might be interested in starting therapy, reach out to me by phone, email, or using my inquiry form. I'll get back to you quickly.
next steps
Initial consultation call
Complimentary consultation calls are for those who are considering therapy and would like to explore next steps. This is a time for us to get to know each other and for me to answer any questions you may have.
Many people reach out feeling unsure or conflicted — you don’t need to have everything figured out before contacting me.
*Please note that I do not accept insurance.
Check your out-of-network benefits here.