Therapists for college students near University of Southern California

About Me. Hi, My name is Alissa Young and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker providing therapy services to College Students and Young Adults within the State of California. A little bit about me, I was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, California. Clients would describe me as a ‘safe space’, where clients can feel validated and supported when sharing their challenges and seeking mental health support. Clients also describe me as motivating, comfortable, and strengths-based focused. I truly value hosting a therapeutic space where both parties are engaging in a confidential safe space, as their authentic selves - judgment free zone. My Ideal Client. If you searched terms such as “Therapist for College Students”, “Black Female Therapists”, “BIPOC Therapist”, and “EMDR Therapist in California”, you’re probably in the right place! My ideal clients are the students, parents, and professionals that feel a sense of connectedness when they read more about me. My ideal client is the person I see in the mirror - which is pretty amazing and full of resiliency and strength, ready for open and honest conversations - ready for CHANGE!

Life can feel overwhelming, and these days it’s easier than ever to feel lost. Know that you are not alone. Whether you’re working toward personal goals, trying to break old patterns or hoping to find some peace, I’m here to offer a supportive space where we can figure things out together. I work with people experiencing depression, anxiety, and religious trauma and life transitions, including those navigating the challenges of leaving a high-demand religion. My style is warm and client-centered. I often draw from evidence-based techniques such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and mindfulness to help you manage stress, develop healthier coping strategies and meet your goals.

Stress is fine but chronic stress can impact your ability to be decisive. If you are overthinking it on your own or talking in circles with anyone who will listen, it's time to get unstuck. If you are feeling overwhelmed and not even sure who you are anymore, figure out your next simple and actionable move. Your next decision could beautifully change the game. I am your thought partner for the next chapter.

Laurén (she/her, they/them) supports people of all ages experiencing a variety of mental health concerns including eating issues & disorders, depression, anxiety, trauma, and problematic sexual behaviors.. Her therapeutic approach is client-centered, trauma-informed, and strength-based. In her work, she uses modalities including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), family based treatment (FBT), emotion focused therapy (EFT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Laurén believes the therapeutic relationship is essential to fostering change, and attends to this connection throughout treatment. She is gender affirming in all of her care, and personally identifies as queer. Professional Experience Laurén’s clinical experience extends across the lifespan, including children, young adults, adults, couples, and families. Laurén spent ten years working in eating disorder treatment centers and supporting eating disorder clinicians in private practice. She approaches therapy with appreciation for each individual’s innate strengths and a desire to partner with them to support attainment of their goals. As a social worker, she is uniquely trained to view the individual from a systems framework, meaning in treatment she accounts for the impact of being a part of their family, community, institution, etc. Laurén believes all people are doing their best with the tools they have. Laurén has a diverse background of work and life experience outside of clinical practice. She has experience as an eating disorder recovery coach which she weaves into her therapy practice when appropriate. She has also worked as a sex educator, which taught her much about the spectrum of sexual behaviors and identities, gender expression, communication and consent, and sexual challenges. Laurén identifies as queer and Health At Every Size aligned, providing an inclusive safe space for all bodies, foods, genders, relationships, and sexualities. In addition to professional background, her personal life has taught her much about resilience and effective coping in the face of adversity. When Laurén’s not working, she enjoys spending time at the beach, gardening, traveling, listening to live music, thrifting, and spending time with her family and pets. Services Provided Laurén provides therapy to individuals, couples, and families residing in California. Supervised my Theresa Chesnut LCSW

Hello, I’m Nayeli Ordonez, a bilingual Latinx Licensed Clinical Social Worker dedicated to guiding individuals through their mental health journeys. My practice addresses a broad spectrum of issues, including anxiety, depression, trauma, attachment issues, and relationship challenges. With a deep understanding of the unique dynamics within the Latinx community, I navigate the delicate balance of cultural and familial expectations with my clients. As a new mother myself, I bring a compassionate focus to assisting expecting and new mothers through the complexities of postpartum life transitions. I am committed to fostering healing and resilience in my clients' journeys. In therapy, I integrate principles from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Focused CBT, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Attachment-Based Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). These modalities empower clients to develop effective coping strategies and mana

Hi. If you have ended up here chances are you are questioning if you need help trying to figure something out in your life. Don't close the page...You are here and that is good. Being in college can be a really difficult transition and so much harder than you thought it was going to be. Classes, grades, friends, socializing, drugs, sex, identity, expression, first time independence, and feeling home sick. Perhaps you have dealt with mental health issues before now or maybe this is the first time you are noticing something feeling different. Whatever has brought you to deciding to seek help, know you are making a good choice. Please take a moment to look at my site, and if I am not the right one for you, then look at others. Find someone to talk to today.

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Seeking help says a lot about you! It means you are open to becoming the best version of you; strong, authentic, balanced. My objective is to provide you with realistic tools for problem solving stressors, while reconnecting you to what truly matters in your life. My background in trauma work allows me to incorporate evidence based interventions and techniques to help adjust your thoughts about yourself and to minimize unhelpful habits that are keeping you from feeling whole. I incorporate grounding work as a way to connect mind, body, heart and spirit, and foster a sense of hope. I have been told I am "Minnesota nice", (a midwesterner at heart...I admit). I am a strong listener and lead with empathy, as I believe a trusting relationship aids in your healing. (p.s...sometimes you might catch a glimpse of my dog Guinness nearby he is a great listener too!) I know when to challenge, and when to allow for space. I have worked with dual diagnosis, addiction, learning disability/neurodivergent, first responders, veterans, couples/families, youth, students and artists.

Fuck! Is this as good as it gets? Changes, traumas, relationships, stressors, expectations, life! I dodge right, to get hit from the left. I come up for air, to be pulled back into the current. And sometimes, I just can’t even. You don’t have to face any of those punches or waves alone. Imagine what life could be like, if you could matrix your way through and ride life’s waves with ease. Healing is possible. I want to acknowledge the courage it has taken you just to start looking. Your journey to healing has begun. Contact me now for a free 15-minute consultation. I've got you.

I am Anita Rao, MD, an ABPN board-certified psychiatrist trained in adult psychiatry at Northwestern University, where I had the honor of being a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society, recognized for teaching medical students. I earned my MD from Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and obtained my undergraduate degree in International Health from Georgetown University. I adopt an approach that goes beyond treating disorders to focus on mental wellness and whole-person health. I utilize holistic treatment modalities, including evidence-based medication management, and collaborate with other members of our treatment team to ensure comprehensive mental health care. My specialization lies in anxiety and depressive disorders, bipolar disorder, and PTSD, with a particular focus on populations that are new to psychiatric care. I take pride in delivering accurate diagnoses, including second opinion evaluations, and am committed to educating and empowering my patients to understand their illnesses and themselves.

If you're self-aware or just discovering yourself, I can help you find perspective and direction that's right for you. I don't just listen; I like to help you make changes that you desire. I get excited by progress. And I love working with couples (or more) because so much of the growth happens right in the room. I'd welcome the opportunity to talk if you'd like to know more.

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Have you ever found yourself asking “What was I thinking?” or thought, “I should have done this differently!” I get it, and you’re not alone in these thoughts! They are signs that you’re hoping for change. Whether you’re experiencing conflicts in your relationship, cross-cultural challenges, academic concerns, or you’re taking time for self-exploration, you’re likely feeling overwhelmed, scared, anxious, or even depressed through it all. I’m here to work with you in turning these challenges into the freedom you’re pursuing. When working through challenges, it often feels like we're in a never-ending loop with limited options in hand, and I know how exhausting this can feel! I've helped college students and young adults find their way out into a meaningful life. I specialize in individualized care, knowing that what works for some people, may not work for you! I’m here for YOU! At times therapy can feel intense or complex, but just like life, we will also leave room for enjoyment and reward. I will be here with you every step of the way as we use the experience together to head out of that never-ending loop and into the life you have been waiting for. Are you ready for the ride? I’m ready for you.

You've been on edge lately...anxious, overwhelmed, and stressed. You knew that life would have its challenges, but you can't seem to catch your breath. You feel so overwhelmed, that you're stuck and you pass your time doom scrolling or just endlessly watching You Tube. You're trying to stay afloat, but you feel that can't get ahead no matter what you do. ​You know could call your friends or family, but you don't want them to worry and they've got their own stuff too. You know that it would be helpful to talk to someone, especially since even the easy things seem hard. You're ready to clarify what's really going on and what matters most to you. You're looking to make sustainable changes so you can find relief, feel grounded, and live more intentionally. As your therapist, I offer you a space where you can you put down the emotional weight that you've been carrying. In session I'll be compassionately direct with a hint of humor so you can start to make sustainable changes. Therapy is a collaborative process so I'm not a smile-and-nod therapist, but I'll be real with you so we can build therapeutic rapport based on authenticity and openness. Together we’ll examine long-standing patterns in your thoughts, behaviors and relationships to develop a committed action plan so you can start to feel more empowered and confident. I'll walking along side you in your journey as you start to deepen self awareness and align your actions with your values. Reach out and send me an email to set up a phone consultation today!

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.

College and young adulthood can be an exciting but stressful time. People may see you as focused and driven, but inside you feel more scattered and anxious than they realize. Perfectionism and an internal critic run your schedule. School, work, relationships, finding time for yourself—you feel like it's all too much, but you also worry you're not doing enough. You often say "Yes" when you want to say, "No, I can't handle one more thing!" Trying to manage ADHD, trauma, or just your day-to-day mood on top of everything feels extra exhausting. You wish you could feel balanced, confident, more at ease... maybe even kinder to yourself. I can help you navigate the "typical" aspects of young adulthood that are actually more challenging than they look. We'll focus on what's most important to you, whether that's exploring internal dynamics or learning new skills to cope with the daily tough stuff. My therapy style is interactive, collaborative, and inclusive—both tears and laughter are always welcome. I know starting therapy can feel tough, but finding a great therapist shouldn't be. To that end, I'm happy to offer you a free consultation to answer your questions, connect a bit, and see if I'm a good fit for your therapy needs. Please reach out to schedule a call!

I work best with college students who are trying to find their place in the world while managing anxiety, depression, or questions about identity. Many of my clients are part of the LGBTQ+ community and are learning how to navigate relationships, family expectations, and self-acceptance. In our work together, we focus on understanding what’s beneath your stress and self-criticism, building confidence, and helping you feel more grounded and authentic in your life. My goal is to create a space where you can explore who you are without judgment.

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Sunlight Psychological Services is a boutique private practice nestled in the foothills of the Old Agoura community. We offer psychological evaluations and science-based relational therapy for kids, young adults, and families. Our mission is to cultivate relational wellness in the whole family. Our psychologists have a variety of specialties which can meet the needs of a diverse client base. We believe in science-based therapy methods implemented with warmth, authenticity, and meaningful connection.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.