Therapists for college students near San Diego State University

Clients that I see in my practice are frequently struggling with life transition, academic stress, family concerns, and issues in their interpersonal relationships, all while trying to succeed as students. I also work with many clients either diagnosed with ADHD (or suspecting that they have it) who are seeking support to improve functioning. My practice is also LGBTQ+ affirming and welcoming.

What inspires me to work as a therapist is the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution on a daily basis. As an immigrant woman of color, who is bilingual and bi-cultural, my family’s struggle to achieve mental health despite deep seated stigma and shame illuminated my commitment to work as a therapist. Clients are the owners of their lives, and I respectfully honor their right to self-determination. A basic guiding principle in my therapeutic work is that clients are able to succeed when they choose their goals and their psychological needs are met. As such, it is my job to encourage competence and mastery of their own paths. That is, what works is what works for the client! Trust is the cornerstone that allows positive growth in therapy, which for me includes empathy, validation, and unconditional positive regard of the client. Reinforcing that we are all doing the best we can, and that coming to therapy is not a failure, but rather it is a growth opportunity.

Our work will empower you to create a community outside of the therapy room. Mental health issues can cripple our ability to engage in relationships. We withdraw and become less present in relationships that matter to us. By healing your relationship with yourself, you will start to feel more confident about navigating mental health challenges that keep you isolated and fearful. We will focus on our relationship as a tool for healing and growth. We will use empathy, authenticity, and collaboration in our relationship to explore patterns of relating and address underlying issues affecting relationships both within and outside of therapy. I integrate relational work, body-based interventions, trauma-informed interventions, and mindfulness. Humor, play, movement, imagination, and story-telling, are also woven into the work. I'm a therapist with Octave and Evernorth Behavioral Care Group. Octave is a mental health practice providing high-quality care covered by multiple insurances. Evernorth Behavioral Care Group is a behavioral health provider group in-network with Cigna Healthcare and Evernorth. For my availability, please reach out to Octave’s team by emailing or calling.

Our practice is built on authenticity, inclusion, and meaningful connection. We support college students and young adults as they navigate the many transitions, challenges, and opportunities that shape this stage of life. Whether you’re experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, academic or social stress, identity exploration, or relationship concerns, we offer a space where you feel genuinely seen, supported, and valued. Using somatic awareness, mindfulness, and evidence‑based approaches, we tailor each session to your individual needs. Together, we explore the mind‑body connection, nurture resilience, and create pathways for healing, growth, and self‑understanding. We are committed to inclusivity and celebrate the diverse identities, backgrounds, and lived experiences that each person brings. We recognize that change doesn’t happen in isolation it’s influenced by the relationships, environments, and communities you’re part of. While navigating life transitions can feel overwhelming, you don’t have to do it alone. We walk alongside you with warmth and care, helping you strengthen connections, manage stress, and create space for personal growth, clarity, and confidence.

I was born a helper and my experience in the navy enhanced my desire to help others who are struggling with mental health issues regardless of how small or how big. As a therapist I want to be able to help those who are courageous enough to seek help to improve their mental health. Being heard and understood in each session is important for every client and encourages vulnerability and completion of recommended treatment. I support this by actively listening to them, validate their emotions, ask clarifying questions, paraphrase what they say to confirm understanding, and maintain eye contact. As a therapist I know how important it is to have a healthy and therapeutic relationship with each client because no two clients are alike. I utilize active listening skills, demonstrate genuine empathy, maintain an open line of communication, and create a safe space for vulnerability to support the development of a trusting and strong therapeutic alliance with each of my clients. A key element in me building a therapeutic alliance with each client is being transparent about the therapeutic process and assisting each client with setting individualized realistic treatment goals.

My goal in sessions is for clients to feel self-aware, empowered, and grounded in who they are to better connect with the person they want to become. This kind of therapy leads you toward a happier home life, better communication with family/friends, feeling accomplished and relaxed at the end of the day, or feeling confident in your ability to tackle roadblocks. I am committed to creating an environment for clients to feel safe and comfortable to open up about difficult topics. This safe space is where we can honor those feelings and experiences, gain a sense of acceptance, and work together to create a journey forward towards a purpose-filled path. My areas of focus are trauma, anxiety, grief, behavioral issues, anger management, social skills, self-esteem, family dynamics, personal growth, high-stress environments, and more.

Are you struggling and wanting to find help? I’m here to support you on your journey to feeling better. Are you finding yourself more anxious, depressed, having a low mood, or frustrated with reality? Through the exploration of current and past experiences and relationships, I can help you heal your personal struggles and improve your sense of strength in your inner self and find meaning in your life. My goal is to provide the highest quality psychotherapy in an atmosphere of safety and trust to help you live a satisfying and happy life. My specialties include ISTDP (Intensive Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy) and Brainspotting. These modalities assist the client in uncovering the blocks to their full potential by focusing on the brain and body towards the most efficient healing. I enjoy working with individuals who are struggling with anxiety, depression, and stress in their careers and relationships. I have expertise working with engineers, medical professionals, first responders, essential workers, therapists, and educators.

Santa Cruz Therapy Collective (SCTC) is a place for support, healing, and growth. We understand what you’re going through: work burnout, childhood trauma, panic, family distress, sadness. As a group of experienced colleagues who have worked together for years, we have numerous specialties, making sure you connect to a therapist who understands and can help you overcome your struggles. We’re trained in science-backed techniques that help you become more mindful, reflective, and connected as you build resilience, manage distress, and feel more fulfilled. As a therapy client at SCTC, you’ll have engaging, thought-provoking sessions that give you clarity, perspective, and self-compassion.

I work best with students who may look like they are managing everything on the outside but feel overwhelmed, anxious, uncertain, or emotionally exhausted on the inside. You may be adjusting to college life, struggling with relationships, feeling pressure about academics or your future, coping with grief or a major life change, or simply realizing that the ways you have handled stress in the past are no longer working as well. Many of the students I work with are thoughtful, responsible, and hard on themselves. They may have difficulty slowing down, setting boundaries, trusting their own decisions, or knowing what they need. Others are navigating loneliness, family stress, a breakup, changes in identity, or the transition into adulthood and are looking for a place where they can talk openly without feeling judged. My approach is warm, collaborative, and practical. Therapy is a place where we can make sense of what you are experiencing, understand patterns that may be keeping you stuck, and develop tools to help you feel more grounded and confident. Depending on what you need, our work may include talking through current challenges, exploring how past experiences affect you today, learning ways to manage anxiety and difficult emotions, or using EMDR and body-based strategies to work through experiences that still feel unresolved. You do not need to have everything figured out before coming to therapy. We can start with whatever feels most important to you and work together from there.

I have many years of clinical experience, working with individuals, couples, teens, adults with a variety of life issues and behavioral health conditions. I use multiple evidence-based methods that assist in facilitating wellness, personal growth and alleviating distress quickly. I'm a therapist with Octave and Evernorth Behavioral Care Group. Octave is a mental health practice providing high-quality care covered by multiple insurances. Evernorth Behavioral Care Group is a behavioral health provider group in-network with Cigna Healthcare and Evernorth. For my availability, please reach out to Octave’s team by emailing or calling.

You find yourself overwhelmed and unable to do anything, even though you know what you should be doing. Your thoughts are causing you to spiral and you find yourself remembering every bad thing that's ever happened to you. What I want to do is bring you back to the present moment and find the way forward to give you the future you are wanting. Whether that is coping skills to help you relax, or changing your perspective to better deal with what's going on, we will find a way to help you out.

I specializes in providing individual and family therapy services. I offers a supportive and empathetic environment to help clients navigate through life's challenges and improve their mental well-being. I enjoy working with young adults as they learn and gain their understanding on their journey.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

As we work together in a safe, non-judgmental therapeutic relationship, negative thoughts and behaviors can be changed and replaced allowing clients to free themselves from discouragement, harmful attachments, fearful thoughts, excessive worry, or feeling like they are losing control of their emotions and their lives. I specialize in working with clients who want to resolve emotional or relational life changes. I do this is by sharing therapeutic practices that serve to overcome emotional distress which, in turn, leads to unhealthy behaviors that interfere with current life goals and values. I'm a therapist with Octave and Evernorth Behavioral Care Group. Octave is a mental health practice providing high-quality care covered by multiple insurances. Evernorth Behavioral Care Group is a behavioral health provider group in-network with Cigna Healthcare and Evernorth. For my availability, please reach out to Octave’s team by emailing or calling.

Hi, I’m Tim Hooey, a Level II Certified Restoration Therapist and Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT). College can be an exciting time of growth and discovery — but it can also feel overwhelming, confusing, and lonely. Many of the students I work with are struggling with anxiety, depression, relationship stress, identity issues, or feeling disconnected from themselves or others. You might feel stuck, unsure of who you are, or weighed down by pressure to figure it all out — and that’s okay. You don’t have to navigate these challenges alone. In our work together, I create a compassionate and nonjudgmental space where you can be real about what you’re going through. My approach focuses on helping you understand yourself more deeply, heal from what’s holding you back, and build healthy, meaningful relationships. Whether you’re facing academic stress, family issues (including foster or adoptive family dynamics), or just feeling lost, I’m here to support you. I also bring years of experience working with adolescents, young adults, and individuals navigating personal growth, which gives me insight into the unique challenges of this life stage — like managing independence, setting boundaries, and figuring out your identity. Together, we’ll explore what matters to you and find practical tools to help you move forward. What makes me passionate about this work is seeing students reconnect with their authentic selves, gain confidence, and feel empowered to face life’s ups and downs. You deserve a space where you’re fully seen and heard — and therapy can be that place. In our first few sessions, you can expect to feel supported and understood. We’ll talk about what’s been weighing on you and what you hope to change, and I’ll help guide us toward a plan that feels right for you. Therapy is a journey of self-discovery, and I’ll be there to walk alongside you every step of the way. If you’re ready to start working through what’s holding you back — or even if you’re just curious about what therapy could be like — I’d love to connect.

BECERRA FAMILY THERAPY, APC IS A PSYCHOTHERAPY GROUP PRACTICE THAT SERVES A DIVERSE RANGE OF CLIENTS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IN PERSON AND THROUGH TELEHEALTH. Becerra Family Therapy is a woman-owned, Latinx-run therapeutic space formed to serve the wider community. We understand that specialized treatment is important in the healing process, and we strive to meet your needs. Becerra Family Therapy was founded from the vision of training and providing bicultural and multilingual therapists, as well as therapists who are well-versed with LGTBQIA+ needs. We want our clients to be confident in knowing that any therapist at Becerra Family Therapy will understand them. Our therapists are highly trained and understand the sensitivity and beauty of a different culture. One of the most important aspects in therapy is that you connect with your therapist so that together you can work toward your therapeutic goals. We strongly believe that with the right support, anyone is capable of healing. We are here to support you in your process, help you to grow, and to provide a variety of specialties to assist with your journey.

Navigating the challenges of college and young adulthood can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to face it alone. I specialize in supporting college students, young adults, and children as they work through anxiety, depression, life transitions, self-esteem struggles, and relational challenges. My goal is to create a warm, safe, and judgment-free space where you can explore your emotions, gain clarity, and build the tools you need to thrive. Together, we’ll work at a pace that feels comfortable to you, helping you move toward greater confidence and well-being.

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.

We are a team that values quality and effective treatments to treat various disorders. My team has a variety of experience and specialty. The treatment modalities that we use is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Internal Family Systems, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. We treat complex trauma or single case trauma, parenting issues, anxiety, depression, adjustment disorders, and relational issues.

I have experience working with a diverse population including individuals with different cultural backgrounds. My approach to therapy is to provide compassionate and nonjudgmental support. I respect that clients are the experts of themselves and work collaboratively with clients to help problem solve and teach new skills. I'm a therapist with Octave and Evernorth Behavioral Care Group. Octave is a mental health practice providing high-quality care covered by multiple insurances. Evernorth Behavioral Care Group is a behavioral health provider group in-network with Cigna Healthcare and Evernorth. For my availability, please reach out to Octave’s team by emailing or calling.