Need help now? See crisis phone numbers

Therapist listings are provided by BetterHelp. We will earn a commission at no additional cost to you if you use our links to purchase.

Dr. Augustine Bessong

Therapist

Dr. Augustine Bessong

LPC

New Jersey · 22+ years of experience

Caring LPC helping people find practical change

Continue with Augustine

Opens BetterHelp in a new tab. There you can look at online therapy options.

Step 1

  • Empathic listener
  • Goal focused
  • Practical strategies

About Augustine

Dr. Augustine Bessong is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in New Jersey with more than two decades of clinical experience. He brings a calm, warm presence to sessions and emphasizes respectful, nonjudgmental care. Parents and individuals often find his straightforward, listening-first approach easy to follow when they're worried or overwhelmed.

Dr. Bessong focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, trauma, grief, depression, ADHD, addictions, and relationship concerns. He also addresses issues related to intimacy, self-esteem, career strain, and compassion fatigue. His background includes work with developmental disabilities and services to LGBTQ people, and he notes experience across a wide range of presenting problems.

In session he aims to join with the person in front of him. He listens closely and tailors conversations to each person's situation. He describes his style as interactive and empathic, and he seeks to treat people with sensitivity and respect rather than labels.

Clinically he uses several approaches and adapts them to each person. He draws on cognitive-behavioral ideas to change unhelpful thinking and behavior. He uses attachment-based and emotionally-focused ideas when relationship patterns and emotional bonds are central concerns. He also brings existential and client-centered perspectives to help people clarify values and goals.

Dr. Bessong advises that change begins with a willing first step. He supports people as they identify problems, set realistic goals, and plan practical steps forward. He works collaboratively so the person remains the driver of the process.

Step 2

Areas of expertise

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigue

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesCaregiver issues and stressCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDependent personalityDissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsForgivenessImmigration issuesImpulsivityInfidelityIntellectual disabilityJealousyLife purposeMood disordersMulticultural concernsNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPersonality disordersPhobiasPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

22+ years

Credentials

New Jersey

Languages

English

Step 3

How therapeutic approaches shape online work

Attachment-based work focuses on how early relationships shape current patterns. It helps when connection, trust, or repeated relationship patterns are causing distress and can guide conversations about emotional bonds and repair. Client-centered therapy centers the person's experience and priorities, using empathic listening and acceptance to help people identify what matters and set their own goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts and actions feed problems and gives straightforward tools to change thinking and behavior for issues such as anxiety, depression, or ADHD-related challenges.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will discuss goals and preferences and together determine which methods to try first. That collaborative planning means initial sessions often focus on clear, practical steps you can use right away, and adjustments are made as needs change.

If you plan to work online, confirm the specific session formats before booking since the biography does not list them. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time. It can also let people keep therapy in view while managing work, caregiving, or other responsibilities. Licensed professionals adapt tools from attachment, client-centered, and CBT approaches to the online setting so sessions remain focused on concrete goals and problem-solving.

Step 4

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does this therapist address?

He works with a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, ADHD, addictions, relationship and intimacy-related concerns, self-esteem, career problems, and compassion fatigue.

What is the therapist's general approach in sessions?

Sessions are described as warm and interactive, with an emphasis on listening and joining the client. He tailors conversations to each person's needs and uses practical strategies to support change.

How much clinical experience does the therapist have?

The therapist has 22 years of professional experience working in mental health settings and with a wide range of presenting problems.

Where is the therapist licensed and located?

He holds the LPC credential and practices in New Jersey.

Which languages are available for sessions?

Sessions are offered in English for both local and international clients.

What session formats are offered?

Session formats are not specified in the biography; please confirm current session options before booking.

How does payment and cost work?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with this therapist?

Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.

Step 5

Your next step

If this is for you

  • Check that the location and license details fit where you live.
  • Write down one or two things you want to talk about.
  • Take your time. You can read other profiles first.

If you are helping someone

  • Read this page together, at a pace that suits them.
  • Ask what they think about this therapist.
  • Let the person make the choice.
Dr. Augustine BessongContinue with Augustine