Therapists for college students near San Diego, CA

I strive to foster personal growth and understanding in order to heal from past wounds and resolve current psychological distress. I do this by providing a safe and non-judgmental space where people of all different backgrounds can feel comfortable sharing their struggles. It is a privilege to walk alongside you during difficult times and see you overcome your current obstacles. I seek understanding of your experience through questions, exploration, and taking on a learner’s perspective. Although I am well versed in mental health disorders and treatment, I see you as the expert of yourself. This is your life and your story. I want to collaborate with you to find the best solutions for you. I will offer tools, strategies, and skills. Most importantly, I offer a place for you to be heard and understood. Together we will learn what works best for you. My goal is for you to leave therapy feeling confident in trusting yourself and your ability to handle what life presents.

I am passionate about supporting clients to heal and thrive in their lives – reaching their goals and a sense of self that brings wellness and fulfillment. I have 15 years of professional experience working in social programs and services – including a diverse range of clients, including veterans, LGBTQI+, seniors, high-achieving professionals, students and young adults. I work with people experiencing PTSD, anxiety, depression, substance use/harm reduction, anger management, severe mental illness, workplace challenges and career goals. I am interested in working with individuals of all ethnicities, faiths, cultural/belief systems, genders, and sexual orientations. I earned my Bachelor’s Degree from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and my Masters Degree from the University of Southern California (USC). I work with clients as experts in their own lives. I focus on collaborating with clients to identify their intrinsic strengths to build resilience and achieve the life they want for themselves. I believe that developing awareness and understanding of one’s thoughts, feelings, and actions develops personal insights and motivation to support optimal mental health. I utilize evidence-based and trauma-informed approaches, combining motivational interviewing, narrative therapy, mindfulness, art therapy, coaching and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to build tools for healthy functioning and overall wellness.

Therapy that encourages and empowers Guiding Healing versus Treatment Do you feel alone? Like the world is burning? In today's day and time, it is hard to cope with the day to day. We have political overwhelm as well as climate overwhelm. I hear you. I see you. I don't promise to have all of the answers but I promise to meet you where you are as a human being. I am here to help you cope and provide a nonjudmental and safer space to process your experiences. I will help you learn how to be present in your body and identify what subtle messages your body might be telling you. Clients often describe my "superpower" as being a calming, gentle presence for my clients. You will be the expert of your experience and I am here as a guide. I aim to encourage and empower you to be your authentic self. My therapy style includes the belief that we all live within larger systems that have significant impacts on our physical, financial, mental, and emotional well being. In addition to clinical trauma work, I am a registered yoga teacher. My approach is grounded in the idea that trauma is stored in our bodies and requires more than just talk therapy. I am passionate about helping queer and gender non conforming clients live their most authentic selves with kindness. My experience includes providing therapy to individual adults, typically in the 18-45 age range. My practice is trans affirming and I have experience providing Gender Affirmation Surgery letters. I enjoy working with individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, and identity issues. I provide kink and poly/CNM informed therapy and have both clinical and lived experience with religious trauma. I’m a sex positive and fat positive clinician. I actively engage in personal and clinical work to provide a safer space for all humans and bodies. I use an anti-racist, person-centered, and trauma-informed lens. It is my opinion that therapy should be collaborative and non pathologizing.

Sometimes life shatters us, and we have to pick up the pieces and figure out who we are all over again. It is harder than ever to do this work when the world around us is falling apart. And yet, here we are. You do not have to suffer alone. With curiosity, compassion, and a healthy sense of humor, I will help you identify strengths, tap into courage, and develop resilience. I see you as the expert on your life and I welcome the opportunity to help you become who you were always meant to be. I work with individuals, couples, folks in unconventional or ethically non-monogamous relationships, and families. My style is warm, direct, and playful. I can support you in deepening your connection to your body and in changing your thinking. My clients often tell me that I help them see themselves more clearly. Our work will happen within the safety of the relationship we create together. A healthy, authentic connection is vital for successful therapy, and I welcome your questions about my practice. Please contact me for a free consultation–I look forward to meeting you so that we can see if we’re a good fit.

As a bilingual Korean-English psychologist, I specialize in working with adults navigating perfectionism and/or anxiety rooted in attachment and emotional wounds, often shaped by growing up in immigrant families or with Asian parents. I’ve worked at several college counseling centers (e.g., GWU, UIUC, UCI, CSULB), giving me a deep understanding of the challenges commonly faced by both undergraduate and graduate students. I see clients residing in California and Illinois via secure Zoom meetings. Please feel free to reach out!

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Our Mission is to provide accessible, culturally responsive mental health care that empowers historically and systemically marginalized individuals, families, and communities to heal, grow, and thrive! As a community-focused agency, we are dedicated to creating a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment where clients and employees can show up as their full, authentic selves. Through compassionate, holistic, and collaborative treatment, we strive to increase access to high-quality, consistent, and effective mental health services that honor each person's unique experiences and needs.

My practice is dedicated to working with people who are seeking emotional emancipation. They desire to claim or reclaim their lives after traumatic experiences or relational struggles that have left them feeling down, anxious, lonely, confused or scared and often don't really know how to begin to be different in the midst of all of these feelings. Working with me means exploring together the experiences that make you who you are by looking both at what your life is like today and how your past is informing that life. From this vantage, you can learn to make choices for yourself, freeing the yourself to engage in a life of your own making. I offer a free consultation and my fee is $300.

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As an active listener, I provide individualized treatment utilizing a nonjudgmental approach through medication management and supportive therapy. Let’s start!

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.

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Do you think about what kind of person you'd like to be, but feel uncertain, nervous, lost, or overwhelmed about how to make the change? College is an exciting time to explore your identity, learn how to build meaningful relationships, and to find a purposeful career. If you're hoping to feel more confident in who you are, feel more certain about your direction in life and live up to your potential, you've come to the right place. Dr. Grace specializes in asking these "big questions" in life. She marries the wisdom of Buddhist practices with the science of psychology to deepen clients' self-awareness and exploration, and uses a multiculturally sensitive lens to identify how our environments may have shaped our beliefs, motivations, and behaviours. Clients often say that sessions with Dr. Grace feel productive, with a balance between insight and action. Her presence is calming and non-judgmental, encouraging clients to maximize their growth. She is a MSU alumni, having previously worked at CAPS, and offers fully virtual services in both English and Mandarin. Evening hours available.

I believe that you are a unique individual. You have your own path of growth and your own set of challenges. In therapy, I will deeply respect your feelings about your life and your situation. I am an empathetic and caring therapist. Clients have told me that I have a gift for putting myself in their shoes and really feeling what they feel. I use techniques such as Internal Family Systems therapy (IFS) and Energy therapy to help people heal from trauma, whether the trauma occurred early in life or more recently. You really can heal from trauma! We can greatly reduce or eliminate the multiple effects it has on your emotions, your behavior, and your relationships. I also apply these techniques to depression, anxiety and other difficulties. I care very much about the people I work with, and I will apply my professional skills and experience to your unique situation. I will help you develop new, more successful methods to handle the difficult issues you are dealing with. I may help you find strengths that you didn’t know you had. In my 20 years of practicing psychotherapy, I have helped people from all walks of life with many different backgrounds. My experience includes working with ADHD and helping people deal with complex family relationship issues, as well as with marital or partner relationship issues. I look forward to meeting you and beginning our work together.

Hello, I am a board-certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner with experience in both inpatient and outpatient psychiatric care. I have an academic foundation in child development and psychology. I earned my Master’s degree in nursing with a focus on clinical nurse leadership. I am driven by my passion for mental health and committed to providing compassionate, evidence-based care to support individuals on their journey toward improved mental well-being. After working inpatient/acute care medical floors for several years, I became inspired to work within the field of psychiatry and providing care to those who struggle with mental health issues related to chronic conditions and helping people through difficult stages in their lives. My goal is to meet each patient at whichever stage they are and deliver care that will provide them safety and lead them to a more stable, healthier life. I strive to give each person their best chance at achieving success. Each patient is provided an individualized plan of care. We collaborate to reach the safest and best treatment options for you, including education and appropriate follow-up care.

Welcome! I'm Olivea (oh-liv-ee-uh). I'm a graduate of The Wright Institute's Graduate School of Counseling Psychology, working as an associate therapist in San Ramon, CA. I love seeing my clients in-person but also offer telehealth for those who aren't local or can't make it in-person. My general approach to therapy is lower-key, compassionate (heavy on the checking the self-critic), direct and casual. I work to create a space that feels validating, accepting, and easy to walk into, even when everything feels like it's too much. I primarily work with young adults and teens navigating anxiety, depression, relationship issues, identity questions (gender, sexuality, race), and political stress. I also have a soft spot for anyone experiencing long-distance relationship struggles as well as fellow nerds and gamers, and anyone who feels chronically online (no judgment—same). I often see folks for individual therapy who are dealing with: - Life transitions that feel overwhelming - Difficulty finding their voices in their families or relationships - Feeling lonely or isolated - Relationship issues and attachment patterns - Boundaries and stress management - Racial stress and identity development - Gender and sexual identity exploration I believe you're the expert on your own life, and that a strong, collaborative relationship between us is what makes therapy actually work. My approach is grounded in that belief—I utilize strengths-based, person-centered frameworks, and I operate from a social justice lens. Basically: I see you as a whole person shaped by your experiences and the systems around you, and I'm here to help you figure out what you need and want, not tell you what to do. I'm currently an AMFT (Associate Marriage and Family Therapist) under the supervision of Michelle Ritenour (#51357). If you feel like we might be a good fit, please feel encouraged to contact me by phone, email, or through my website.

Hi, this is Michael Courter, founder of Free At Heart Online Therapy. I personally am exceptionally happy with and humbled by the skill, warmth and intuition of these therapists and I’m sure we have a clinician perfect for you. Combined with highly technical training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and many other treatments, these therapists are capable of having a remarkably positive impact in the lives of their clients and in our community. Like my fellow therapists at Free At Heart Online Therapy, I continue to research and study the most impactful psychological theories available. It is this focus on our continuing studies and comprehensive training that allows our therapy clinic to offer exceptional and varied mental health services. In addition to offering full scope DBT, we are pleased to offer Internal Family Systems Therapy, where the goal is to permanently heal your trauma and completely transform your mental health symptoms. ​ So in the spirit of healing, I would like to officially welcome and invite you to participate with Free At Heart Online Therapy and/or refer those persons in your life that would benefit from a friendly, supportive, creative, consistent, and non-judgemental ear. Kind Regards, - Michael Courter

My experience working directly with students in school settings has been the most meaningful and rewarding part of my professional journey. I found that I connect naturally with students and genuinely enjoy supporting their emotional, social, and academic growth. Because of my passion for this work, I consistently sought out additional opportunities to work with students and often exceeded the minimum requirements in order to gain more experience supporting them. In my work with students, I focus on providing simple, practical, and easy-to-apply tools that help them successfully reach the goals we set together in session. I strive to create a supportive and encouraging environment where students feel heard, understood, and empowered. I make it a priority to ensure they know they have someone in their corner at all times, and I approach my role as both a strong supporter and advocate for their well-being and success.

College can be a lot. Between classes, work, relationships, family expectations, finances, and trying to figure out what you want to do with your life, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, stressed, anxious, or stuck. My goal is to create a space where you can be yourself without feeling judged. Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, low self-confidence, past trauma, academic stress, or major life changes, I’m here to help you work through it. Together, we’ll focus on practical tools and strategies that can help you feel more confident, balanced, and in control of your life.You don’t need to have everything figured out before starting therapy. Come as you are, and we’ll take it one step at a time.

Starting college or graduate school —or navigating your way through them—can be both exciting and overwhelming. Many students find themselves facing stress, anxiety, relationship challenges, identity questions, academic pressure, or major life transitions, often for the first time. You don’t have to figure it all out on your own. I specialize in working with college students and young adults, and I understand the unique pressures of university life—from managing expectations and finding your place, to coping with self-doubt, loneliness, or burnout. Whether you’re struggling or simply wanting to better understand yourself and grow, therapy can be a space where things begin to feel more manageable and more hopeful. My approach is warm, collaborative, and nonjudgmental. I believe that meaningful change happens in a strong, trusting therapeutic relationship, where you feel safe to be yourself and explore what’s really going on beneath the surface. Together, we’ll work at your pace to better understand your experiences, build resilience, and develop tools that help you move forward with greater confidence and clarity. I have over 15 years of experience in the mental health field, including working in university counseling centers, where I supported students through many of the challenges you may be facing now. I’ve worked with individuals from diverse backgrounds and identities, and I am committed to creating an inclusive, affirming space where you feel seen and respected. I also have experience working with international students, students with disabilities and chronic health conditions, Deaf and hard of hearing students, and those navigating complex family or cultural dynamics. Reaching out for support can feel like a big step—but it can also be the beginning of feeling more like yourself again. You deserve support, understanding, and a space to grow. I would be honored to be part of that process with you.