Therapists for college students near San Diego State University
Hi! Glad you’re here. As a licensed marriage and family therapist, I enjoy working with kids, adults, couples and families. I earned my Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of San Diego in 2005, and completed a clinical internship in UCSD’s Department of Family Medicine. There I collaborated with physicians in the care of patients and their family members. To this day, I follow a “bio-psycho-social” systems approach- looking at a client’s physical health (bio), emotional health (psycho), and current relationships and support systems (social). Because relationships can be both a source of worry - and also our greatest asset- a genuine connection (with family, friends, coworkers, etc) truly fosters improved emotional health. Considering our current stressors from a “systems perspective” allows us to cultivate a deeper understanding of how our family interactions and social connections affect our daily lives. We can enrich those connections, develop healthier boundaries, and connect meaningfully with people in our lives in a way that does not leave us feeling as drained or anxious. While it is certainly essential to address current challenges or problems, it is just as important to simultaneously identify strengths and assets already residing within. Looking at how to utilize coping skills, or learning new ones, helps bolster resiliency and brings new change. We work toward responding to adversity by changing course, healing, using new coping skills and then continuing forward. The act of seeking help can often feel overwhelming for anyone; it helps to not do it alone. I do my best to offer guidance, support, and dedicated focus on developing an approach tailored to meet a client’s particular set of current needs.
I specialize in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and EMDR. I use these models to treat depression, anxiety and/or others forms of conflict. I incorporate self-care disciplines that involve a holistic healing approach through relaxation, meditative skills and mindfulness practices.
Living with intense and debilitating feelings may leave you with a sense of overwhelm, hopelessness, and anger. You may have conflicts in your relationships, hold resentments, or try your best to manage with unsuccessful ways of coping. Do you have a hard time feeling safe or heard in your relationships, or trusting your intuition? You deserve a safe and supportive relationship to heal the impact of life. I help highly emotional and high conflict persons manage their intense emotional experiences, understand the causes, and learn alternative ways to cope so they can navigate life and relationships with greater satisfaction. My work is uniquely tailored to you and infuses aspects of evidence-based therapies with genuine feedback to help you gain awareness of patterns that keep you stuck and assist in moving you from surviving to thriving. As we connect, we may walk through the mud together, identify practical skills to manage the chaos of life, discover and develop your sense of inner wisdom, and navigate what keeps you stuck and why. We might even share a few laughs together. Whatever you find yourself struggling with, I invite you to no longer suffer alone.
Are you someone who feels like they’re always “on”? Your mind rarely rests; constantly replays moments, worries about what’s next, or wondering if you're doing enough? For some, this shows up as anxiety and overthinking that keeps them feeling disconnected from themselves. For others, it’s the exhaustion that comes with work, school, parenting — wanting to be patient and present, but feeling triggered or stretched too thin. Underneath it all, you desire to feel calm and grounded. You want to understand why you react the way you do, how your past experiences influence your emotions today, and how to begin responding differently. My work helps you move from self-criticism to self-understanding, and from constant reactivity to clarity and connection — within yourself and your relationships. I create a space that feels safe, supportive, and curious — one where you can learn to regulate your nervous system, reconnect to your needs, and build a sense of trust in yourself.
"What am I doing with my life?" "What do I want?" "Why do I feel the way I do?" "When will the time come that I feel how I want to feel?" "How do I get there?" These questions and many more like them can really come up as we enter into and move through our young adult years. And they can feel quite overwhelming, especially when we feel we are asking them alone. I partner with young adults to tackle these questions together. I am enthusiastic, I feel deeply, and I believe in the power of humor - these are core to who I am as a person and core to who I am as a therapist. My approach is very interactive; I bring my full self into the room, and invite clients to do the same as we work together to get them to the way of being they are seeking. I am passionate about working with young adult At the beginning of working with someone new, emphasis in placed on getting clear about what it is they are seeking and then collaborating with them to decide the pace and direction we go. Feel free to learn more about me and my work at www.adamcohenmft.com and contact me with any questions or to schedule a complimentary phone consultation to explore working together.
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We provide clinical outpatient treatment programs to young adults on a college track with mental health and substance use disorders. Our Intensive Outpatient Program uses evidence-based practices and peer-based support to help students heal and ultimately thrive in school and life. We believe college students deserve mental health treatment options that work with their collegiate lifestyle. Students in need of support can choose from our in-person and virtual Intensive Outpatient Programs for mental health or substance use treatment, available to all young adults in California on a college track. Developed in partnership with students, universities and clinical experts, these programs make it possible for students to work through their challenges while staying in school, so they can thrive through graduation and beyond.
**ACCEPTING NEW CIGNA OR CASH CLIENTS** My focus is to provide support for infant massage, children, individuals, couples, parent/child dyadic relations, family systems, or other non-traditional relationships (best friends, co-workers, "trouples", etc.) to find healing and identify each individual's inner strengths and connections. I achieve this by providing a safe "neutral" space, listening to your concerns, identifying rooted issues, and processing to foster growth. I provide various strategies for processing trauma, in addition to traditional talk therapy, such as sand tray, dyadic art, therapeutic play, etc. As a LGBTQ affirming therapist, I am open minded to all walks of life and relationship choices. I am not here to judge your choices. We focus on relational systems and assist each member in creating mindfulness in their choices. We will work on identifying generational patterns that contribute to behaviors and patterns. Our goal is to help you grow from your struggles, heal from your pain, and move forward to where you want to be in your life. I promise to be there for you every step of your journey, for as long as you will allow me. No Hablo Espanol.
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Hi, I am Anna McDonald. I am a licensed clinical social worker specializing in assisting individuals and couples to work through life's conflicts. I do so through a multi-faceted approach, focusing first on the unique strengths of my clients and then collaborating with them to be empowered and move through these challenges. Therapy with me is more than just, “How does that make you feel?” and nodding my head. Instead, I am an individual working to empower my clients with research-based knowledge to improve their life conditions.
James is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (#71085) based in Oakland, California who has a background as a music educator and was trained across broad multi-cultural social service experiences. His work spans the spectrum of disenfranchised communities and corporate settings. James specializes in individual and family work with older teens and adults who want to address social and emotional imbalances. He has guided hundreds of personal transformations for people of color who have struggled with the day to day, and worked collaboratively to explore unique ways to thrive. The mental wellness journey he offers includes a compassionate process of acknowledging what’s already working to your benefit and taking meaningful steps toward more sustainable self-care.
If someone asked you not to think for 10 minutes how hard would that be? Is overthinking about the “What Ifs” driving you to relentlessly check things over and over again? Are you determined to find certainty in an uncertain world? Do you frequently ask others repeatedly if something or someone is going to be OK? No matter how much you do a task or say a particular thing does peace of mind elude you? Does the compulsion to handwash, re-read, double-check, pray, or re-arrange items never provide lasting relief? Do you find yourself burdened by intrusive thoughts that strike against your will and preoccupy your mind for hours a day? OCD is characterized by unabating obsessions matched with intense mental or behavioral rituals to relieve the anxiety provoked. It is not treated by “talk therapy” but with Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). Through customized gradual exposures, ERP is an evidence-based method of intervention to reduce the severity of OCD symptoms. Exposure Therapy Designs is a telehealth practice that focuses on providing EMDR and ERP for individuals struggling with OCD and PTSD. Our clinicians offer evidence and strengths-based counseling with multicultural sensitivity. We are solutions-oriented and practice from a Solutions Focused Brief Therapy Model. ERP is a collaborative and creative approach to learning new skills and strategies to become comfortable with uncertainty and more confident in your ability to handle life’s unexpected challenges. My style is compassionate, client-centered, and culturally sensitive. Licensed in California and Massachusetts. Registered Out-of-State Telehealth provider for Florida. Research indicates that approximately 40 to 60 percent of OCD conditions have a trauma onset. Often talking about the trauma(s) can retraumatize a person. For that reason, Eye Movement and Desensitization Response (EMDR) and the Flash Technique are evidence-based treatment interventions utilized to resolve the severity of PTSD symptoms. Our treatment focus is on neurodivergent issues and gifted learners. Therapeutic style is evidenced and strength based, multiculturally sensitive, solutions oriented, client centered, and collaborative. You are the expert on you. Our role is to facilitate and support an awareness of how to implement changes to overcome unhelpful patterns in thinking and decision-making. We strive to see the whole person not just a list of symptoms. Understanding your unique background is key because therapy is not a cookie-cutter approach. Our team includes providers who are Certified Level One Solutions Focused Therapists and received specialized training in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Habit Reversal Training (HRT). We also have clinicians who have completed Basic training in EMDR and the Flash Technique. We work with individuals experiencing neurodivergent issues, gifted learners, individuals coping to manage life transitions, women’s mental health issues around shifting roles in family and career, and immigration/re-entry adjustment stressors. We have licensed therapists who can see individuals residing in California, Florida, Massachusetts and Virginia. However our Associate Clinicians are only able to see residents of California at this time. Individuals who have Aetna, Kaiser Permanente, Lyra, SpringHealth, or Sutter EAP benefits are able to use their health plan coverage to pay for sessions with our licensed clinician only. For everyone else we work with Mentaya, a platform that helps clients get money back on out-of-network therapy sessions. If you have out-of-network benefits, Mentaya will file claims and handle the insurance paperwork to make sure you get reimbursed. They charge a 5% fee per claim and have helped people get thousands of dollars back per year. You can sign up using this link: https://app.mentaya.com/register?p=XqKyUZD7e4vJZUJ89P3c Note: Mentaya's goal is to save you time and money. It's completely optional, and as your therapist, I do not benefit in any way from your participation. **Sliding scale rates available on a limited cash pay-only basis with our Associate Clinicians**
Being a young adult can feel overwhelming—caught between who you’ve been and who you’re becoming. Whether you're facing anxiety, trauma, depression, relationship challenges, or questions about identity and purpose, therapy can help you find clarity and direction. As a licensed trauma specialist, I support young adults through the emotional and physical impact of trauma, including childhood wounds, PTSD, cultural and generational pain, and the stress of modern life. With advanced training in EMDR, CBT, DBT, and psychodynamic therapy, I tailor sessions to your pace and goals—balancing practical tools with deeper self-exploration. This is a space to untangle limiting beliefs, regulate emotions, and reconnect with your sense of self—so you can move forward with confidence, choice, and inner stability.
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Being a young adult can feel scary right now. Even in these times, I believe deeply in our innate capacity to heal, grow, and transform. Society doesn’t make that process easy- we face inequality, get stuck, and sometimes feel overwhelmed by the weight of it all. There is a path forward, but it’s not always easy to find. A big part of my work is helping you blaze this trail and collaborating with your success. Using a combination of warmth, mindfulness, brain/body science, creativity and sharing knowledge, I help keep your process moving toward living the life you want. Over the past 15 years, I’ve specialized in working with teen girls, young adults in their 20s and 30s, and those navigating life transitions, school, trauma, or relational challenges. This life stage can feel intense- you're shaping your career, defining your values, and building relationships that matter. Together, we can explore those big questions while tending to the deeper layers beneath them. I’m also an EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Certified Therapist™, and I use this powerful tool to help clients heal from distressing experiences, integrate their stories, and access new ways of being. EMDR can be our central focus or one approach among many, depending on your needs. As a Puerto Rican-American therapist, I bring a culturally responsive, decolonized lens to this work. I understand that our struggles aren’t just internal, they’re shaped by larger systems that impact how we live, relate, and find belonging. If you're navigating second-generation or multicultural identity, I’ve got you. My goal is to create a space that honors your complexity and supports your power. Whether you’re seeking support for anxiety, identity exploration, trauma recovery, or simply a space to connect with yourself, I’d be honored to work with you.
People-pleaser, perfectionist, anxious, passive. If any of the above phrases or words describe you, guess what? You're reading the right profile. If you're ready to break-out of unhelpful patterns; if you're motivated to start using your voice; even if you're ready to start therapy to see where it takes you - I can be the therapist to help move you in a different direction. If you're looking for someone who is very structured, that's not me. I offer no-frills sessions and am not afraid to (gently, mind you) challenge or question you. I operate collaboratively and conversationally. Anxiety, people-pleasing, all those things I named above are my specialties. If you're a first timer to therapy - I can also help with that! Look, I get it - it's hard to pick someone whom to tell your innermost thoughts. I understand the feeling of uncertainty and the frustration of finding the "right" therapist. If you're willing to reach out to see if we're a good fit, let's talk!
Life can feel overwhelming—especially when you’re carrying pain, anger, or uncertainty about who you are or where you’re going. You don’t have to face it alone. Therapy is a space to feel seen, to be heard, and to grow without judgment. If you’re ready to explore new ways of thinking, feeling, and showing up in your life, I’d be honored to walk beside you. I’m a Latino therapist who grew up in Los Angeles, and I know firsthand how powerful therapy can be. I offer a space where you can speak honestly, be challenged with care, and feel supported as you work toward lasting change. Sessions are consistent, client-centered, and deeply personal.
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