Therapists for college students near 90089

Hello! I’m Robin Paredes (she/ella), a 1st generation Mexican-American, Bilingual, LCSW & Reiki Practitioner. I accept Aetna & Optum/Optum EAP insurance & offer self-pay services at $145 on a weekly or biweekly basis (in-person in Covina, CA or virtually throughout CA). Short-term sliding scale available. I support 1st generation/BIPOC in pushing against misaligned cultural norms (often showing up as anxiety & depression) to develop a deeper sense of identity by teaching mindfulness skills, practicing self-compassion, improving communication skills, defining needs/boundaries & connecting to their inner knowing for a more embodied & fulfilling life. I incorporate a somatic, holistic, and culturally responsive approach to create a nurturing space where compassionate self-inquiry & healing can take place.

Are you a bystander in your own life? Living day to day, going through the motions, doing the things you do because its what you are “supposed” to do? Never questioning why. Do you feel trapped in your own life? Insignificant in your world. Do your relationships lack depth and connection? Imagine having clarity; having inner calm; having a sense of purpose. These are things that can give life meaning and fulfillment. Are you ready to put it all on the table and make sense of things? To find confidence through congruence between who you want to be and who you are. Are you ready to embrace yourself and live an authentic life full of purpose and connection? My focus in therapy is on depth work. Through a client centered, relational approach I aim to support you in digging deep, asking the challenging questions and learning who you are while becoming who you are meant to be. With a deeper acceptance and love for yourself you will increase your ability and willingness to engage and connect with others in more meaningful ways. And through these intentional connections you can cultivate a narrative for your life that affirms your values and purpose.

Vincent Nunez is a Christian Counselor and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. He has a Master's in Pastoral Ministry from the Oblate School of Theology and a Master of Science in Counseling from the University of Phoenix. Vincent has experience in church ministry, mental health clinic, and college campus wellness center. Vincent is a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband, father, and military veteran. He has been married for over 27 years and has three children now transitioning into young adults. Specialties: Individual Counseling (Adults) Men's Counseling Spiritual Counseling Life Stages/Transitions/Major Life Changes Grief counseling Young Adults Mental Health Counseling (Anxiety, Depression, Trauma)

How many times a day do you daydream of dropping everything? Only to quickly be overcome with anxiety and frustration thinking of how everyone and everything will fall apart without you. Let’s face it—if you did take a break, the same issues would still be there, and there might be even more waiting for you. This is just one sign, among others, of burnout and a good example of an opportunity to learn the art of setting boundaries and saying “no” to others while saying “yes” to yourself. This is where therapy comes in! Many believe that therapy is only for the broken or the traumatized. False. Therapy is for anyone seeking to live more fully, love more deeply, think more clearly, and feel more like the 'you' you have been missing. In therapy you will have a safe space to reconnect with yourself and learn how to say “no” with confidence. Like my clients, you deserve to put yourself first without worrying about letting down your partner, kids, friends, or boss. Feeling peaceful and fulfilled without the guilt is not out of your reach!

Having trained at the University of Notre Dame (Ph.D., M.A.), UC Berkeley (APA-accredited internship) and Stanford (post-doctoral fellowship), I bring rigorous scientific expertise into my clinical work with college students. In fact, I worked at the University Counseling Centers at all three of these schools and have continued to develop a specialized private practice that focuses almost exclusively on college students. I also teach for Pepperdine University in their Graduate School of Education & Psychology. I help clients with a range of concerns including: anxiety, depression, career and academic concerns, ADHD, relationship concerns (situationships, am I right? :) ), body image and eating disorders, perfectionism, college/life transitions, as well as family of origin challenges (let's say it together, boundaries...). I often work with high-achieving students who often are managing academically but struggling internally. My clients often put others first and themselves last. By the time they come to therapy, concerns have been going on for some time and they've reached a breaking point. They may feel they "should" be able to handle things on their own. As a recovering perfectionist and someone who was riddled with anxiety throughout college, I get it. It wasn't until my own training in CBT that I learned how destructive such thought patterns were. It inspired my clinical approach, as well as three clinical workbooks I've published on Solution-Focused Therapy, CBT, and Positive Psychology with the top mental health publishers. Many of my clients who have been to therapy before often remark how "easy" I make the process. We laugh, we learn, and talk like old friends. Therapy doesn't have to be stuffy or stressful. It's about feeling respected, validated and heard. Learning to take care of yourself, set appropriate boundaries, and thrive! I'd LOVE to work with you! Please feel free to book a complimentary 15 minute consultation at my website below so we can connect!

I work best with clients who are passionate about self-discovery, social change, and navigating life’s challenges. Many of the individuals I support are exploring identity, facing societal pressures, or advocating for human rights, including LGBTQ+ issues, women’s rights, and other radical movements. College can be a time of immense growth and uncertainty, and I help students manage stress, relationships, and personal identity while balancing academic and social expectations. Whether struggling with anxiety, self-esteem, or navigating systemic injustices, I provide a supportive, affirming space to explore these challenges. My goal is to empower clients to embrace their authentic selves and build resilience in the face of adversity.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

I work best with clients who have an intended goal and who are willing to do the work outside of session to achieve stated goals.

I know it takes immense courage to reach out to a professional and ask for help. I also understand and honor that everyone has their own unique story and lived experience. I am here to guide you, walk beside you and support you on your journey to find wellness, joy and serenity. I will tailor your sessions to best meet your needs and use therapeutic approaches that I feel will be most beneficial to you. Therapy is a partnership and requires you to have a sense of willingness in order to change and grow as a person. Whether you are seeking support to cope with an immediate concern or transition or a long standing issue, I am here to help. You might cry, laugh or have an a-ha experience. It is all part of learning and growing.

Many young adults are emerging from the direct and constant influence of parents or guardians, into a space where they have more control and responsibility for their own lives. In this stage of life, we are discovering who we are independent of those early influences and developing our own personal worldview. We are exploring new relationships and new interests as we prepare to launch into the workforce and set ourselves up for the future. With everything that is going on, you might be feeling intense stress or pressure. Maybe you feel like you’ve taken a wrong turn, are uncertain about next steps, or need a place to explore your possibilities. Many young people realize that they’ve been impacted by something in their past that they feel ready to explore or find freedom from. Perhaps you’ve discovered something about yourself in relationships with others that you’d like to understand better or change. Whatever your goals are, therapy provides a confidential, non-judgmental space to work through your experiences, discover your personal strengths and learn to choose a future that feels exciting for you.

It’s never too late to create the life you’ve been longing for, free from the past that is holding you back! I love to work in an empowering, collaborative way with individuals of all ages and in relationships of all configurations. I also enjoy working together with those discovering their gender and sexual identities. If you want to look forward to a healthier you, creating healthier relationships, and putting yourself on the path to healing, I can help! I provide treatment for those with anxiety, depression, PTSD, and trauma. I work with couples, families, and people in any relationship configuration and support them in building effective communication, setting boundaries, and working together to create a healthy partnership. I am trained in cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectic behavior therapy, mindfulness, emotionally focused therapy, and trauma. I take a diverse approach to treatment and will meet you where you are with techniques that we discover work for you. My personal style is one of openness and straight talk, so if this feels right to you, you’re in the right place! Contact me for a free 15 minute consultation.

If you are not living the life that you know you could be living, if you are often tense and worried and have a hard time relaxing, if you have difficulty enjoying what life has to offer: give yourself a chance to be happier and to enjoy life! I have over 20 years of experience as a psychotherapist, I am easy to talk to, and I don't judge. I want to help you learn to take care of yourself, to relax and be happy, and to optimize your performance in all aspects of your life. I enjoy helping students feel well, function at an optimal level in class & lead happier lives. I also help athletes & performance artists realize their potential and achieve peak performance.

Helping you get unstuck from Anxiety, OCD and Trauma and learn to live a more fulfilled life. Are you feeling overwhelmed and stuck obsessing? There is hope and you are not alone. ERP, CBT, EMDR and Mindfulness Skills are treatment methods used to help you live a more fulfilled life. Therapy can help you get freedom over issues that are holding you back from your true potential and goals in life. With over 14 years of experience I can help and guide you to learn to break free from old patterns and negative thoughts to tune into our true resilience.

Eating disorders can feel hopeless, but they aren’t. Whether this is your first time seeking help, or your umpteenth time, I believe that everyone can recover. There are many reasons eating disorders are invited into your life. Just as there are many reasons why a person develops an eating disorder, the way you recover will be just as unique. If there was a one size fits all solution, that would perhaps be as deceptive as the problem itself. Whether it’s perfectionism, judgment, loneliness, self-improvement, health, fear, family issues… Together we will discover what invites these problems into your life, and begin to find what recovery means for them. I have been in the battle with food and weight, caught in the war zone of an eating disorder, and come out the other side. Now recovered, I love working with individuals and their loved ones to find their own version of recovery, and find out what is keeping you stuck from living the life you desire. Through conversations, we will create space to discover your preferences, hopes and desires. Many of my clients have described me as the “anti-therapist,” which is a description I wear with pride. I bring enthusiasm, improvisation, imagination, and creativity into each session. My ability to think outside the nine dots and ask questions that others may not enables me to develop creative solutions with clients to help untangle what many would consider to be complicated problems. I believe in (and embrace) experimentation: the freedom to test things out and see how they fit, to explore the various facets of yourself, and to allow for complexities, and contradictions, and messiness… all the stuff the eating disorder hates and recovery needs. Eating disorders, are strong, they need something stronger to overpower them. I want to help discover what that is for you.

I work with clients who are asking "Who am I, apart from the things I've done, as a student, or the job I have?" The work that we'll do together will help you to create a renewed sense of purpose and meaning through empathetic, insightful therapy. Whether you're grappling with burnout, the complexities of relationships, work-life balance, life transition, anxiety, grief, or depression, I will design treatment that matches your unique circumstances and helps you thrive in the world.

Update 8/25/24: I am still accepting new patients. Online video appointments for adult and adolescent patients throughout California. In network with Aetna, Cigna, Anthem, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, United Healthcare, Optum and Oxford. Private pay option also available.

No one has a perfect childhood. Early stressors, abuse, and neglect can continue to have profound effects on all of us and can manifest as depression, anxiety, anger, and low-self esteem. As we continue through life, enduring pain and distress, we often learn to suppress our emotions and neglect our needs in order to get by. In therapy I will provide you a safe, supportive space that belongs to you, in which you may share as much as you are willing and at a pace that you are comfortable with. While working together, I aim to help you undo old ways of being and to help you begin fostering a more compassionate relationship with yourself. As a therapist, I believe that I am a facilitator in your journey of change. My passion is helping clients rediscover their true selves and leading more authentic, genuine lives.

Alex is one of the experienced therapists at SD Zen. He is a licensed clinical social worker with 10 years of experience and helps individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, and trauma. He has dedicated his career to supporting and empowering individuals to overcome their challenges and achieve their goals. Alex utilizes his experience in CBT, psychoanalysis, and family systems theory to guide his patients to their desired goals. Alex has a talent for creating a safe and welcoming space for his clients to share their struggles. He works collaboratively with them to develop personalized treatment plans that meet their specific needs.

Hi, I am Reina Baez, a bilingual (English /Spanish) licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and I believe that healing happens in connection—with ourselves, with others, and with the narratives we carry. I am licensed in California, Georgia, and Missouri. My work is rooted in empathy, curiosity, and the belief that change is always possible, even when we feel stuck or without hope. It is my job to hold onto hope until you can feel hope for yourself. I work with individuals and couples, specializing in ADHD, anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, trauma, and the parts of life that feel messy or overwhelming. My goal is to create a space where you can heal and create new, empowering narratives for your future. Therapy is a brave step and lasting change is possible.

If you are feeling stuck, isolated and overwhelmed, talking to a professional can help view the situation from a new perspective and find solutions. I am here to help you answer such questions as: “Why did this happen to me?”, “Why does it keep happening to me?” and more importantly, “How do I make my life better?” Getting to know yourself is the hardest yet the most rewarding journey in life. And I believe it is the key to changing it. I will gently help you process your experiences to help you feel lighter, have more self-acceptance, and feel better about who you are and your future. In my practice I use psychodynamic theory and relational approach, I emphasize the role of early childhood environments in shaping our personality, life trajectory, and our relationships. Together we will unpack the ways you might have dealt with difficult situations in the past that now may be holding you back and will find more effective ways to navigate them. My personal experiences of navigating a shift to a more fulfilling career and moving globally help me connect with folks in a unique way. I work with career and relationship issues, inter-generational trauma, health issues stemming from imbalances in life, and multi-cultural relationships. Reach out to schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see if we are a good fit.