Therapists for college students near San Diego, CA

I am and have always been inspired to work in the mental health field because I believe everyone should have the opportunity to be happy and free from hindering and sometimes debilitating mental health symptoms. I started my adult life working in the corporate world and not too many years later realized that it was not my calling or my passion. It was then that I pursued furthering my education in order to be in a position to help others find their purpose, freedom, serenity, and happiness. Being a good listener is an extremely important skill and I believe a gift of mine. I believe that individuals are the experts in their own lives and therefore have a wealth of information to transmit. This is why listening is a major key in the therapeutic process. I am one to guide, not to dictate instructions for your life. I believe in being a partner in the process of recovery, healing, and well-being. A strong therapeutic alliance begins with the therapist’s ability to listen and empathize. It builds upon mutual respect and open-mindedness. A non-judgmental presence that exudes a sort of transparency and authenticity is vital in this process as well. Being flexible and modifying therapeutic modalities to fit the client’s needs are essential.

Many students have mental health concerns from time to time. We feel stuck or face certain challenges. Sometimes we know what’s wrong and other times, we have the nagging sensation that something feels “off.” It can be stress, anxiety, depression, or academic pressures. When we understand the causes of your troubles, we can alleviate your symptoms. And, when we do, you’ll feel renewed and be a better student, friend, romantic partner, son or daughter. When your desire for your own welfare overrules your limiting beliefs and negative self-talk, what you aspire to starts flowing into your lives—be it a relationship, academic success. Your manifestations become effortless, without internal strife and resistance.

Overwhelmed, scattered, stuck in cycles of anxiety and procrastination. Losing track of time, riding emotional highs and lows, struggling to quiet your mind — and not knowing why. These patterns can be linked to ADHD, and in adults they frequently go unrecognized for years. What builds up in that time isn't just difficulty with focus and follow-through, but criticism, self-doubt, and anxiety that never quite got resolved. The adults I work with are often highly capable people who've built impressive lives, but carry a quiet exhaustion from working twice as hard just to keep up. They mask well in public and struggle privately. My approach integrates multiple evidence-based therapies, including EMDR, a model built on the understanding that your brain has a built-in system for healing — linking difficult or traumatic memories to your adaptive memory network for nervous system healing and cognitive restructuring, so you can move forward with clarity.

What inspired me to become a therapist is a deep curiosity about people, healing, and how change happens through connection and experience. My work has been shaped by an integrative background that includes Depth Psychology, trauma-informed care, Polyvagal Theory, CBT, ACT, Positive Psychology, Family Systems work, and experience with somatic and experiential approaches, including equine-assisted work and the arts. I’ve also been influenced by academic and lived experiences exploring culture, creativity, and recovery, including work on trauma, addiction recovery, and meaning-making after distress. I aim to make sure you feel heard by really slowing down and staying present with both your words and your emotional experience. I tend to check in often to make sure I’m understanding you correctly and that we’re capturing what feels most important to you. My approach is grounded in attunement, curiosity, and creating a space where your experience is taken seriously without judgment or rushing toward solutions. Working together is a collaborative and relational process that unfolds over time. I draw from somatic, experiential, and trauma-informed frameworks, and we focus on building safety, consistency, and trust first. I often integrate mind-body awareness, reflective dialogue, and practical strategies depending on your needs. My background also includes teaching dance, mindfulness, yoga, and meditation to veterans, as well as exploring nonverbal communication and relational dynamics through equine work and movement-based practices. All of this informs how I help clients feel grounded, understood, and supported as they move toward meaningful change at their own pace. I earned my first degree at UW Madison. Sometimes to break the ice with couples, I will let them know that I taught ballroom dancing though mini courses and the University extension to help pay college living expenses. In those days, I often wore combat boots to teach.

Many struggle with anxiety and depression, and this is not uncommon. Whether it be nervousness, sadness, relational difficulties, or feeling like we aren't where we are "supposed to be" in life, there are many obstacles that cause us to feel "stuck." My job as a therapist is to help you get "unstuck" by aiding you in better understanding the underlying factors contributing to these difficulties, many of which are often rooted in thinking habits and relational patterns. My primary focus is on anxiety and depression, and how the combination of unhealthy thinking and unhealthy relational patterns cause us to feel anxious and depressed. I have additional training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) both of which are approaches proven to assist with anxiety and depression. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on the connection between how we think and our mood, and Interpersonal Therapy focuses on the connection between how we relate to others and our mood. I understand that you are busy, and therefore offer early morning and evening hours, and I am also available through telehealth. Many find telehealth convenient, as you can be anywhere in the state, and we can still meet.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Having trained at the University of Notre Dame (Ph.D., M.A.), UC Berkeley (APA-accredited internship) and Stanford (post-doctoral fellowship), I bring rigorous scientific expertise into my clinical work with college students. In fact, I worked at the University Counseling Centers at all three of these schools and have continued to develop a specialized private practice that focuses almost exclusively on college students. I also teach for Pepperdine University in their Graduate School of Education & Psychology. I help clients with a range of concerns including: anxiety, depression, career and academic concerns, ADHD, relationship concerns (situationships, am I right? :) ), body image and eating disorders, perfectionism, college/life transitions, as well as family of origin challenges (let's say it together, boundaries...). I often work with high-achieving students who often are managing academically but struggling internally. My clients often put others first and themselves last. By the time they come to therapy, concerns have been going on for some time and they've reached a breaking point. They may feel they "should" be able to handle things on their own. As a recovering perfectionist and someone who was riddled with anxiety throughout college, I get it. It wasn't until my own training in CBT that I learned how destructive such thought patterns were. It inspired my clinical approach, as well as three clinical workbooks I've published on Solution-Focused Therapy, CBT, and Positive Psychology with the top mental health publishers. Many of my clients who have been to therapy before often remark how "easy" I make the process. We laugh, we learn, and talk like old friends. Therapy doesn't have to be stuffy or stressful. It's about feeling respected, validated and heard. Learning to take care of yourself, set appropriate boundaries, and thrive! I'd LOVE to work with you! Please feel free to book a complimentary 15 minute consultation at my website below so we can connect!

With 15 years of experience, I provide counseling to adults and teens seeking to improve mood management and increase task completion. My work focuses on building practical coping skills for issues like anxiety, depression, burnout, and ADHD. For clients with ADHD, I also offer support in structuring routines and evaluating whether an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) could be a beneficial tool for improving focus and emotional stability. By processing stressors and cultivating a growth mindset, I help individuals grow their self-confidence and reach their full potential.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Mental wellness is a process. Often, life encourages us to put our resources into our outer world, from how we look to where we work. As important as this can be, this is often at the expense of investing in our inner world. Let me help empower you to develop your mental wellness and enrich your wellbeing from the inside out. I'm Dr. Dakari, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with expertise in treating a variety of mental health concerns. My therapeutic style involves creating a warm and supportive environment for you to process life complexities and learn practical skills to progress towards your mental wellness goals.

I specialize in Substance Use and Trauma. I work with individuals, families, and provide support for partners and spouses of those struggling with Substance Use. Often underlying trauma, mental and physical disorders, stress and shame, fuel substance use, so without addressing those underlying forces its very difficult to manage your life and break free from addiction. I will come along side of you and provide a safe place to process, an individualized recovery plan, tools and insight through education, and together through discovery we will set goals around breaking free from those underlying issues that drive substance abuse as well as breaking addiction itself. Please check out my website for more information: www.myrecoveryworks.org

Equip is the leading evidence-based virtual eating disorder treatment program on a mission to ensure that everyone with an eating disorder has access to treatment that works. Built by clinical experts in the eating disorder field and those who have experienced eating disorders firsthand, Equip fills the gaps in today’s insufficient eating disorder landscape. We provide fully virtual, evidence-based treatment through a multidisciplinary care team (which includes a medical provider, therapist, dietitian, and trained mentors), allowing each patient to achieve full recovery without disrupting their life. We treat patients of all ages and diagnoses in all 50 states, and we accept most insurance plans.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

I have been a therapist since 2004 working in both private and group practice with adults and children before joining with Kaiser Permanente psychiatry in 2012, recently returned to sole private practice in 2021. I earned my clinical social work degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, which was awarded a top 5 ranking in the field. I additionally have completed post-graduate studies at University of Virginia Mary Ainsworth Clinic and American School of Clinical Psychology in Washington DC. While I enjoy use of various therapy methods, including CBT and ACT to treat anxiety and depression, I have a particular passion in the use of EMDR for trauma and stress disorders. I consider myself very privileged to have trained with and sought consultation with Andrew Leeds, who is an EMDRIA board member and foundational researcher in the field. .Many of my clients have reported this technique to be a fast and highly effective treatment that they wish they had considered sooner. Please feel free to look over the links regarding the high-effectiveness of EMDR and to reach me with any questions. Additionally, I have extensive expertise in the area of dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) another great therapy style that I can strongly recommend, I was very fortunate to be part of a 2012 Ben Hudnell Grant to develop a DBT program for Kaiser Permanente’s Psychiatry Department, initially at the Washington DC clinic and then later heading the program for KP Psychiatry in Pleasanton, CA; running these programs from 2015-2021. I find the coping skills taught in DBT to be essential, not only for reducing suffering and problem behaviors, but for helping to create a life worth living. While DBT was initially developed to assist those with Borderline Personality Disordered traits, it has broadened to include helping those looking to manage with mood swings, anger, relationship problems, binge eating, bipolar disorders, anxiety and depression, as well as assisting those is continuing recovery from addictions. I especially recommend DBT for those who struggle with anger or shutting down, as relationship dynamics are really where difficult can present. I teach both basic DBT and advanced practice, whether your new to process or experienced I am happy to support your process in session. There is the hope to include group education and process, in the future, pandemic needs permitting. I see my clients online via secure telehealth on Mondays and Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays are available for in-person for those full-vaccinated and without COVID exposure concerns. You may schedule a free 20-minute telehealth consult via website below.

I am an ANCC Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner whom specializes in medication management and supportive psychotherapy. I received my Master’s of Science in Nursing from Western University of Health Sciences and my Post Masters degree as a Nurse Practitioner in Psychiatric Mental Health from the University of Cincinnati. My clinical experience has provided me the opportunity to be exposed to a vast array of mental conditions and to work closely with individuals to improve their quality of life and overall wellbeing. I specialize in mood disorders, anxiety and ADHD. Psychiatry became my passion when I realized the disparity of services and care provided within our mental health care system. I believe it’s an honor and a privilege to work alongside individuals on their path to wellness. My goal is for each and every member to feel safe, empowered and heard. I am inspired to work in mental health by helping others attain a life they deserve and desire. I listen to each patient’s concerns and approach their care as a concerted effort. All psychiatry providers at Foresight have specialized experience in treating a wide range of common mental health conditions, including but not limited to ADHD, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, depression, and PTSD. In addition, I specialize in the following areas: academic stress, deprescribing, holistic approaches to psychiatry, chronic illness, pregnancy, prenatal, postpartum, women’s issues (PMDD, PCOS, perimenopause, menopause, etc.)

Hello, fellow human! Are you struggling with finding love, social anxiety, or a rocky relationship? You want love and acceptance, but finding and keeping human connections is hard. You know you need tools, a plan, and confidence to use them. Where can you find reliable advice? The Relationship Center can help. We help socially anxious professionals, singles seeking loving relationships, and couples adjusting to major life transitions. We offer online therapy, dating coaching, and couples counseling in the Bay Area and across California. At the Relationship Center, our relationship therapists have supported countless individuals and couples just like you to better understand themselves and discover the tools they need to find happiness. Ready to build confidence and find companionship? Apply for a free 30-minute consultation today!

As your clinical psychologist, with over 30 years experience, I am committed to creating an environment where you feel safe and understood. I will assist you in addressing and exploring the challenging issues that have kept you from living the life you would prefer. Originally from SoCal, I have lived in Athens for a total of ten years, have two adult children, and have worked extensively with college students, at both UGA and CSUN. Although it needs to be challenging at times, my goal is to make therapy a very positive, fun, and productive experience for you. I work together with you,utilizing cognitive-behavioral techniques, with an emphasis on solution-based therapy. Having spent almost nine years post-grad (3.5 years Masters, 5 years Doctorate), I personally know the challenges of being a student. I personalize my approach to be the one that is most effective for " you." We will work to find healthy changes that are important in assisting you to be happier, less anxious or depressed, and more fulfilled.

As a clinician with a decade of experience as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a doctorate in clinical psychology, I bring a thoughtful, integrative, and person-centered approach to therapy. My work is grounded in a humanistic theoretical orientation, and I approach each therapeutic relationship with warmth, respect, and curiosity. I strive to create a space where clients feel genuinely heard and supported in making sense of their experiences, in their own words. While I prioritize a person-centered lens, I also draw from evidence-based practices such as CBT, DBT, and ACT, tailoring treatment to meet each client’s unique needs. I am deeply committed to multicultural awareness, equity, and advocacy in clinical practice. I have extensive experience working with individuals who are BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S, and first-gen. My approach is affirming, identity-conscious, and culturally responsive, with an emphasis on honoring the complexity and intersectionality of each client’s lived experience. In addition to English, I am fluent in Mandarin and Shanghainese, and I welcome clients who may benefit from therapy in their native language. It is an honor and a privilege to support individuals in navigating life transitions, identity development, and emotional well-being with care, openness, and collaboration. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

I became a mental health provider because everyone’s gone through something in their life that made them the person they are today. Good or bad, I truly feel passionate about using my experiences to help others achieve their goals and feel supported. I have been providing counseling services for over 12 years and have extensive experience working with the student population. I am a proud Alumni of CSU Channel Islands and Azusa Pacific University! Cannot wait to start working with you!