Therapists for college students near San Diego State University

I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who offers warm, trauma-informed support to college students, emerging adults, women, teens, children, and the perinatal community. Reaching out for therapy can feel vulnerable, especially when you are overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure where to turn. I see that step as an act of courage, and I feel honored to hold space for each client’s story. I am originally from the U.K. and later moved to California, where I earned my MSW and began my work as a therapist. Like many college students and young adults, I have experienced major life transitions, identity shifts, and grief. Those experiences shape how I work and allow me to meet clients with steadiness, empathy, and genuine care. My work is rooted in attachment-focused therapy. I support college students and young adults who feel stuck in relationship patterns, struggle with anxiety or self-doubt, or feel disconnected from themselves or others. I specialize in helping clients process trauma that has gone unprocessed and is now showing up in the way they see themselves, relate to others, and move through the world. Many of the clients I work with learned early on to adapt, stay strong, or put others first, and now find themselves feeling overwhelmed, emotionally shut down, or unsure how to ask for support. In therapy, we focus on building safety, understanding how past relationships shape the present, and developing a more compassionate relationship with yourself. I provide affirming care to LGBTQ+ clients and take an empowering, decolonizing approach that honors each person’s lived experience and identity. I draw from attachment-based therapy, parts work, somatic approaches, CBT, and EMDR to support healing that feels safe, collaborative, and meaningful. I consider it a privilege to walk alongside students and young adults during this stage of life, offering consistent, compassionate support as they build deeper self-trust and more connected relationships.

I am a dedicated and compassionate, board-certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). The majority of my nursing career has been in high-acuity psychiatric settings, including psychiatric emergency, crisis stabilization, and inpatient behavioral health. I initially started in the Emergency Department as a new graduate nurse, where I realized that what truly resonated with me was the mental health aspect of patient care. Throughout my psychiatric nursing career, I’ve worked with diverse populations from pediatrics to geriatrics, managing complex psychiatric and co-occurring disorders, emergency crisis situations, and facilitating stabilization through comprehensive and therapeutic interventions tailored to each patient’s unique needs. What inspires me to work in mental health is the resilience of the people I’ve cared for, many of whom have faced immense stigma, systemic barriers, or trauma. I’ve seen how transformative it can be when someone feels genuinely heard and respected, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, including LGBTQ+ individuals, people of color, foster youth, immigrants, and those struggling with disabilities or homelessness. Mental health is the foundation to overall health and quality of life. The ability to support someone in their most vulnerable moments and witness their transformation is what continually inspires my commitment to this field. My approach is person-centered, intentional, non-coercive, and collaborative care. I strive to meet each patient exactly where they are, emotionally, culturally, and developmentally, and aim to prioritize their autonomy. I offer compassionate, evidence-based guidance, especially in medication management, to ensure that each treatment plan aligns with the patient’s values, readiness, and recovery goals. My goal is to support patients in building lives that are not just symptom-free, but fulfilling, meaningful, and self-directed.

Are you living the life you want? Do your habitual patterns get in the way of you being present in life and relationships? I’ve dedicated my life to helping people find more fulfillment and meaning in their connections with others and in life itself. If you need a life reboot, I can help you to identify the hidden commitments you have with yourself and overcome the blocks that get in the way of you achieving your life priorities. Our work together can help you to heal and nurture your relationship with your body, mind and spirit so you can address challenges more easily and live your life with greater self-confidence and self-love. My approach is tailored to your needs. I use a cognitive behavioral framework and integrate positive psychology, mindfulness, somatically-oriented interventions and brain science. These methods enable you to develop emotional agility and to build a body and mind that supports the positive changes you want to see in your life; changes that allow you to be your best-self! I am a therapist at Octave, a behavioral health practice creating a new standard for mental health care that’s both high-quality and accessible. To learn more about my availability, please reach out to our Client Experience team by emailing or calling.

My style in therapy is welcoming, direct, and strength-based. I meet clients where they are to help them deal with difficult and painful moments. I work as a team with clients to assure them that things will get better and they will be able to heal over time. 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.

In these challenging times, I am inspired by helping clients find their strengths and provide a safe space for healing to achieve their mental health goals. I am dedicated to helping individuals achieve emotional well-being, personal growth, and life balance. As a Filipino American Therapist, I aim to understand unique challenges and different cultural perspectives, providing compassion and culturally affirming space for clients of all backgrounds. I approach each session with warmth, understanding, and respect to all clients, while establishing clear boundaries and allowing clients to open up at their own pace.

I believe that the first step towards change is acceptance; therefore, I strive to create a non-judgmental space, one that views many "symptoms" as coping mechanisms that made sense at some point but have outgrown whatever usefulness they once had. When we can view ourselves with compassion, we can then challenge ourselves to examine thought and behavior patterns that may be keeping us stuck and learn to move beyond them. An important part of this work is getting in touch with our core values and finding ways to remain in alignment with those values as we move towards our goals. When we know what we truly value and can detach from ideas of "right" and "wrong," we often realize that many paths can lead us to fulfillment, and that avoidance of uncomfortable feelings and experiences only keeps us in stasis. In my work, I use mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral approaches, combined with cultural sensitivity and curiosity — as well as a dose of irreverence — to help clients reconnect with themselves and their true values, honor their emotions without being controlled by them, and access their strengths to build resiliency and a sense of purpose. I am a therapist at Octave, a behavioral health practice creating a new standard for mental health care that’s both high-quality and accessible. To learn more about my availability, please reach out to our Client Experience team by emailing or calling.

As a recent college graduate, I know how hard it is to not get behind or feel burnt out while trying to go to school and deal with daily life stressors at the same time. I am here to help clients navigate through their struggles, learn about themselves, and grow into the best versions of themselves. I am here to tend to each client's unique needs and help them on their journey of bettering themselves.

My approach is warm, transparent, and collaborative. My aim is to build a trustworthy relationship with you, from which we can jointly address difficult thoughts, complex emotions, or challenging situations presented in life. We will work together to integrate suitable evidence-based strategies with the ultimate objective to build healthier habits to adjust the way you feel, think, and behave. For over 10 years, I have been in the field working with youth, families, and adults through various life challenges toward a more enriching and fulfilling life. I love facilitating the therapeutic process because I believe that everyone deserves to be acknowledged and to have their voice found and heard. In the therapeutic work, I take into account the many identities we embody and how society and culture impact our mental health. It brings me great satisfaction and humility to be in a role where my clinical knowledge, skills, and warm approach nourishes transformation from distress to confidence and contentment. I am a therapist at Octave, a behavioral health practice creating a new standard for mental health care that’s both high-quality and accessible. To learn more about my availability, please reach out to our Client Experience team by emailing or calling.

I am a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, who has worked several clinical specialties including the pediatric unit, pediatric intensive care unit, adult medical-surgical unit, telemetry unit, adult inpatient psychiatry unit, and postpartum unit as a registered nurse. I received my Master of Science in Nursing from Azusa Pacific University in 2020. After graduation, I completed a one-year residency for the Veteran Affairs in Sacramento and worked with veterans with severe mental illnesses, substance abuse, and post-traumatic stress disorder. I have provided psychotropic medication management in a mental health clinic, inpatient mental health units and providing psychiatric consults on medical units for two years. For the past year, I have been working at Foresight Mental Health and provided medication management while treating the whole person through a holistic mindset. I became inspired to work in the field of mental health care as I worked in several specialties of nursing and I naturally gravitated toward working with patients, who have mental health concerns. I learned the importance of listening to my patients first and then advocate for my patient’s wellbeing by partnering with them to create an individualized treatment plan that focuses on improving their overall quality of life. I have learned how to implement active listening and supportive therapy to collaborate with patients to provide them with optimal mental health outcomes. Motivational interviewing skills are are utilized to identify areas of resistance toward previous treatment to offer holistic treatment options.

I am a licensed clinical psychologist with 15 years of experience treating adolescents and adults. My approach to psychotherapy is warm, empathic, and compassionate. I treat each individual professionally and with respect. I appreciate the uniqueness of each patient and emphasize listening closely and thoughtfully, as we all possess the ability to tell our story regarding our strengths and our challenges, even when we sometimes do not realize it. I strive to create a safe environment where you can feel open to express and explore your feelings and experiences, without judgment or emphasis on what is “right” or “wrong.” I believe that therapy is an opportunity to learn more about ourselves and to express our feelings freely, in an effort to learn new methods of dealing with problems, being in relationships, and pursuing our dreams. My private practice is largely informed by modern psychoanalytic theory. I provide individual, couple, family, and group psychotherapy. I integrate themes of social justice throughout my practice, and am particularly thoughtful about the role that various cultural identifications, and their intersection, play in mental health and treatment. I also provide education, consultation, and training to professionals and students. A central aspect of my clinical thinking focuses on the role of power, privilege, and cultural dominance. Knowledge, concepts, and meaning are not developed on a solely individual basis, but rather are created through coordination and communication with others. Language is fundamentally important – it is the most essential way in which we construct reality. Our psychological experiences, including emotions, thoughts, somatic/bodily sensations, are subsequently developed within this context. I view problems in living, therefore, as relational, contextual, interpretive, and situated within the dominant discourse, expression, response, and cultural norms.

My work is with adults helps them explore their interlocking identities, discover their path, and navigate through the adjustments to new responsibilities and demands of adulthood, like enrolling in college, adjusting to school, and/or work life, moving away from family, or moving back in with family. I help adults who experience feelings of anxiety, depression, fear, or defeat from the pressures of work-life, family, relationships, self-criticism, addiction, and other co-occurring disorders. I offer support to the experiences unique to the LGBTQQIA+ community. Part of my practice is also devoted to creating a safe space and validating the often-discounted struggles of ethical vegans, animal advocates, and people who are grieving the loss of their animal family members. I will work with you to build and apply safe coping skills to assist in breaking through your obstacles and challenges, despite your circumstances. I am a therapist at Octave, a behavioral health practice creating a new standard for mental health care that’s both high-quality and accessible. To learn more about my availability, please reach out to our Client Experience team by emailing or calling.

I recognize that reaching out for help can be easy for some and really overwhelming for others! I offer a safe space to discuss your goals and will go at a pace that fits your needs. I like to tailor our sessions and your treatment plan with your input, based on your own style, personality, and needs, and utilize a strengths-based, cognitive-behavioral approach. 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.

Being the first in your family to navigate college and professional settings is filled with excitement, growth, transition, and joy. It can also be lonely, confusing, and stressful. Do you feel caught between two worlds (family and work/school)? Do you underestimate your value or worth in places where you experience prejudice and discrimination? Are you struggling to define or accept who you are and what you value based on tensions with family or your culture? When you are First Gen, there are often challenges in both your professional and personal life that are hard to understand and cope with but you don’t have to do it alone. Working together, we will be able to gain clarity on how your experiences are impacted by your personal and family history, your communities, and society as a whole. We will shine a spotlight on your strengths, build your confidence, and help you lean into how amazing you are. We will explore how to manage the sad, frustrating, uncomfortable, and anxious parts of your life in a way that builds you up and grounds you in your values. Existing in two worlds doesn’t have to mean separating your life. You can be your full self with anyone, anywhere. If you are ready to get started on the next stage of your First Gen journey, contact me today!

I feel one of the most important aspects of therapy is to help clients understand the context in which they are experiencing symptoms. I utilize an eclectic and integrative approach based on the treatment needs of my clients, following best practices and evidenced-based treatment interventions. 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.

I am a Korean American adoptee who was raised in Boston and moved to Northern California 4 years ago. All of my education was received in Massachusetts and my clinical experience is with both inpatient and outpatient in psychiatry. I am inspired to work in mental health to help others gain insight into available treatments for a diversity of mental health afflictions. I meet members where they are in life, understand personal barriers, while increasing insight into varied treatments. I let members have a voice and choice in treatment planning, all the while educating them about diagnosis and options for best possible outcome. 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, CBT-I, comorbidities/medical complexity, autism spectrum disorder, chronic illness, pregnancy, prenatal, postpartum, women’s issues (PMDD, PCOS, perimenopause, menopause, etc.)

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.

Welcome! I'm Isela Garcia White, LCSW (she/her), therapist and owner of Lotus Bloom Therapy. I specialize in working with undergraduate and graduate students- especially Latinx, BIPOC, first-generation, and immigrant students who are navigating high academic pressure, anxiety, depression, impostor feelings, perfectionism, and the challenge of balancing family or cultural expectations with school demands. With several years of experience supporting students at Stanford University and Stanford School of Medicine, I understand the unique mix of stress, identity-related experiences, and relationship changes that can come with campus life. My approach is warm, culturally responsive, and straightforward, offering a safe space to be heard, develop coping strategies, and strengthen your confidence and well-being. If this sounds like the kind of support you’re looking for, I invite you to message me here, or at www.lotusbloomtherapy.org. I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation to help consider if we'd be a good fit. I’d be honored to connect and see how we might work together.

I help teens and young adults seeking help with depression, anxiety, stress management, self-criticism/perfectionism, and improving communication and relationships. I apply multiple techniques including CBT and mindfulness practices.

Gain an ally to help you face challenges. Together we can help you overcome limiting beliefs or relational patterns. We can help you embrace new perspectives and solve the problems that need solving. We can help you transcend any setbacks you have experienced, and help you appreciate what you have to offer others. Therapy does not have to be rigid; humor is encouraged. We can have fun while applying the best techniques psychology has produced. Together we choose the method that will provide the most progress for the effort you give. We can combine techniques, such as witnessing how your thoughts occasionally betray you, learning what your emotions are trying to tell you, experimenting with new behaviors, and/or seeing how patterns of relating can be modified to help you thrive. We will explore, share perspectives, and help you take your thoughts less seriously. I am empathic & authentic (real). Some clients who have seen other pros say that I offer a good amount of direct feedback. If you want an active, results-oriented psychologist, who averages more than three moments of shared laughter per visit, please email or call me.

I have specialized training with the LGBTQ+, Transgender, Gender Non-Confirming and Queer community, and have a passion for helping these individuals thrive as in our often complex world. My focus as a practitioner is to help you connect with your authentic self, attune to your values and needs, and learn practical tools to improve your quality of life. With over 10 years of experience serving a diverse range of individuals, I provide a therapy experience that is warm, empowering, and puts your goals at the forefront of care. I specialize in trauma-informed, attachment-focused therapy, with an emphasis on cultural humility, honoring the brain/body connection, and holistic wellness. If you are ready to heal from within, then I am here to act as your ally in that process. I specialize in individual therapy for teens and adults, and proudly serve people of all racial, cultural, gender, sexual orientation, spiritual and ability backgrounds. I adjust my treatment approach and use of modalities to meet your unique needs, and thoughtfully engage you in the treatment planning process. I am responsive to feedback, and eager to learn from you as we work together as equals. 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.