YD Goldstein, PhD

After all the theories are spoken and all the therapeutic techniques applied, our willingness to share the risk and to give gentle voice to the fear is the gift that heals.

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YD Goldstein, PhD's style

Why YD Goldstein, PhD chose to be in the helping profession

I chose this profession to support the community by providing counseling and programs that meet people where they are. I see every client as an entire world, and I take seriously the trust involved in being invited into their challenges, questions, and growth.

I am particularly passionate about helping adolescents and adults navigating the in-between stages of life—those moments that are exciting but also overwhelming. Some are in high school or college, managing academics, dating, or exploring meaning and identity. Others are stepping into their first job and finding themselves caught in cycles of overthinking, anxiety, or self-doubt, often keeping distressing thoughts under the surface like holding a beach ball underwater. Many clients often first seek support during a crisis, and together we explore what lasting change can look like and how to build it steadily and sustainably.

YD Goldstein, PhD's approach

I work with clients facing OCD, anxiety, PTSD, phobias, and stressful life changes. My treatment approach emphasizes evidence-based approaches such as CBT, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and DBT, while remaining flexible to fit each person’s needs. I strive to make therapy approachable and clear, helping clients understand why we use certain tools and how those tools support their goals.

At the heart of my work is the therapeutic relationship. I focus on building trust, collaborating to define meaningful goals, and creating practical steps to achieve them. I also work with parents, schools, and other professionals, as needed with consent, to ensure clients have support across all areas of life.

What you can expect from sessions with YD Goldstein, PhD

Our first contact is a brief conversation so I can understand what brings you to therapy and what you hope to address. From there, we’ll schedule our initial session or, if needed, I can provide a referral to ensure the best fit. Sessions can take place in-person at my Highland Park, NJ office, via telehealth, or a combination—whatever works best for you.

Many clients come seeking immediate relief, which is always an important first step. Once the immediate stress eases, we focus on building a life aligned with your goals and values. Therapy is collaborative and clear, and I provide tools and strategies to use between sessions. My hope is that you leave each session feeling supported, grounded, and confident in your next steps.

YD Goldstein, PhD's experience working with the Jewish community

I have been working with the frum and broader Jewish community for over a decade, and this work has profoundly shaped who I am as a clinician and as a person. I began as a volunteer with Yachad and spent summers at Camp HASC prior to my formal clinical training, where I learned firsthand what it means to show up for individuals and families with care, patience, and respect. My involvement expanded into community outreach for Jewish individuals with disabilities across New York and New Jersey. During that time, I organized and led shabbatonim and other programs for Yachad that brought people together in ways that were both supportive and empowering.

Currently, I serve as a clinical supervisor for Yachad Summer Programs, which allows me to train and support staff while staying connected to the community in a hands-on way. Over the past five years, I have also provided therapy and clinical interventions to children, adolescents, and adults from a range of hashkafos and religious orientations within the Jewish community. This experience has given me a deep appreciation for the diversity within our community and the many ways people practice, think, and live. It is a privilege to support individuals at different stages of life, each with their own story, and to offer care that is culturally aware, respectful, and attuned to their unique needs.

YD Goldstein, PhD's Book Recommendation Zone

• The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their Patients
  The culmination of master psychiatrist Dr. Irvin D. Yalom’s more than thirty-five years in clinical practice, The Gift of Therapy is a remarkable and essential guidebook that illustrates through real case studies how patients and therapists alike can get the most out of therapy.
• The Illustrated Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living
  A quick, practical, and humorous overview of ACT presented in straightforward and easy to read way.
• Man's Search for Meaning
  Viktor Frankl argues and demonstrates through his own life experience that the fundamental human drive is not for pleasure but for purpose.

YD Goldstein, PhD is facilitator of:

Approaches

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Career Counseling
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
• Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
• Mindfulness and Meditation
• Motivational Interviewing
• Person-Centered Therapy
• Prolonged Exposure Therapy
• Schema Therapy

Concerns

• Anxiety
• Bereavement & Grief
• Body image
• Dating
• Depression
• Emotion regulation
• Gender Identity Issues
• LGBTQIA, gender, & sexuality topics
• Life purpose and meaning
• Mood Disorders
• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Panic attacks/panic disorder
• Parenting
• Relationships
• Religious Identity Issues
• Skin picking (excoriation)
• Stress management
• Transitions & Change
• Trauma

8 years in practice

Licenses

• Practicing Psychologist by New Jersey. License number 35SI00787200

Degrees

• Doctor of Philosophy by Hofstra University

Certificates

• Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT) by PSYPACT 23851

Trainings

• DBT Skills for Adolescents and Families by Psychwire 2022
• Training Course for CPT by Medical University of South Carolina 2022
• DBT Intensive Training by Hofstra University 2019
• ERP for OCD Training by Stress and Anxiety Services 2024

Affiliations

• New Jersey Psychological Association 2024

Average costs per session

$250

Payment Methods

• Sliding Scale
• Free consultation
• Cash
• Check
• Credit Card
• ACH Bank Transfer

Insurances

• Aetna
• Carelon
• Quest Behavioral Health