Therapists for college students near University of Southern California

College is often a time of growth and change. Some days feel fun and exciting while at other times you may feel lonely and overwhelmed. Students are adjusting to living with roommates and trying to balance studies with socializing. Homesickness is common, as are sadness, stress, and sleep disturbances. College often allows young people to embrace their true selves and start anew. Please join me in a therapeutic, non-judgmental space to explore and process your feelings as you navigate this important time in your life. No topic is off-limits. I enjoy and feel privileged to work with this population and welcome the opportunity to connect soon.

We help young adults find clarity, confidence, and lasting relief as they navigate trauma, grief, and the big life changes to build a grounded, fulfilling life.

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who provides support for individuals and families. Throughout my career, I have supported individuals experiencing a wide range of emotional challenges. I specialize in working with anxiety, depression, identity, relationship issues, self-esteem issues, stress management, trauma, and life transitions. I am passionate about creating a collaborative relationship to support and empower people to achieve their goals and strengthen their innate resilience. I understand the importance of creating a space where you feel safe and heard. My style is interactive, experiential, and adaptable; guided by the following post graduate trainings/certifications: ACT, EMDR, and motivational interviewing. I work collaboratively with you and support you in finding a deeper understanding of yourself and the world around you. You’ll be met with warmth and curiosity. I intend to get to know you - your story, your hopes, your needs, and your goals. It takes courage to seek therapy, and I look forward to supporting you.

College can be exciting, meaningful, and full of possibility. It can also be really hard. Maybe you're trying to keep up with classes while working, navigating friendships or relationships, figuring out your future, and feeling like everyone else has it together except you. On the outside, you seem capable. Inside, you're anxious, overwhelmed, exhausted, or constantly questioning yourself. I work with college students and young adults who care deeply, think deeply, and often put a lot of pressure on themselves. Many are navigating anxiety, burnout, perfectionism, people-pleasing, relationship challenges, or simply trying to figure out who they are outside of everyone else's expectations. Therapy offers a space to slow down. Together, we'll explore what's contributing to the stress—not just what's happening today, but the patterns that may have shaped how you relate to yourself. I integrate somatic and insight-oriented therapy to help you better understand your emotions, reconnect with your body, and build greater confidence in yourself and the decisions you're making. My hope is that therapy becomes one place where you don't have to have everything figured out. A place where you can breathe, feel supported, and develop a stronger sense of who you are beneath the pressure to perform. If that sounds like what you're looking for, I'd love to connect.

Our 1:1 therapy sessions meet your needs, in-person or via telehealth. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) will work with you to create your individualized treatment plan. Our programs include multiple areas of development, including independence, communication, self-help, social-emotional, and academic skills. 1:1 nutrition counseling with a Registered Dietician (RD) is also available. For more information, please visit our website and contact us.

Catherine O'Brien is a licensed marriage and family therapist, author, speaker, educator and college professor. She has dedicated her life's work to helping new and expecting parents navigate the challenges of parenthood. As a mother of two children, Catherine understands the overwhelming nature of parenting and wants to help couples thrive during this transition instead of just surviving. She founded HappyWithBaby.com to provide counseling and coaching services for new parents and offers courses to help parents manage expectations of parenthood and understand the developmental milestones of infants and children. As a college professor, Catherine's perspective on parents' challenges while juggling multiple responsibilities is unique and valuable. Her life's work is about enabling parents to look at their own lives with the same compassion and unconditional love they generously give to their families. Take advantage of the counseling, coaching, and courses that Catherine offers. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience that can help you navigate the challenges of parenthood while also pursuing your academic goals.

Have any of these thoughts ever crossed your mind? I don’t have time to take care of myself the way that I’d like to. I just can't keep up. Setting boundaries is hard. I don’t know what I’m feeling or why. These are normal thoughts for humans to experience. I hear these thoughts often and know how to provide support. I utilize evidence-based approaches including CBT & DBT to support clients in reaching their goals. I help you to develop increased self-awareness and have access to tools that you can use in your relationships, to better manage stress and to improve your overall confidence. I'm so glad that you are taking the time to invest in yourself! I provide a free consultation so you can get to know me and determine if we would be a good fit. If for some reason we are not, I will happily provide you with some more appropriate resources!

Hi, my name is Brandon Waugh and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based out of San Diego California and working with clients statewide via telehealth. I work with adults and specialize in anxiety, stress and depression using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Person Centered Therapy and a whole system perspective to help my clients work toward their mental health and life goals. My approach varies based on the needs of each of my clients. I most frequently use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and Person Centered Therapy while maintaining a whole system perspective. This approach helps the client better understand their internal experiences both as influenced by their own history and beliefs as well as the environment in which they live. I have found that my approach works best with adults living with the experience of anxiety, stress and depression. We often work to cope with the stress of daily life, relationship difficulties or working toward a goal of creating a better life. My communication style is calm, accommodating, and personable. I want my clients to feel comfortable talking with me about anything, and I pride myself on my ability to listen without judgment. We will work together to explore the direction in which our time together will take. We will take the time to discover what we would like to accomplish and begin to explore the path toward these goals. In our first session together we will take the time to get to know one another. We will work to better understand the needs and goals being brought into our space together. We will also begin to explore some of the options to move forward in our journey toward these goals. I have always aspired to be a calming and helpful presence to those with whom I spend time. I feel nourished by the experience of aiding others on their path toward their goals and am looking forward to working with you in the near future.

Do you find yourself struggling with intrusive, unwanted or “sticky” thoughts? Maybe your mind is constantly jumping to the worst case scenario, gets caught up in endless “what ifs,” or convinces you that you need to be 100% sure about something before you move on. You may have tried managing your anxiety or thoughts by avoiding certain people, places, or situations, reassuring yourself, mentally reviewing or rehearsing conversations, cleaning, saying a prayer, thinking a good thought to neutralize a bad thought, etc. You don't want to spend so much time engaging in these behaviors, but you feel like you can't stop — like you have to do them to stop something bad from happening, or to feel better. The relief you get from these behaviors is temporary, because the thoughts and feelings always come back, making you feel even more frustrated and hopeless. Over time you’ve noticed your world has started to shrink, and things have become difficult to manage. You struggle with paying attention in class, getting assignments in on time, procrastination, spending time with friends, or making decisions. You feel trapped, alone, and scared. If any of this resonates with you, I'm here to tell you that these experiences are common for those living with OCD and anxiety. The good news is that your life doesn't have to stay this way. With the right treatment, it’s possible to break free of OCD and anxiety and get back to the things that matter most to us. If you are interested in taking the next step please text, call, email, or fill out a form on my website to schedule a free 15 min consultation.

Kate Rifkin, LMHC (pronouns she/her/hers) offers individual mental health counseling sessions for adults (18+) to provide a safe space where folks are able to freely explore their thoughts, feelings, concerns, and goals in a non-judgmental space. She takes an individualized, holistic, and integrative approach to therapy, that draws upon cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, and multicultural-based therapies. Kate has expertise and interest in working with athletes, young professionals, college students, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

I am Daniela Paolone, a Marriage & Family therapist in California (Lic 90752) & Wyoming (LMFT-223). I am passionate about helping you move out of pain so that you can experience a more fulfilling & rewarding life. As a Latina & Italian therapist, I enjoy working w/diverse ethnic, cultural, religious & gender groups. I specialize in Latine counseling, chronic pain & illness, anxiety, trauma, life transitions, women's health, relationship stressors & caregiver support. Living with my own health challenges has helped shape my practice & approaches to give clients tailored support to help them reach their goals. Many of my clients prefer talk therapy with Brainspotting to better manage anxiety, burnout, depressed mood, relationship challenges, grief, trauma, caregiver stressors, medical trauma & chronic pain & illness experiences. Other clients I see are caregivers or parents who are overwhelmed taking care of others while not being able to look after themselves. If we get the opportunity to work together, we will explore your strengths & current ways of coping & use that to build upon & create an action plan. I focus on giving you tools, resources & exercises that are easy to use so that you can feel more at ease, more resilient & less stressed by your circumstances. You do not have to do this alone!

Stress, Anxiety, Overwhelm, and Uncertainty. How long can we go on like this? What happens when it gets to be too much? Living like this can push you past your limits. I notice that people tend to seek help for "mental health" when the symptoms of stress that affect their "physical health" worsen. My approach to helping clients is rooted in my understanding that mental, physical, and emotional health are all inextricably intertwined. I work with Highly Sensitive Persons (see the self questionnaire at: www.hsperson.com) who struggle to cope with the fast paced, overwhelming and uncertain environment our lives have become. I also work with many people who recognize their childhoods as having been painful or traumatic.I am trained in EMDR. Therapy can help develop the tools you need to create the life you want to live.

I have been working with CU Grad and Undergrad students since 2019 and have really enjoyed my work. I specialize in trauma recovery work (Somatic Experiencing) and am PACT trained Couples Counselor as well. Please have a look at my website for more info: trinarbrown.com. Please feel free to contact me by phone or email. Prices for couples work are different than individual. Please let me know if you are interested.

Botaitis Therapy Group is a dedicated team of therapists offering a wide range of services to meet the needs of individuals, couples and families in California. We provide in-person counseling in Santa Barbara and the Santa Ynez Valley, as well as online therapy options for those throughout California. This flexibility can make therapy more accessible to people with various preferences and circumstances. Our therapy group offers a holistic approach for diverse mental health and relationship issues. We have skilled professionals to assist various age groups and relationship dynamics, tailoring therapy as needed. Quality care and compassion are central to our practice. If you have questions or need more details about Botaitis Therapy Group, please don't hesitate to inquire.

Feeling stuck or overwhelmed in just one part of your life can often start to affect other aspects of your existence. Low self-esteem or depression can creep into relationships, anxiety can keep you up all night, or relationship issues can impact how well you perform in school. Your past experiences are a filter through which you see the present moment and it can sometimes feel very confusing. When you don’t want to worry your family or friends or find it just too difficult to share with them, negative thoughts can leave you feeling especially alone and isolated and as if no one could possibly understand what you're experiencing. You are not your symptoms. Being heard and seen in a safe, compassionate and culturally sensitive environment can help you make sense of how you're feeling - especially when that treatment is tailored to your needs. My priority is to empower you to reach your goals by helping heal the emotional wounds that are holding you back or causing you pain.

I am inspired by providing others with the opportunity to have a safe place and somewhere they can go to feel respected, heard, and understood. I utilize active listening, empathetic communication, and being transparent and honest throughout our work together. I focus on creating a safe, non-judgmental space to allow the client to feel valued and respected. I also maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality to establish trust and rapport throughout our time working together.

I support folks in exploring how they want to walk through the world. I believe each person can define themselves and find their healthy. Therapy is a collaborative experience; you bring your life experience, and I bring support from a mental health standpoint.

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.

Hi there! I’m a Filipina-American Associate Marriage & Family Therapist and Associate Professional Clinical Counselor at Ellie Mental Health. My goal is to create a safe and affirming space where adolescents, transitional age youth, and adults of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and everyone in between feel seen, heard, and valued. I approach therapy with compassion, cultural awareness, and a strength-based perspective, honoring your unique story and needs. I know that therapy isn’t one-size-fits-all, so I tailor my approach to you, incorporating evidence-based practices like Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, CBT, EMDR, and trauma-informed care to support your healing journey. Your journey is uniquely yours—shaped by experiences, strengths, and challenges. I’m here to create a space where you feel seen, heard, and supported. Together, we’ll explore healing, growth, and well-being as you uncover your inner strength, build resilience, and live your true authentic self.

You may be feeling pressure with the challenges of college and what the future holds, difficulty adjusting to new adult roles, and responsibilities. You might feel frustrated with the social norms of dating, friends, and family. I help young adults transition from adolescence to adulthood by gaining self-awareness and figuring out their calling and purpose in life. I specialize in working with young adults who struggle with anxiety, grief, sport performance anxiety, healthy relationships, dating issues, and self esteem. My approach to therapy is to create a space where young adults can be open to discuss and identify new values and beliefs and be confident going into adulthood. Through young adult therapy, I help emerging adults have self-compassion to go through those trial and errors with acceptance and forgiveness. Therapy is a good opportunity to explore who you want to be, set goals for the future, and create strong meaningful relationships. If you want to be more confident with living on your own and creating your new future, contact me today to schedule your first appointment.