Therapists for college students near Los Angeles, CA

Hi! I am a 2nd generation Taiwanese American woman who specializes in providing culturally-attuned psychotherapy to ethnic minority populations. Areas of clinical expertise include mood disorders, anxiety, depression, relationship problems, family conflict, intergenerational trauma, and minority stress. I am passionate about working with clients who find themselves dissatisfied with where they are in their relationships with themselves, with others, or with life in general and are looking for a change. I love to work with individuals who are driven to develop more insight into who they are and why they engage in certain patterns of emotion and behavior over and over again in order to move towards more fulfilling and healthy patterns. I specialize in providing culturally-attuned therapy to diverse, ethnic minority populations. The field of psychology is still largely White dominated, and I take pride in providing culturally-attuned psychotherapy for ethnic minority patients where we incorporate cultural stigma, intergenerational trauma, minority stress, and more into our work together. Life can be so complicated and challenging to navigate alone! Your presence here tells me that a part of you wants to seek safety, harbor connection, and to grow as a person. Finding a therapist who is a good fit can be very challenging. I would love to chat with you briefly over the phone to see if we would be a good fit to work together towards your goals.

My ideal client is someone that’s ready to delve deeper. This person may be struggling to get out of bed or may be overwhelmed by their thoughts. Perhaps these habits impact their motivation or energy levels. This person may notice that their self-doubt interferes with their goals and overall meaning in life. My specialties include depression, and anxiety. My goal is to create a safe and non-judgmental space so that you can learn to cope with difficult feelings, and develop a sense of confidence in yourself. I have successfully worked with athletes and their performance anxiety. One of my favorite parts about working with clients is seeing their own resilience, their ability to witness their own capabilities. It's meaningful to work alongside my clients and to provide them with the skills to work through whatever challenges come their way. If you feel as though my approach fits with you, I'd love to chat over the phone. My therapeutic approach is psychodynamic and relational, meaning that my focus is not on symptom-reduction. Instead, our work together is long-term, delving deeper into childhood wounds and how these present themselves today. This work might take two to three years. Of course, this may vary from individual to individual. Because psychotherapy is based on trust, meeting on a weekly-basis is key. I am excited that you are open to making this commitment to yourself and to the therapeutic process. Groups Offered: Setting Boundaries With Others, Mindfulness For Those Who Are Skeptical About Meditation, Identifying & Expressing Emotions.

The Lotus Collaborative provides eating disorder PHP and IOP, primary mental health IOP, and dual-diagnosis treatment when clinically indicated. We are in-network with Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, and Kaiser Permanente, and also work with Medi-Cal referrals. For clients with other insurance plans, we can explore Single Case Agreements (SCAs) and have had a high success rate obtaining them. We also offer a free, in-person eating disorder recovery support group open to the community.

I'm here as you navigate a challenge that has arisen for you. Perhaps, there is a specific situation you want to sort through, or maybe it feels more nebulous. You may be coping in ways that aren't wholesome or sustainable. There is hope! Together, we will figure out how to find more balance, more authenticity and more joy in your life again.

You’re trying to find your footing after a major loss, a breakup, or a life transition that’s turned everything upside down. Whatever has led you here, one thing is likely true: something has shifted and you’re left trying to make sense of it. I offer a space to process the complex layers of change including grief, transition, and identity exploration. You may be holding the weight of a loss while also trying to figure out who you are and where you’re going. That’s a heavy lift. In our work, we’ll explore how your past has shaped you, how your values can guide you, and how to build a life that both honors what you’ve lost and allows you to stay connected to hope. Through compassion, insight, and gentle challenge, I’ll help you rediscover your worth and reconnect with the parts of yourself you’ve missed. This work is personal to me. My own experiences with grief and therapy are what led me here, and they give me a lived understanding of what it’s like to rebuild after loss—not from a textbook, but from my own life. I’m not here to lead from a distance. I’m here to be with you through the work, honoring your process while drawing from what I’ve learned in my own journey. If you’re feeling lost, isolated, or unsure where to start, I want you to know—you don’t have to figure it all out alone. I’d be honored to walk alongside you. Text, call, or email today and let's take that first step together.

Mindful Evolutions was started as a way to help adults, teens, and couples within the area feel happier and healthier through therapy. Each therapist has their own skills they bring to their clients. At Mindful Evolutions we happily welcome into our practices people from many communities and cultures. We provide counseling for all kinds of relationships including LGBTQ, multi-cultural, poly, kink, and heterosexual. Because we believe all people in a family need support, we have a therapist for everyone.

I'm a queer therapist offering trauma therapy in English and Spanish, both in person in Oakland and online. I have experience supporting college students with a wide variety of issues, from the initial adjustment to college to the preparations for the transition of graduating and figuring out what's next. You might be dealing with academic stress, social conflicts, relationship challenges, or tough dynamics with family. Therapy is a space where you don't have to take care of anyone else, where I'll show up with kind curiosity to help you make sense of what you're feeling and experiencing. I hold a compassionate and non-judgmental stance with my clients, but I don't think any of us can be truly neutral. Rather than try to achieve the old-school therapist poker face, I show up as myself in the therapy room with my whole personality (dumb jokes and all). I work with people who are fiercely dedicated to living out their values, and often find that the energy they pour into taking care of others doesn't leave much left over for themselves. When you're splitting energy between many things and people you care about, it can be hard to carve out that space just for yourself. But you deserve to receive as much care as you give. Therapy can help you practice tuning into your own needs and help you feel more agency.

I utilize education on how the brain, nervous system, and body (stomach) are connected, therefore normalizing and reducing shame. I also teach mindfulness, coping tools, and DBT/CBT skills that can empower the client and reduce symptoms that are interrupting well-being. I create a safe session by normalizing old schema and educating that there are no bad parts developed and work on embracing through IFS therapy. I recognize and support the strengths of the client that they may be unaware of, which is really beneficial as well. I listen and create understanding about how old schema was a necessary protection when young and the brain wasn’t fully developed. I validate that the familiar way of thinking and acting that is no longer working, and make take time to improve through practice.

I became a therapist because of my personal experience with finding hope and healing with the right person, at the right time in my life. It’s very vulnerable to open yourself up to a provider and I strive to always respect that courage by recognizing we work as partners in bringing hope and healing to your life, at your pace. I strive to provide a warm and safe place for my clients to feel they can be transparent without fear of judgement. I then openly let my clients know my perceptions so that they have an opportunity to provide clarification on their individual needs and correct any assumption I may have. I work hard to ensure my clients have a full understanding of what is happening in their treatment so they can feel empowered as an equal partner in the process. I often hear my clients express appreciation from being informed and having the power to determine the direction they want their treatment to go. As someone who works with fostering/rescuing animals, I find so much joy in getting to meet many of my clients pets. It brings a lot of comfort to have my pets near me, and it is comforting to know my clients are supported by their pets.

You might be feeling stuck: disconnected from yourself, your relationships, or the kind of life you want to be living. Maybe you're navigating stress from high expectations or caregiving roles, or struggling to feel close to others even when you crave connection. You may carry pain from earlier experiences or feel like you've had to hide parts of yourself just to get by. Whatever brings you here, you're considering the brave and vulnerable work of change, and that is huge. I work with people who are ready to feel more grounded, more connected, and more like themselves. I bring a particular focus on working with LGBTQ+ and multiply marginalized clients navigating the emotional toll of invisibility, hypervisibility, or living in systems not built for them, but enjoy working with clients of all identities who may be feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, or stuck in patterns that no longer serve them. I am neurodiversity-affirming, use an attachment-based lens, and provide letters for gender-affirming medical services. You don’t have to go through this alone, and you don’t have to explain your existence before we can get to the heart of things. In addition to individual therapy, I offer CNM-inclusive relationship therapy. I use Emotionally Focused Therapy and an attachment-based lens to help partners feel safer, more seen, and more emotionally connected. We focus on shifting out of reactive cycles and into more secure, responsive ways of relating. I bring a warm, relational, trauma-informed approach that honors your wisdom and your goals. Together, we can explore what’s getting in the way, deepen your emotional insight, and create space for more authenticity, clarity, and intimacy in your life. When you feel safe and seen, amazing things can happen.

I enjoy assisting people to heal quickly, empower them learn to live life to their fullest, change negative thoughts and behaviors to positive and learn these skills by role playing, practicing and becoming successful. I want people to be successful in communication, being assertive and improving relationships at the workplace, and in personal relationships with friends, partners and family. I use empathy, clarify their thoughts and feelings and ask them what they want to improve in therapy, what they see as being successful and learning new skills and establishing new habits that they want to achieve. I encourage people to be honest about their feelings to themselves and to others. I listen to my clients and try to empathize with whatever hurts them and causes them emotional pain.

Being able to help others learn how to thrive, not just survive, in their lives and find fulfilment are just a few of the reasons I love my job! Change can feel like hard work and I‘m honored to be able to help make change more accessible to those wanting to grow into their potential. I strive to provide a safe place to empower and encourage members in finding and growing into your best you. My techniques are highly strength-based and I use collaboration with members to reach their goals. You are the expert of you and I am here to help you build awareness and skills that fit for you and your needs. I specialize in an eclectic mode of therapy which means I like to create a session that is unique to you, your needs, and your goals. I use evidence-based skills and practices from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Humanistic or Person-Centered Therapy. I am a believer in the holistic treatment of the mind-body-spirit connection and a strong advocate for self-care and awareness. I work with individual adults with many experiences and life circumstances such as medical or chronic health and pain issues, burnout (work or personal), ethical non-monogamous relationships, and much more.

The students I work best with are often juggling the pressures of college while trying to manage their mental health. You may be feeling overwhelmed by coursework, struggling with anxiety or depression, adjusting to a new environment, dealing with relationship or family stress, or questioning your confidence and direction. Sometimes it feels like everyone else has it figured out while you’re just trying to get through the day. My goal is to provide a supportive, nonjudgmental space where you can be yourself. Together, we’ll explore what’s contributing to your stress, build practical coping skills, improve communication, and strengthen your confidence so you can navigate challenges both in and outside the classroom. I believe therapy should feel collaborative, empowering, and tailored to your unique experiences. Whether you’re facing a specific challenge or simply want to better understand yourself, you don’t have to do it alone. I’m here to help you build resilience, create meaningful change, and move toward the life you want.

College can be a lot. Between classes, work, relationships, family expectations, finances, and trying to figure out what you want to do with your life, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, stressed, anxious, or stuck. My goal is to create a space where you can be yourself without feeling judged. Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, low self-confidence, past trauma, academic stress, or major life changes, I’m here to help you work through it. Together, we’ll focus on practical tools and strategies that can help you feel more confident, balanced, and in control of your life.You don’t need to have everything figured out before starting therapy. Come as you are, and we’ll take it one step at a time.

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 see adults, adolescents, and couples experiencing high levels of stress, interpersonal conflict, difficult family dynamics, and chronic pain or illness. In treatment, I attune to the ways culture, attachment, and trauma influence a person's life. I often work with people who feel "different" and who have experienced deep feelings of otherness. I aim to create a safe space that invites curiosity and creativity, where talking about emotionally-painful topics doesn't feel so unbearable. If you'd like to explore the possibility of working together, please contact me to schedule a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation.

My areas of emphasis are relationships, trans-affirming care, neurodiversity, LGBTQIA+ concerns, trauma, anxiety, sexuality, multi-ethnic/cultural identity & college-related concerns. I support my clients in unlearning shame, setting boundaries without guilt, embracing their identities and cultures with pride, and build more authentic, fulfilling relationships. I offer a compassionate space where you can safely explore yourself, challenge old patterns, and develop new ways of responding that support healing, confidence and lasting change. In addition to psychotherapy, I provide WPATH assessments and letters for gender affirming surgeries. Therapy with me is collaborative, affirming, and driven by the desire to support you in healing through your resilience and empowerment. I integrate psychodynamic and action-oriented methods and my approach is liberation-based, anti-racist and trauma-informed.

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!

Today you are one step closer to a new you where you feel empowered and on a positive path to growth and well-being. As a solution-focused therapist, my goal is to help you uncover your true potential and lead a life that is worth celebrating. While we can't change difficult situations of the past, we can work together to better understand and resolve challenges in your life. By applying complementary therapy approaches and techniques, we will unearth long-standing behavior patterns or negative perceptions that may be holding you back from experiencing a more fulfilling and meaningful life. If you're looking for extra support and guidance through a challenging situation or you're just ready to move in a new direction in your life, I look forward to working with you to achieve your goals. Please call or email me for an individual therapy consultation today. I work with clients through telemedicine using video visits and phone calls.

Relationships are at the core of our lives, and I believe healing and growth often happen within these connections. Whether you are seeking to strengthen communication in your partnership, navigate parenting challenges, or build healthier patterns as a family, I strive to create a space where each voice can be heard and respected. Together, we will focus on fostering connection, trust, and resilience in your most important relationships.