Therapists for college students near San Diego, CA

The students I work best with are often juggling the pressures of college while trying to manage their mental health. You may be feeling overwhelmed by coursework, struggling with anxiety or depression, adjusting to a new environment, dealing with relationship or family stress, or questioning your confidence and direction. Sometimes it feels like everyone else has it figured out while you’re just trying to get through the day. My goal is to provide a supportive, nonjudgmental space where you can be yourself. Together, we’ll explore what’s contributing to your stress, build practical coping skills, improve communication, and strengthen your confidence so you can navigate challenges both in and outside the classroom. I believe therapy should feel collaborative, empowering, and tailored to your unique experiences. Whether you’re facing a specific challenge or simply want to better understand yourself, you don’t have to do it alone. I’m here to help you build resilience, create meaningful change, and move toward the life you want.

I support Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color through healing and meaningful life transitions. As a bicultural therapist and child of Eritrean immigrants, I bring both clinical expertise and lived experience, with a deep understanding of identity, ambition, and belonging. My work is trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and rooted in empathy. I create a nonjudgmental space for women navigating self-doubt, career transitions, creative blocks, or emotional wounds who are ready to move forward with clarity and confidence. Together, we break through internal and external barriers, strengthen relationships, and build lives aligned with your values and purpose. I listen deeply, validate your experiences, and stay attuned to your emotions, while also offering the gentle accountability needed to keep you grounded and moving toward your goals. I ask permission before offering advice, so you always feel safe to show up as your whole self. I specialize in supporting students managing anxiety, stress, and personal barriers. My ideal clients are curious about their identity and open to holistic practices like breathwork and meditation. We'll work toward meaningful goals at a pace that feels right for you.

Are you feeling overwhelmed as your family navigates the chaos of crisis stabilization, residential treatment, or intensive outpatient care? I specialize in supporting individuals and families who are coming from—or preparing to transition to—higher levels of care. Whether your loved one is returning home from a treatment center or you're facing the possibility of a higher level of support, I help families rebuild trust, restore communication, and make sense of what’s happened. As a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, my approach is trauma-informed, attachment-focused, and grounded in compassion. I offer a safe space for individuals to heal, understand their story, and decide how they want to move forward. I help caregivers make space for their own pain while staying steady and supportive in the face of family struggles. This work is hard—and you don’t have to do it alone. I’m not here to sugarcoat the process—but I do believe in healing, resilience, and the power of showing up differently. If your family is navigating a major transition or still feeling the aftershocks of trauma, you don’t have to do it alone. Let’s work together to create a path forward.

Hi, I'm Kerianne! I'm a mixed-race and queer Asian-American therapist. I enjoy working with a diverse range of clients with various issues relating to identity development, anxiety, multiculturalism, life transitions, and ADHD. I work collaboratively to cultivate a open, warm, and welcoming space for processing your experiences and beliefs. I often ask a lot of questions to help best understand yourself and what might work best for you.

Life can be overwhelming and challenging at times. College can be a time of discovery and big questions about who you are and how you hope to live your life. I offer a warm and compassionate space to safety explore these curiosities as well as any past traumas, recent losses, and emotional challenges. I find symptoms often lead us to a deeper understanding of ourselves and believe therapy can be a place to find the road back to our center. I enjoy working with young adults as they navigate their personal journey of self-discovery or as they experience deep suffering in life. With dedication and commitment, therapy can be a space of growth and resiliency. Please feel welcome to reach out for a free consultation call or to schedule a session. I see clients online and in person in Petaluma, CA.

Greetings. I am Sarah, an experienced Nurse Practitioner with a focus on primary care and psychiatric mental health. My expertise is in delivering comprehensive healthcare that addresses both physical and psychological aspects of wellness. In my practice, I prioritize a holistic understanding of each patient, acknowledging the intricate interplay between body and mind. I am adept at devising individualized care strategies that incorporate cutting-edge medical interventions, delivered with professionalism and sensitivity. My commitment is to assist patients in managing complex health issues as well as providing support through emotional and psychological challenges. Fluent in English and Spanish, I am dedicated to making high-quality healthcare accessible to diverse populations. Together, we can pursue a path to optimal health and enriched quality of life.

We are a private therapy practice located San Francisco and Pasadena specializing in psychotherapy for women and children in individual and group settings. Spark All Wellness helps children and mamas through difficult life situations, trauma and the challenges of parenting. Our team specializes in EMDR, CBT, Play Therapy & Trauma-Informed Yoga Therapy and offer both in-person and telehealth sessions.

You’ve always been the one others lean on, and the go-to problem solver. Your known to be the steady hand in chaos, but no one sees what it costs you. But lately, it’s been harder to hide how much it’s costing you. You come home drained, carrying the weight of everyone else’s needs. Even when your body screams for rest, you keep going because slowing down feels dangerous. You’ve trained yourself to stay calm, to keep it all together… even when you’re unraveling inside. Maybe you lie awake at night, replaying conversations, second-guessing decisions, silently asking, “Am I doing enough? Am I enough?” Therapy gives you something you rarely get: a space that’s just for you. No pressure to perform, no need to hold it all together, just room to breathe, and be real. I’ll ask the kind of questions that help you understand what’s really happening underneath the anxiety, the overthinking, or the emotional shutdown your may be feeling. In our sessions, we move at your pace. I’ll invite you to share what’s on your mind, and I’ll meet it with care and curiosity, not judgment. I might ask things like, “Can you tell me more?” or say, “I hear you say that… am I right?” Because your story matters, you deserve to feel seen in it. We’ll use tools like a feelings chart to gently reconnect you with your emotions especially the ones you’ve had to push aside just to get through the day. You’ll learn to set boundaries that could help you feel like your taking care of yourself without feeling guilty. Little by little, you start to feel different, more present, more steady, more like you. You start to trust your emotions instead of stuffing them down. You'll recognize your needs, and you honor them not with an apology, but with clarity. The constant pressure to be everything for everyone? It softens. The worry that you’re not enough? It quiets. You still show up for the people you love, but now, you’re showing up for yourself, too. You'll start to feel calmer, clearer, and more connected to yourself and others. Therapy can be the space where you finally feel seen, heard, and supported. If you’re ready, I’m here. Let’s talk.

Feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or like something just isn’t right inside—even if you can’t explain why? You’re not alone, and you don’t have to figure it out by yourself. I’m a trauma therapist who understands what it’s like to feel broken, lost, or stuck after going through tough experiences—whether that’s childhood trauma, bullying, abuse, or just the weight of everyday pressure and expectations. I’ve been there myself, and I know healing is absolutely possible. If you’re struggling with anxiety, anger, depression, PTSD, or even feeling disconnected from who you really are, I offer a safe space to unpack what’s going on—and begin to heal. I specialize in helping students like you who are trying to balance life, emotions, school, relationships, and maybe even past pain that hasn’t been fully processed yet. My approach is focused on helping you get results, not just vent. We’ll explore what matters to you—your values, goals, strengths—and figure out how to start building the life you want. I also offer energy healing and spiritual guidance if you’re open to deeper, more holistic support (but only if that resonates with you—this space is always about you, not my agenda). If you’re ready to feel supported, heard, and guided toward real change, I’m here. You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to take that first step.

Hi, I’m Kendal McDowell and I've been working in the field since 2019. I'm licensed in both CA and PA and I work specifically with college students and college athletes. Having been a college athlete myself, I'm familiar with the joys and stressors of collegiate life. College can be an exciting and eye opening experience, but sometimes it can also open our eyes to some things within ourselves or those around us we may not have noticed before. Together we’ll work to pin point what’s really going on. We’ll look deeper into areas that range from: relationships, anxiety, and depression. I’m here to help discover what’s causing symptoms or distress, and what we can do about it. We’ll spend time getting to know who you are and what could be missing, to bring more joy and happiness to life. Not sure yet? Reach out to set up a free 15-minute consult- no need to commit to a scheduled appointment right away! You can text/call (717-769-5510), or send me an email (kmcdowellcounseling@gmail.com) to set something up.

Charlie Health is a virtual behavioral health program for adolescents and young adults with moderate or severe mental health concerns or co-occurring substance use or eating disorders. Designed to meet the needs of those who require more than weekly therapy, our program combines curated group therapy, individual therapy, and family therapy into personalized treatment programs. We are helping to serve those who are in crisis, or have been historically underserved, by eliminating the most significant treatment barriers: geographical and financial access. We work with nearly all commercial insurance nationwide and have no waitlist, thereby helping people access quality, evidence-based care regardless of insurance, location, or other barriers.

Hi! I’m Dr. Ruth Rayikanti, a Board-Certified Psychiatrist and the Founder of A Blank Canvas. My greatest passion is helping people find clarity, confidence, and deep inner peace so they can live life with intent, purpose and presence. I was raised in San Francisco and went to UC Davis for my undergraduate studies. After earning my medical degree at Ross University, I completed my psychiatry residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, followed by a year of specialized training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Kaiser Permanente. But beyond credentials, what truly defines my approach is that I take the time to listen to your story, understand your goals, and provide compassionate, evidence-based care tailored uniquely to you as a whole person. Throughout my career, I’ve worked with high-achieving individuals including students who are navigating life transitions, burnout, or feeling disconnected from themselves. Whether you’re managing ADHD, anxiety, depression, or simply seeking to connect with who you truly are, together we will explore solutions that create real, meaningful change in your life. Outside of my private practice, I founded A Blank Canvas, a wellness platform dedicated to mindfulness, inner peace, and peak performance. This space is designed to help individuals reconnect with themselves in a deeper way and realign with their purpose. I believe within each of us lies a blank canvas – a place of infinite potential waiting to be expressed. If you’re seeking a psychiatrist who sees you beyond your symptoms and will partner with you to create lasting transformation, I invite you to reach out. I look forward to connecting with you. Be well!

Are you struggling with overcoming depression, anxiety, and/or PTSD due to trauma? For nearly 20 years I have worked with individuals to heal from various traumatic experiences. I look to create an empowering space for all the adults I work with including tailoring therapy approaches to meet the specific needs of the individual. In my practice, I provide online individual trauma therapy to adults residing in California. Examples of trauma I help clients heal from include childhood and/or adult abuse, death of a loved one, witness of violence, intergenerational trauma, natural disasters, combat, discrimination, and life transitions such as adjusting to college. Some of the therapy approaches include EMDR, CBT, EFT tapping. Taking this first step of looking for a therapist shows you’re on the path to healing from trauma. Therapy is not always comfortable or easy. Even if you have been in therapy before, it can feel overwhelming to start the process with someone new. Finding the right fit and connection with a therapist is important for your healing journey. To schedule a free 15-min. consultation: https://www.traumahealingtherapyca.com

Honestly I’ve known from an early age that I wanted to be a therapist. I’ve always been very sensitive and empathetic to people’s experiences. Also growing up in a very dysfunctional family affected by alcoholism had a part to play as well. I know how important it is to feel seen and heard. I will communicate my understanding of your experience, not in the same words, but in a way that you will have the experience of me understanding. Part of this is also being open to you communicating that I didn’t get it and having the space to try again until I do. I build trust by really valuing the creation of a safe, trusting container in which I continue to get more and more understanding of your experience. This container comes from you being able to be honest with me, and feel like you can communicate what is needed in the moment no matter what it is.

As a queer therapist, I believe there is no one “right way” to live our lives. This is the same for therapy, there is no “right way.” I believe we all have the power to harness our strengths and find the path that gives us the most meaning and purpose. Clients are the experts in their own lives – each person has the tools and skills to solve their problems, though sometimes may need some outside help to find those tools and learn those skills. Together we can create a therapeutic alliance that is conducive towards self-discovery, growth, and fulfilling your potential while honoring your history, resiliency, values, and beliefs. I completed my Masters in Social Work at Loyola University Chicago. I am working towards being a Certified Sex Therapist (CST) through the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT). I specialize in working with the LGBTQ+ community, gender diverse, the consensual non-monogamy (CNM) community, and I am kink/BDSM-affirming.

I recognize asking for help is no simple task and respect your curiosity in exploring this step. I view therapy as an invitation to delve deeper into your current concerns, personal history, conditioning and defenses in order to reconnect with your true self and experience growth and wellness in your life. Therapy is a unique experience for every person, with the potential to be transformational. I'm licensed in New York and California and specialize in treating anxiety, childhood trauma, medical trauma, depression, substance use, grief, chronic illness, life transitions and relational concerns. I am a certified Kripalu yoga instructor with specialized training in therapeutic yoga and weave mindfulness and somatic-based techniques into clinical work. I view therapy as a collaboration. I believe you bring your own unique set of strengths to the table and together we’ll explore which modalities best suit you and your current goals and concerns. I will meet you where you’re at in your process with compassion and respect, and offer a safe space to explore concerns openly and honestly.

A lot of the students I work with are used to being the “responsible one”—the one who gets things done, shows up, and keeps it all together. But underneath that, there’s often a lot of pressure, overthinking, and a quiet feeling of “am I actually doing this right?” You might replay conversations in your head, feel torn between what you want and what’s expected of you, or notice it’s hard to relax without feeling guilty. Relationships can feel confusing too—wanting to be close, but also not wanting to be too much or not enough. If you grew up balancing different worlds, cultures, or expectations, you might not even be sure what your voice sounds like yet. In our work together, we make space to sort through all of that—so you can feel more like yourself, trust your decisions, and stop living on autopilot.

I enjoy working with those who are struggling with social and general anxiety, adjusting to major transitions in life (like starting college, changing majors, planning graduation), and identity. I am LGBTQIA+ affirming.

Deeper Than Color is a team of therapists who offer psychotherapy addresseing oppression, discrimination, and marginalization. We work to empower Black, Asian, Pacific Islander, Latino (Latine/x), Indigionous and Native American, and other People of Color as well as LGBTQIA+, neurodivergent, performer, educator, and professional clients. We focus on your goals and create safe spaces where you can share without judgment. We work with you to heal trauma, embrace identity, and improve relationships. We also help you cope with stress, overcome barriers, and achieve your aspirations. We are here to support you.

I work primarily with adolescent and adult men who feel stuck and want more from life. Whether you're facing social difficulties, academic pressures, anxiety, family transitions, or adjusting to life away from home, I can help. Being a young adult is hard. Therapy is a safe place to discuss the things that are difficult to talk about with your family or friends.