Therapists for college students near San Francisco State University

Feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure of who you really are? College can be exciting—but it can also feel like too much. Maybe you’ve always been the one who holds it all together, gets straight A’s, and never lets anyone see you struggle. But now, you're anxious all the time, you're exhausted from trying to be “on” 24/7, and even small things feel like a big deal. You might feel pressure to meet expectations—yours or your family’s—and you’re starting to wonder if any of it really feels like you. Maybe you feel like you’re constantly performing. Like you can’t ever fully relax. Or maybe you’re starting to ask big questions about your identity, your future, your values—and it’s scary to realize you don’t have all the answers yet. You don’t have to figure it out alone. I work with college students who are high achievers, perfectionists, and deep thinkers—especially those who are struggling with anxiety, depression, people-pleasing, burnout, or questions around identity and family dynamics. In therapy, you can slow down, breathe, and start untangling the pressure from what you really want. We’ll work together to help you feel more grounded, more like yourself, and more in control of your life. Sessions are confidential, affirming, and tailored to who you are—not who others expect you to be. I provide inclusive and affirming care and create a space where you don’t have to explain or defend your experiences. Online sessions available for students in CA & WA. In-person sessions available in Santa Monica, CA. If this sounds like what you need, reach out. Things can be different—and therapy is a good place to start.

Starting therapy is a big step—one that takes courage. College can be exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. Maybe you're struggling with the weight of past experiences, feeling lost about your future, or dealing with relationship challenges that leave you unsure of where you stand. Balancing all of this while trying to keep up with school and daily life can feel like too much to handle on your own. You don’t have to figure it all out alone. Therapy is a space where you can bring your full self—your worries, frustrations, hopes, and uncertainties—without fear of judgment. My goal is to help you make sense of what feels messy, reconnect with your strengths, and navigate the challenges that are holding you back. I specialize in working with college students and understand the unique struggles that come with this stage of life. If you're curious about how therapy might help, I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation. Feel free to check out my website or send me an email with any questions. No matter what you're facing, you're not alone, and I'm here to support you.

Phoenix Rising Centers breaks barriers in mental health care for BIPOC, QTPoC, and LGBTQIA2S+ communities. Through trauma-informed, anti-racist, and culturally rooted practices, we empower healing, growth, and resilience while confronting systemic inequities.

I have been a therapist for 18 yrs, working with individuals of all ages. I am informal, friendly, youthful, approachable and use different approaches and theories. How I approach a session is adapted to the individual: their needs, personality, and presenting issue. I see you as having your own wisdom while I also recognize that clients come to therapy to receive guidance, direction, and insights. I share with you my awareness, intuitions, and hunches but also invite you to see what fits for you. My therapy sessions with you are a place for you to share, to feel understood & be heard. I also regard humor as having a place in therapy. I have worked with various diagnosis and issues including depression, anxiety, bipolar, relationship problems etc. If you have any questions, prior to scheduling, I would be happy to answer them. (My website lists all insurance accepted. Please note I have additional availability. Please contact me for further information & appointment scheduling.)

I am a young adult & child and adolescent psychiatrist who specialize in working with college students. I think of my patients in a holistic way- using medications, lifestyle interventions, and talk therapy. I was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, and spent my childhood in Irvine. I completed most of my education on the east coast. I went to Johns Hopkins and double majored in history and public health. After college, I attended the University of Maryland for medical school. After living in Baltimore for eight years, I wanted a change of scenery and moved to New Hampshire to complete my residency training at Dartmouth. During my training at Dartmouth, I had opportunities to work with high-achieving teens and families who attended Dartmouth College with anxiety, depression, self-esteem, suicidal thoughts, and perfectionism issues. After surviving long winter storms, I returned to my hometown and completed the child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at UC Irvine. I have a passion for and experience working with college students, Asian American families, and teens with LGBT backgrounds. In my free time, I like to hike, run, and kayak. Coffee is my favorite drink, and I make pour-overs every morning. As a first-generation Korean American immigrant myself, I have understood what immigrant or second-generation students go through in college and the pressures of balancing academics and family expectations. I also enjoy working with patients to explore their identities, including gender issues, sexual orientation, religion, and careers. I am double board-certified in adult and child & adolescent psychiatry.

Embark’s Virtual IOP will guide you through a DBT and Trauma Focused CBT curriculum where you can gain skills like emotional regulation and mindfulness to help you navigate the stress of college. Our therapists and specialists help young adults struggling with issues like depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We are serving young adults (18-26) in nine states: California, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Georgia, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland (including Washington, D.C.). Our program includes group therapy, individual sessions, and as needed, family counseling, while also providing psychiatry and medication management support. Our team of highly experienced clinicians lead a virtually-curated intensive outpatient program that focuses on individualized treatment goals and objectives with therapeutic alliance and outcomes-focused approach taking the forefront. Our young adult programming is engaging, focusing on TF-CBT and DBT modalities, and we offer an OCD-specific track that brings exposure therapy to life. Reach out to learn more!

I work with adults, college students, and young professionals who are experiencing anxiety, depression, ADHD, mood changes, or the effects of past traumas. I take a collaborative approach that may include medication management, lifestyle adjustments, or mindfulness-based practices. My goal is to help you feel understood and empowered as we work together to identify what is most effective for you. Our practice also offers a range of therapy and counseling services. When helpful, I’m glad to connect you with a skilled therapist so psychotherapy can be thoughtfully integrated into your care. If you have questions about a specific concern, don't hesitate to reach out.

Whether you’re facing a challenge or simply looking for growth, therapy can help. My hope is to accompany you as you move toward healing, wholeness, and flourishing. In therapy, I seek to embody a nonjudgmental, honest, and compassionate presence. You will find an environment where you can share freely and work on what’s most important to you. You will be equipped with tools and skills that will enable you to reach your goals. I have training in multiple modes of research-backed therapy, and I consistently pursue ongoing training. I tailor my approach to your specific needs. I use methods from CBT, DBT, ACT, family systems, and mindfulness. I believe in your capacity to heal, change, and grow. It can be hard, but we can do hard things–we've done it before. Call or email me today for a free consultation.

Working with students has been my life's work. For nearly a decade I have focused my practice on teens and young adults facing complicated situations and trauma. Navigating these unique difficulties takes experience. I look forward to meeting you and helping you through these challenges.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

As a therapist with both a personal and professional understanding of trauma, military service, and the LGBTQIA+ community, I’m well aware of the strength required to overcome hardships. That’s why I’m so inspired by my clients’ resilience and their commitment to healing. It’s an honor to stand beside them as they face the tough work of processing adversity, healing trauma and practicing a new way to fight through life’s challenges. I approach therapy with a no-nonsense, trauma-informed, and inclusive mindset. My goal is to create a space where clients feel safe, but also pushed to dig deep and face their realities. I listen closely to their stories, and together, we confront the hard truths. We reshape self-narratives, understanding that the way we speak and think about ourselves, others and the world shapes the way we live. I believe trust in the therapeutic relationship is built through respect. There is no hierarchy in therapy, but rather two people working together for change. I believe in giving clients the space to lead, while collaborating with them to confront patterns and beliefs that no longer serve them. My hope is that every client takes ownership and control over their own healing, with each step being a move toward real, lasting growth.

Hi, I’m Caitlin, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW and LICSW) and founder of Tiny Cottage Therapy. I offer online therapy for college students and young adults across California and Washington who are navigating anxiety, burnout, perfectionism, and cultural or family expectations. College can bring a lot of pressure: to do well, to meet expectations, to have everything figured out. I provide a space where you don’t have to hold it all together. Together, we’ll work on understanding what’s been feeling heavy, learning tools to manage stress, and building more balance and self-trust. I take a warm, collaborative approach and focus on what feels most important to you. We’ll start where you are. My goal is to help you feel more grounded, confident, and connected to yourself as you move through this season of life. Most of the students I work with share a few things in common: they care deeply, try their best, and often feel pressure to keep it all together — even when they’re exhausted. They might overthink things, struggle to set boundaries, or feel torn between their own needs and what’s expected of them. Many of my clients identify as Asian American, AAPI, mixed-race, or multicultural, and are trying to balance family, culture, and school while figuring out who they want to be. Others are high achievers or caretakers who want to learn how to slow down, manage anxiety, and build a healthier relationship with themselves. If you’ve ever felt like you’re “too much” or “not enough,” or like you’re living your life on autopilot, therapy can be a place to pause, make sense of things, and start finding your own rhythm again.

I am passionate about helping college students navigate life's challenges with empathy and understanding. Let's work together to create positive change.

Many students have mental health concerns from time to time. We feel stuck or face certain challenges. Sometimes we know what’s wrong and other times, we have the nagging sensation that something feels “off.” It can be stress, anxiety, depression, or academic pressures. When we understand the causes of your troubles, we can alleviate your symptoms. And, when we do, you’ll feel renewed and be a better student, friend, romantic partner, son or daughter. When your desire for your own welfare overrules your limiting beliefs and negative self-talk, what you aspire to starts flowing into your lives—be it a relationship, academic success. Your manifestations become effortless, without internal strife and resistance.

I have been working with students and professionals for 8 years, supporting them in engaging in community, guiding them towards more confidence, contentment, and joy in their lives. I have worked with students holding diverse identities, exploring their sexuality, queerness, and gender. I understand the challenges you face from being a high achieving, high functioning, self-aware, and motivated person while finding yourself in an environment that is pushing you to your limits. It is within you to still feel joy, balance, and energy within these walls, and in your body.

College is a time of tremendous growth, but it can also bring stress, uncertainty, and pressure from many directions. Balancing academics, relationships, family expectations, cultural identity, and planning for the future can feel overwhelming—especially if you're a first-generation, international, or multicultural student trying to navigate different worlds. Therapy offers a space that's truly yours, where you don't have to meet anyone else's expectations or have everything figured out. Together, we'll explore what's weighing on you, gain insight into the patterns that may be keeping you stuck, and develop practical tools to help you manage life's challenges with greater confidence and self-compassion. My goal is to help you reconnect with your authentic self, build resilience, and create a life that feels aligned with your own values rather than the expectations of others.

Hello, I work with individuals seeking a better understanding of themselves and their relationships and wanting to improve how they manage their emotions and anxiety. I work collaboratively with you on developing self-discovery while providing a nurturing, supportive environment- loosening habituated patterns of avoidance, self-doubt, fear, and self-sabotage. My job is to help your nervous system heal from these enduring burdens, so we can reduce persistent feelings of self-doubt, inadequacy, and dissatisfaction. The beauty of this work is that it emboldens us to be on a continuing process of self-discovery every day. Over time, clients report feeling a deep sense of internal relief which ultimately promotes feelings of validation, acceptance, appreciation, empowerment, purpose, and love. Message me to schedule a free 15-minute consultation.

Sarah Emmanuelle Mairesse is a trilingual (English/Spanish/French) Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist focused on healing mind, body and spirit. Sarah has been working in the mental health field since 2011 and earned her Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University and her undergraduate degree in Child Development from Cal State Los Angeles. Sarah began her clinical training at Hollywood Sunset Free Clinic serving the Silver Lake community working with adults, adolescents, couples, children and their families, helping them through various psychological struggles including Anxiety, ADD/ADHD, PTSD, Trauma, Loss, Depression, Insecure Attachment, Addictions, and using a variety of modalities including Inter family, Gestalt, Psycho-dynamic and Mindfulness CBT. Sarah is a trained trauma therapist that incorporates EMDR treatment which has been proven to help clients that are feeling stuck and want to reduce and deconstruct their underlying negative thoughts and feelings to more positive and adaptive ones. Sarah uses a humanistic, client centered approach and works in collaboration with her client’s to identify problems and explore issues interfering with their ability to feel fulfilled while supporting solutions that will improve their over all well being and unlock their innate highest potential. Sarah has worked with a range of cultures and backgrounds and is comfortable exploring issues of sexual, race and gender diversity/fluidity.

My approach to therapy is collaborative, working with you to achieve your unique goals. I draw from evidence-based approaches such as Collaborative Therapy, Mindfulness- Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Narrative Therapy, and Solution Focused Therapy (SFT). Outside of my passion for helping clients build fulfilling lives and meaningful connections, I’m a dog lover, enjoy doing yoga, spending time in nature, and cooking.

Hi. If you're looking to create a more joyful and accepting life, If you're looking for tools and practices to help you manage the curve balls that life has thrown your way, let's connect, and together, create a space where you can grow and thrive. Currently working with Pennsylvania and California clients. Please check out redmountainwellness.com for more information about me. And, I look forward to learning about you. Warm regards, Deborah