Therapists for college students near University of Southern California

Are you a chronic "people pleaser," feeling stuck in your relationships, or just wishing that things in your life could be different? I help adults learn to be more in control of their thoughts, feelings, and moods so they can achieve their personal and professional goals. I'll help you find new ways of understanding and coping to get you feeling better and more able to handle life's ups and downs. No matter if your stresses are recent or longstanding, together we will work on changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors so you are free to live a more fulfilling life. I specialize in working with young adults who are dealing with self-esteem issues, perfectionism, difficulty setting and holding boundaries in relationships, ADHD, depression, and anxiety. I have training to help those in painful relationships feel validated, learn to recognize harmful patterns, and develop skills to create healthier connections. We'll work best together if you are driven to improve your mood and relationships through hard work and humor. I absolutely love teaching others skills and gaining a different perspective about the world. If you're ready to grow, change, and laugh a lot, contact me today for a free consultation and find out how I can help you build a life that makes your heart sing.

As someone who has experienced mental health both in myself and my loved ones, I feel inspired to provide care that is comforting, compassionate, and free of judgment. I am driven by being a support to those who need it, helping you improve, and guiding you towards fulfillment and your goals. I ensure you feel heard and respected by creating a comfortable environment where, together, we can explore the uncomfortable. I value establishing trust with you and I allow each client to set their own pace while I compassionately move you forward. I practice a talk therapy approach with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness, and Acceptance Commitment Therapy influences. I am proud of my ability to establish trust and a strong therapeutic alliance with my clients. I do this by using humor and empowerment while also utilizing a direct approach. I recognize how difficult vulnerability can be so I do my best to create an environment that feels safe and enjoyable. I enter each session without judgment as I want to honor you and your experiences. I prioritize you feeling comfortable while sharing your innermost thoughts so, together, we can put the pieces back together and fortify your mental space.

When you need someone to talk to who isn't your mom or your best friend, Chloe Demisch, LCSW is here to help. Get support and clarity while also learning tools to help you cope difficulties better. Chloe is a licensed psychotherapist in Oakland offering both in-person as well as virtual sessions. Specializing in anxiety and depression treatment, Chloe offers a warm, validating approach to help get your life moving in the right direction. She also works with low self esteem, burnout, parenting, infertility, relationship problems, work issues, and navigating the dating world. Chloe has expert knowledge in Acceptance & Commitment Therapy to help you learn how to observe your thinking and not be ruled by emotions when they're unhelpful. Chloe offers professional expertise to guide you through tough feelings and thoughts that can weigh you down. She will provide you with an objective viewpoint and open your eyes to new perspectives that can change how you operate in your day to day life. Chloe has over 10 years of experience in the mental health field to help you understand your feelings and find what motivates you. If you're ready for a change, please reach out to book a free 10 minute consultation today!

At Minds Moving Forward, we provide highly customized, private-pay mental health care designed to support your entire family. From helping young children navigate big emotions and supporting teens through academic stress, to guiding adults through deep trauma recovery and training elite athletes to win their inner game, our therapists offer the advanced expertise you need to thrive. You deserve a space where you can be yourself, talk openly, and not feel judged or rushed. In our work, we move at your pace, especially if therapy is new to you. Together, we will have real conversations, explore your emotions and experiences, and gently face the parts of life that feel overwhelming so you can build coping skills and confidence.

Are you feeling stuck, burned out, or overwhelmed by the everyday stresses of life? Perhaps anxiety, depression, or relationship challenges are weighing you down. Seeking meaningful change but finding it hard to move forward? Are you a member of a BIPOC community or other resilient community who is feeling isolated, overwhelmed and desiring a safe space to heal? My practice is warm, compassionate, and strength focused, emphasizing true collaboration. I prioritize creating a secure, welcoming setting where every client feels heard, seen and respected—a vital foundation for addressing deeply personal issues. I believe this is the foundation of a good working relationship to address such sensitive personal matters. Drawing from evidence based modalities—including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, psychodynamic work, multicultural frameworks, and mindfulness—I tailor my approach to each person’s unique story, identities, and challenges. By honoring your individual experience, we can work together toward lasting well being and the changes you envision.

My therapeutic style is warm and genuine and I like to use humor when appropriate. I am a big proponent of using therapeutic techniques that have good research evidence demonstrating their effectiveness. I specialize in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for adolescents and adults. CBT teaches clients coping skills to manage their emotions and behaviors. It also changes clients' emotions by helping them change their thoughts and behaviors. I provide CBT to address the following presenting problems: depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, and difficulties adjusting to major life changes. DBT is an adaption of CBT that was developed to help clients with multiple problems in multiple areas who struggle with chronically dysregulated emotions. These clients may also have suicidal behaviors, self-harm behaviors, impulsive behaviors, difficulties in their interpersonal relationships, and/or Borderline Personality Disorder. I also have specialty training in the DBT Prolonged Exposure protocol for individuals with comorbid Borderline Personality Disorder and PTSD. In terms of my education and experience, I received my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Stony Brook University in 2014. I then participated in my first postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Washington with Dr. Marsha Linehan, the developer of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Afterwards, I completed a postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Jacqueline Pistorello at the University of Nevada, Reno, focusing on providing clinical services to college students and conducting research on evidence-based treatments for suicidal behaviors. As a faculty member at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, I taught medical students, psychiatry residents, and child psychiatry fellows about psychology, therapeutic techniques, and how to interact with patients. I opened my private practice in 2017 in Reno, Nevada and recently moved to Virginia.

Healing and growth often begin with feeling truly seen, heard, and understood. As a bilingual therapist fluent in both Vietnamese and English, I bring over 14 years of experience supporting individuals across multiple stages of life, with a special focus on older adults and young adults navigating life transitions, relationships, identity, grief, and emotional healing. Clients often appreciate that I’m not simply someone who nods and listens. I’m an active collaborator in the therapy process. Together, we explore the patterns, experiences, and beliefs that may be keeping you stuck so you can gain deeper insight, heal at the root, and move toward the version of yourself you want to become. Some of the most meaningful feedback I’ve received from clients includes: “I’ve never thought of it that way before,” “I could hear your voice echoing in my head and I knew what I needed to do,” and “You’ve opened my mind to things I never realized before.” Those moments of realization, when clients uncover the root of a pattern, reconnect with themselves, or discover purpose within painful experiences, are some of the most fulfilling parts of the work I do. My greatest joy is witnessing a person’s transformation toward deeper self-love, stronger self-trust, and greater discernment in how they move through relationships, choices, and life itself. I believe healing is not about becoming someone entirely new, but about returning to yourself with more clarity, compassion, and intention. Outside of the therapy room, I’m a proud plant mom, an actively involved auntie to my adorable niece and nephew, and currently obsessed with perfecting homemade matcha lattes. Small rituals like these remind me how healing often lives in the everyday moments.

My passion for working in this field stems from a deep-seated belief in the transformative power of mental well-being. Every individual deserves the opportunity to lead a fulfilling and meaningful life and I am honored to support individuals in achieving this. Witnessing the resilience and courage of my clients as they navigate mental health challenges is profoundly inspiring. It fuels my commitment to provide compassionate support and evidence-based interventions that empower them to overcome obstacles and thrive. By fostering empathy, awareness, and de-stigmatization, I aim to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for individuals struggling with mental health concerns. I do this by practicing active listening, which involves giving my full attention to what the client is saying—both verbally and non-verbally. I reflect back what I hear to ensure I understand their perspective and emotions accurately. I also ask clarifying questions when necessary and validate their experiences, showing that I respect their feelings and struggles. By being non-judgmental and compassionate, I help clients feel safe to share more openly. Ultimately, my goal is to create a space where they feel accepted and understood, which fosters trust and the ability to make progress in therapy. I work to create a safe, non-judgmental space where clients feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and emotions. This begins with being genuinely present and engaged in our sessions, listening actively, and responding with empathy. I also ensure that I maintain clear communication about the therapy process, respecting the client’s pace and autonomy. By being consistent, reliable, and transparent about goals and boundaries, clients are more likely to feel secure and confident in the therapeutic relationship. Additionally, I validate their experiences and emotions, which helps to foster mutual respect and understanding. Over time, this collaborative and supportive dynamic allows us to work together toward meaningful change.

We have seen our clients face their fears and get their lives back. Our goal is to provide clients with the solutions they need to live a productive, enjoyable life. We offer concrete tools and techniques that truly reduce symptoms. Our Intensive Outpatient program (IOP) is a shorter-term intensive treatment option that consistently provides clients with long-term symptom reduction. Our specialized program is designed to support individuals (eight years and older) who suffer from Anxiety, OCD, and related diagnoses. The IOP program is three hours per day, Monday through Friday. This level of treatment helps provide clients with more significant outcomes, more consistently in a shorter time period than traditional outpatient sessions. Our programs are evidence-based practices, which means we stay current with scientific research. Our staff is highly trained in implementing exposure-based therapy, the gold standard for obsessive-compulsive, anxiety, and related disorders treatment.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Graduate school strains every internal system you have. The pressure to produce, the unspoken competition, the isolation, the feeling that everyone else is coping better than you—these are not small stressors. They shape how you see yourself, how you work, and how you relate to the people around you. Bay Psychology Group works with the parts of this experience that don’t show up on intake forms: the private self-doubt, the stalled motivation, the fear of failing publicly, the difficulty sustaining relationships while carrying a heavy intellectual load, the exhaustion of managing family expectations, cultural pressures, or the reality of being far from home. Our approach is slow, steady, and built for depth. We look closely at the patterns that keep you stuck—how you respond to stress, how you manage ambition, how you treat yourself internally—and we do this in a consistent therapeutic relationship where those patterns can actually shift. Many of our patients are international students, first-generation professionals, scientists, artists, doctors, and LGBTQIA students who carry layers of complexity no short-term model can address. We offer the kind of work that helps you understand why you feel the way you do, not just how to get through the next deadline. Therapy is available in English and Mandarin. In-person sessions take place in Oakland; telehealth is available throughout California.

Life shouldn’t be this hard. You’re feeling more and more anxious and sad, perseverating on thoughts/ past issues that don’t serve you. You feel like life is passing you by. You know the kind of life you want but you can’t seem to get there. You’ve heard about mindfulness and meditation but you don’t know where to start. You want a better future for yourself that includes love, fun, meaningful school/ work and balance. There is good news. I have helped many people who’ve been sad or anxious, develop tools to help them live a life of fulfillment. Together, we'll uncover what's keeping you stuck and we will work toward rebuilding your life. You can experience happiness and contentment again. If you are ready for some real results, call or email me today. I’m happy to provide you with a free 15-minute consultation to make sure we’re a good match and you feel comfortable. I understand what you’re going through, and I know I can help. Call me today to get started.

I believe that healing begins with a trusting, supportive relationship. My goal is to provide a safe, compassionate space where you feel seen, heard, and empowered. I am committed to walking alongside you as we work together toward greater insight, resilience, and wellbeing. Your growth matters to me, and I am here to support you every step of the way.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

The Norooz Clinic Foundation is a non-profit public service and educational organization established in October of 2012. Norooz is a Farsi word meaning new day and a new beginning. At the Norooz Clinic Foundation, we strive to assist those who walk through our doors with their journey of discovery to find their new day, their rebirth, through mental health and wellness. The Norooz Clinic Foundation focuses on building and maintaining healthy relationships by identifying common struggles and providing new ways to approach them with success. We teach our clients effective skills and tools in order to give them alternative ways to think about daily problems and stressors and overcome them with more ease and balance.

We live in a culture that constantly pushes us to do more, work harder, and question whether we’re ever “enough.” For many students, that pressure leads to stress, anxiety, and burnout. But thriving isn’t about pushing harder—it’s about finding balance, clarity, and a stronger sense of who you are and what you need. This work often extends into your relationships, your identity, and your sense of direction. I offer a supportive, nonjudgmental space where you can slow down, explore what’s weighing on you, and develop a more grounded, sustainable way forward.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Honestly I’ve known from an early age that I wanted to be a therapist. I’ve always been very sensitive and empathetic to people’s experiences. Also growing up in a very dysfunctional family affected by alcoholism had a part to play as well. I know how important it is to feel seen and heard. I will communicate my understanding of your experience, not in the same words, but in a way that you will have the experience of me understanding. Part of this is also being open to you communicating that I didn’t get it and having the space to try again until I do. I build trust by really valuing the creation of a safe, trusting container in which I continue to get more and more understanding of your experience. This container comes from you being able to be honest with me, and feel like you can communicate what is needed in the moment no matter what it is.

I am a trauma therapist who specializes in supporting individuals through difficult events. I work with people throughout California virtually and in person in Santa Barbara, CA. I specialize in trauma, PTSD, anxiety, and depression. My primary therapeutic approach is psychodynamic, with a focus on helping people gain deeper insight into their inner world and life experiences. However I integrate EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) into my work as needed and/or desired. I am in-network for CenCal insurance