Therapists for college students near San Francisco, CA
Wren Marriage and Family Therapy, Inc
I support high-achieving professionals and students in Orange County and virtually across California in managing anxiety, stress, perfectionism, and burnout. Together, we’ll tackle setting boundaries, achieving work-life balance, overcoming people-pleasing tendencies, and navigating the pressure of high expectations. The goal isn't to give up optimizing your routine or lower your ambitions, but rather to find a sustainable, cohesive way to meet your demands without being run into the ground. My approach blends warmth, humor, and a nonjudgmental space where you can feel truly seen. Therapy works best when it’s based in genuine connection. A place where you don’t have to pretend to “have it all together.” I make no claims to perfection, and I won't hold you that claim either. Whether it’s workaholism, overwhelm, or simply finding balance, support is just one click away. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation today.
Gabriela Sanchez
As a proud Latina and former teen mom, I bring both professional expertise and lived experience to the therapeutic space. I’m deeply passionate about mental health and the power of healing through connection, understanding, and culturally sensitive care. I specialize in working with individuals navigating trauma, sexual violence, anxiety, and depression. My approach is warm, collaborative, and grounded in empathy and empowerment. I believe every person deserves to feel heard, safe, and supported especially in their most vulnerable moments. In our work together, I aim to create a space where you can begin to unlearn shame, process pain, and rebuild your sense of self with compassion and strength. Healing is not linear, but you don’t have to go through it alone.
Barbara Jacobs Fistanic
Do you feel like you are searching? Searching for the reasons why you are unhappy in your relationships or lack of relationships? Searching for the reasons why you are unhappy in your career? Searching for the reasons you feel run down and uninspired? Searching for the reasons why you keep repeating the same addictive patterns that do not turn out to have positive outcomes? Searching for the right therapist!? I am a Clinical Social Worker with over 20 years experience. My practice includes individuals and couples suffering from relationship problems, addiction, depression, grief and loss, anxiety and stress. I would like to help you discover what you are searching for and why you feel you do not deserve more out of life. My role is to help you end the search and discover the negative messages that you tell yourself that hinder you from becoming the person you truly are.
Elizabeth Hammond
I’m passionate about supporting clients struggling with OCD, anxiety, depression and neurodivergent individuals (ADHD, Autism) seeking greater self-understanding and self-compassion. My clients want relief from worries, tools to manage their thoughts and behaviors, and a space where they feel seen and accepted. Together, we work toward building confidence, reducing compulsions, and embracing your unique way of experiencing the world. My approach blends warmth, humor, and guidance to help clients feel comfortable and supported while making meaningful change.
Samantha Schaefer
I work with adults and teens who are feeling stuck and at the mercy of depression and anxiety, but are ready to move forward and make sustainable changes. I have specialized training in perinatal mental health, including postpartum depression and anxiety, and practice trauma-informed treatment, including EMDR. If you've ever felt like you "should" be happier, doing more or coping better, I can help. We'll work together to rediscover your authentic sense of self, learn tools that help you navigate challenges, and live your life more fully. You don’t have to face hard things alone. My approach is authentic, person-centered and collaborative, and rooted in providing an emotionally safe and accepting environment. I provide brief solution-focused therapy or longer term work. I incorporate psychodynamic and cognitive approaches including modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and EMDR. Your decision to seek therapy is an empowering step towards positive change. If you're ready to begin your journey of healing, growth, and resilience, I invite you to connect with me. Please reach out with any questions you have and we can set up a time to discuss your needs and determine if I am the right fit.
Rebecca Tulsi
Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.
Jennifer Huerta - Mindful Living Counseling
Hello! I serve adolescent and adult clients from a variety of backgrounds who all are seeking freedom from stress and overwhelm. Some are burnt-out and exhausted because they have high-expectations for themselves and struggle with self-care. Some have experienced childhood trauma or challenges in relationships. Some are so overwhelmed they default to avoidance-numbing with doom scrolling, binge-watching, or staying too busy. Some numb themselves with drugs and alcohol to cope. They all want to heal and be free from the patterns they experience. I would love to help you in your journey too!
Fisher Counseling Services
With more than thirty-two years of therapy experience, I provide an environment of trust and competency. In addition to my counseling practice, I've taught anger management/domestic violence groups for twelve years. These principles are used with individuals and couples as well. I've also taught online graduate classes for nine years. I do mentoring as well as life coaching, assisting clients with life-direction, healthy choices, and personal accountability. I work best with clients who are seeking to improve their life and are committed to positive change.
Anthony J. Mascola, MD
I am a Stanford trained Physician with a specialization in Psychiatry. I have advanced training in Cognitive Behavior Therapy or "CBT." CBT is a very well researched form of counseling that is highly effective for depression, anxiety, insomnia and many other conditions. I love what I do and previously served as the Director of Evidence Based Practice and Ongoing Education in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Division of Behavioral Medicine. I conducted research, taught, and saw patients at Stanford for more than a decade and I received numerous awards for excellence in these areas. I was trained for more than ten years with a person named Stewart Agras, and another named David Burns - they are pioneers in Behavioral Medicine and CBT. I was very blessed to have excellent mentors and training. I have extensive experience sharing this experience with those students I have consulted with in higher education at Stanford and in the University of California. I have worked all of my career with undergraduate, graduate, law, and medical students and believe that these formative years are critical times in the formation of a person, and they are often challenging times. I am warm, friendly and approachable. I laugh frequently (and often cry) with my patients. My family is from Italy where sincerity and the authentic sharing of emotions is valued and respected. Parlo un 'po l'italiano ma non molto bene! (I speak a little Italian but not very well!) I am very conservative with respect to use of medications and prefer to help students develop skills in managing life stressors by getting trained in CBT. This art is disappearing sadly in my field as brief medication checks are much more lucrative to clinics but there is a cost to the patient in this reductionist approach! I am very comfortable and prefer to help persons manage stress with CBT alone without medications as it can provide a lot of sophisticated and lasting protections that are well supported in the scientific research literature. As professionals, we should do what is right and not what is most profitable as we take the Hippocratic oath to defend our patients. I can add medications if they are indicated and supported by good research when CBT is not helping on its own as I am a physician trained in all scientifically supported modalities of providing support. I respect my patients' values in this. If we can work through though times without medicines, I really try to encourage that, and, for many persons willing to grow through stress, it is definitely achievable, and strongly supported by randomized controlled trials (fancy studies used to test treatments for effectiveness). There is substantial evidence that suggests that this approach is very important in reducing risk for relapse in the long term. I love helping students build confidence in themselves when the circumstances are really challenging and have many, many patients who have reached out to me over many years thanking me for the times we spent together getting through the roughest of times. I don't have a lot of material wealth. The pictures and post cards of so many smiling, happy, and good persons graduating, getting married, getting started in their careers, and getting started with their families and overall being in a good, secure place are the real treasures that I have collected in my career. I am a practicing Catholic and am very comfortable incorporating faith in treating my patients. Many persons are referred to me when seeking a caring Catholic Psychiatrist who is highly trained in using Cognitive Behavior Therapy to promote resilience and virtue when life becomes really challenging. I am sadly quite familiar with the pain of having lost very precious persons in my life including my own dear wife to devastating metastatic cancer at an extremely young age. That was tough and occurred shortly after we lost our infant daughter. I have two beautiful college aged children who are doing very well despite all of the things our family was beset with. We came together and got through. Faith, family and fellowship can be crucial sources of support when things feel really overwhelming. I was highly trained in CBT and combining this with the above made all of the difference. I will encourage you also to protect yourself with these types of resources when all seems lost. Note that I do not manage ADD or ADHD or prescribe habit forming medications or perform evaluations for these conditions or autism spectrum disorder. I do see students who need to use their insurance through Headway and MyCatholicDoctor at the links below: Headway: https://care.headway.co/providers/anthony-mascola-m-d?utm_source=pem&utm_medium=direct_link&utm_campaign=201271 MyCatholicDoctor.com https://mycatholicdoctor.com/resources/doctors/anthony-mascola-md/ Accepting insurance in private practice in Psychiatry is unfortunately not very common. The majority of the most highly qualified Psychiatrists and Psychologists forego seeing patients with insurance as it is really tough to manage coordinating insurance in a small practice and does not reimburse well. This does not feel right to me as when life is hardest, finances are tight. My Italian family were poor and commercial fishermen and I am sworn as a Catholic to help persons when they don't have a lot of resources. The portals above are trying to help persons who are seeking help who don't have a lot of money to get connected to really good care. If you are going through a tough time and looking for someone who is both qualified and kind to support and encourage you, then don't wait any longer. Don't go through this alone! Please reach out and call me. I have spent all of my life training to help you! I promise I will support you and push you to find strength that you don't even realize you have. You can't realize it when you are stressed and often working with a professional person can help. Be prepared to work though, as sometimes this means facing a fear you'd rather avoid, or examining uncomfortable patterns of thoughts and behavior. I need a willing collaborator and promise you that I want ask you to do more than you can. I know from a lot of my own life experience how devastating stress can be but I also want to be honest and real and genuine and effective. I don't see passive treatment reduce suffering effectively in the long run. I don't want my students to suffer their whole life. I want my students to grow and recover, just like a good coach or teacher. You are smart, you have a good head on your shoulders and if we can learn from the circumstances that evoke stress we will be able to overcome stress in the future. Those who do not train in CBT are often on medications for years and suffer a great deal with a very high rate of relapse. Taking time to train in CBT is a more challenging treatment but it can develop powerful skills that will help you for your whole life! If while reading this you get a good feeling inside, then please schedule a free fifteen-minute visit to see if it is a good fit for you. If you are looking for a really caring Psychiatrist who is warm and kind, highly qualified, who really enjoys helping persons find their strength with a healthy, proactive, evidence based and highly effective approach to dealing with stress, you will not be disappointed!
Tri-State Behavioral Health Services
I provide evidenced-based therapeutic interventions and services that will help you move forward when you are feeling stuck. I can make therapy accessible to fit your active life as a college student. I have completed several continuing educational trainings in areas such as DBT, CBT, TF-CBT, crisis intervention, depression, anxiety, infant mental health, and many more. My experience and expertise includes higher-education, research on cultural and clinical practice, professional development, trauma, and depression. I provide evidenced-based therapeutic interventions and services that will help you move forward when you are feeling stuck. I work to help you navigate through challenges, changes, and transitions of life. I utilize a strengths-based eclectic approach that involves CBT, and various modalities that are tailored to you based on your needs and goals. I am passionate and committed to help clients on their personal journey to healing, change, and growth!
Ashley Agunbiade
Are you feeling overwhelmed by the challenges you are facing in life? Whether you are in need of positive ways to cope with your current circumstances or a safe place to finally address the traumatic and emotional pain that you have been unable to recover from, I am here to help. My style is actively collaborative and grounded in helping clients develop insight on how to live their most authentic lives. Through cognitive behavioral therapy and highly effective mindfulness techniques, allow me to equip you with the tools you need to work through life's challenges, deepen your understanding of your life experiences, and develop resilience in the process. If you are ready to partner with a professional who is committed to helping you get started on developing a renewed mindset, overcoming debilitating symptoms, and regaining control of your story, I invite you to start your journey with me today by scheduling a free 15-minute consultation.
Reese Minshew
Hi there! My name is Reese Minshew, and I work almost entirely with transgender (broadly defined) adults who have had traumatic (broadly defined) experiences. I’m licensed in California, Illinois, and New York, and work via telehealth with people located in any of those states. Clinically, I believe that the reactions we have after experiencing trauma and stress are fundamentally adaptive to the trauma, but can disrupt everyday life. In other words, if you had a difficult experience (including chronic exposure to structural stressors such as anti-trans bias, white supremacy, ableism, etc), you might not be able to eat, sleep, focus, calm down, feel excited, or be in relationships in the way you want. Whatever reaction you’re having was very helpful to you at one time, but if it’s no longer serving you then we can work on that. Most of the time we would do this by talking about what’s going on in your life right now, and working to understand it in the context of your past experiences.
Alexander Pack
I believe change, growth, and healing are possible when we better understand ourselves and the patterns in our lives. Especially with the state of the world right now, it would make sense if your goals were to feel less anxious, less stressed, more secure, more connected, and/or safer. Through our collaborative exploration, curiosity, and empathy, I believe we can find opportunities for healing, challenge old patterns that no longer serve you, and develop a greater sense of control over your life.
Irene Velasco
Are you looking for a way to find peace in the midst of pain? Ready to heal your wounds and come through stronger than before? I help adults with depression, anxiety, or trauma to reconnect with themselves and develop resilience, even when they feel they have already tried everything. Clients have described me as warm, compassionate, and genuine. I create a space where you can feel safe and understood, but also feel empowered to take risks and sometimes stretch beyond your comfort zone. I believe in every person’s ability to create the life they envision. I am a licensed clinical therapist specializing in the treatment of depression and anxiety; and early attachment/relationship problems. I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as well as other client-centered approaches to help my clients build psychological flexibility and become more in touch with their values. I am fluent in English, Tagalog, and Visayan/Cebuano. As a Filipino American, I am sensitive to immigrant and multicultural issues. I understand the emotional struggles and complexities of immigrating to a new country. My office in downtown Vallejo is accessible to disabled clients and can be reached by bus or car, with ample parking.
Stephanie Chassman
Hello! I am a licensed clinical social worker in California with 3 years of professional work experience. I also recently earned my PhD in social work. Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage and I am proud of you for getting started! I utilize cognitive behavioral therapy to help clients better understand the relationship between thoughts and feelings. I work with my clients to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment.
Kevin Stolper
Are you feeling stuck in life, wanting something different but not sure what it is or how to get there? Maybe you are overwhelmed with the pressure to be perfect in relationships, school or work, resulting in the feeling of never being good enough. The decision to seek therapy is not easy. It means accepting the fact that we are struggling in some facet of our life and need help. I am a licensed marriage and family therapist, specializing in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Brainspotting and Psychedelic Integration Therapy, helping clients identify and heal the roots of their distress.
Meng-Ju (MJ) Yang
Dealing with challenges in life is never easy; nor is deciding to seek professional support with a therapist. As a therapist, I strive to provide a safe and supportive space for you to heal and grow. I am looking forward to working with you together to increase awareness, explore your strengths/identities, and develop new ways to live your life. Witnessing my clients to better connect to themselves, their loved ones, and grow new potential is the most fulfilling part of my work. My approach is integrative, strength-based with an emphasis on psychodynamic, relational, and Jungian psychology principles. Before moving to the US, I worked at National Taiwan University Hospital as a licensed clinical psychologist and a supervisor. My experience of transitioning between and practicing in different countries deepened my passion working with international students, immigrants, children of immigrants, and Asian Americans in multicultural and feminist perspectives. I provide individual therapy in English and Mandarin. I completed pre-doctoral internship at California Pacific Medical Center and postdoctoral residency at Kaiser Permanente, Santa Clara. I specialize in helping preteens(9-12)/teens, adults, and parents on a range of multicultural issues. Let's connect and see if we are a good fit!
Sandra Merino PMHNP-BC 661-383-1943
I specialize in general, integrative, and functional psychiatry with medication and non-medication healing recommendations for anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, and much more. Client-centered care is my top priority. I believe in a holistic view and collaborative approach to mental healthcare. Every client is approached thoroughly to determine the best care. I value integrative and complementary therapies and will offer these options alongside medication when needed or desired by the client. I am nationally board certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). I am licensed to practice as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). I am committed to providing you with the care you deserve.
Rebecca Levine
I specialize in supporting young adults through life transitions—starting college, changing careers, managing relationships, becoming a parent, or navigating new independence. Your twenties and thirties (and beyond) can feel exciting, overwhelming, and uncertain. If life feels messy, you’re not alone. I’m here to help you make sense of your experiences, explore who you’re becoming, and move forward with clarity, confidence, and self-compassion.
Sequoia Psychology & Assessment Services
ADHD can be complex—your path to understanding it doesn’t have to be. At Sequoia Psychology, we bring clarity to the chaos with warmth, compassion, and clinical expertise. Whether you're seeking answers for the first time or looking to deepen your understanding, we offer thoughtful, neurodiversity-affirming ADHD assessments designed to help you move forward with confidence. Anxiety and trauma can leave you feeling overwhelmed and disconnected—but healing is possible. At Sequoia Psychology, therapy is a space to reclaim calm, clarity, and confidence. With warmth, compassion, and evidence-based care, we help adults navigate the lasting impact of trauma and anxiety. Whether you're beginning your healing journey or returning for deeper work, you don’t have to face it alone.