Dr. Esther Bilenkis

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, I completed my medical training at NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine. As an osteopathic physician, I practice with a holistic lens—integrating mind, body, and spirit—and value personalized, relational, and evidence-based care. I completed my psychiatric residency at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, DC, a forensic psychiatric hospital often referred to as “the ICU of psychiatry” for its work with individuals facing chronic, treatment-resistant conditions. After residency, I spent three years in outpatient psychiatry within large corporate settings and ultimately transitioned to an eating-disorder hospital, seeking work aligned with depth, integrity, and true patient-centered care.

As a first-generation Ukrainian Jew and a native Russian speaker, I hold lived experience with immigration, intergenerational trauma, and cultural stigma surrounding mental health. This background informs my compassion, humility, and commitment to meeting patients where they are.

My approach to care is collaborative, relational, and deeply patient-centered. I walk side by side with my clients through the trenches of their mental health challenges, helping them unpack the many biological, psychological, social, and spiritual factors contributing to their suffering. Together, we work to understand—not just manage—what’s driving their symptoms.

I integrate a wide range of evidence-based tools, including medication management, nutraceuticals, and targeted correction of vitamin or hormonal deficiencies. I also incorporate talk therapy, drawing from psychodynamic therapy, CBT, DBT, and existential therapy to match each person’s needs. In addition, I use mind–body interventions such as mindfulness and meditation practices, progressive muscle relaxation, and voluntary regulated breathing techniques to support nervous-system regulation and healing.

In our first session, clients can expect a calm, supportive, and nonjudgmental space focused on understanding their story and what brings them in. I take time to explore symptoms, history, strengths, and goals so we can identify what’s driving the struggles—not just the surface symptoms. Rather than offering a temporary fix, my goal is to help you uncover and address the root causes so you can move toward the life you envision with clarity, resilience, and self-trust.

After booking a complementary consult, please complete the required prescreen form here: https://esther-bilenkis.clientsecure.me/contact-widget Appointments may be canceled if incomplete.