Therapists for college students near University of Southern California
I have been working in the mental health/social services field since 1996 in varying capacities. I was a social worker with the County of San Diego in Child Protective Services, first as a case manager, where I worked in a specialized unit with long-term foster children who had mental health diagnoses. I became a kind of “specialist” in attachment and bonding, and grief and loss issues, as well as issues with identity, be it racial, gender, or other identifications. After taking early retirement from the County in 2011, I decided to focus on the mental health side of social services. I took a job as a therapist and a discharge coordinator at a mental health crisis house, and then as a care manager for patients at inpatient psychiatric facilities for various insurance companies. In August 2013, I finally achieved a long-term dream and opened up my private practice where I continue to be delighted with the creativity and innovation, as well as the diversity of the people I meet every day.
We are a team of culturally affirming therapists who have come together through shared common values, life philosophies, and the need to create an alternative and creative approach to therapy. Our values and philosophies were born and defined from our work in the following settings: home-based and community-based treatment, community outreach, advocacy, mentorship, teaching at community college and university settings, public speaking, and traditional talk therapy. Our aim at Courage Over Comfort Counseling is to empower our clients to step outside of their comfort zone and into their true greatness, and this… takes courage.
Hi! Glad you’re here. As a licensed marriage and family therapist, I enjoy working with kids, adults, couples and families. I earned my Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of San Diego in 2005, and completed a clinical internship in UCSD’s Department of Family Medicine. There I collaborated with physicians in the care of patients and their family members. To this day, I follow a “bio-psycho-social” systems approach- looking at a client’s physical health (bio), emotional health (psycho), and current relationships and support systems (social). Because relationships can be both a source of worry - and also our greatest asset- a genuine connection (with family, friends, coworkers, etc) truly fosters improved emotional health. Considering our current stressors from a “systems perspective” allows us to cultivate a deeper understanding of how our family interactions and social connections affect our daily lives. We can enrich those connections, develop healthier boundaries, and connect meaningfully with people in our lives in a way that does not leave us feeling as drained or anxious. While it is certainly essential to address current challenges or problems, it is just as important to simultaneously identify strengths and assets already residing within. Looking at how to utilize coping skills, or learning new ones, helps bolster resiliency and brings new change. We work toward responding to adversity by changing course, healing, using new coping skills and then continuing forward. The act of seeking help can often feel overwhelming for anyone; it helps to not do it alone. I do my best to offer guidance, support, and dedicated focus on developing an approach tailored to meet a client’s particular set of current needs.
Most days you can pretend that everything is ok--that you don’t need therapy for anxiety—especially if you keep busy. Then there are these moments of panic where all of your emotions hit you and you can’t find a way to feel better. Maybe you drag yourself out of bed to go to work and have anxiety attacks where you cry in the bathroom stall. You try to keep pushing the thoughts or memories that overwhelm you away, to no avail. It doesn’t happen all the time so you can usually tell yourself and everyone else things are fine. But if you stopped for a minute and looked at reality you would notice how unhappy you are with yourself and who you are. Every move you make seems like a reminder of something you did wrong or could do better. It feels like these moments happen OUT OF NOWHERE and a part of you feels like you are going to have to live your life with these intense feelings and memories coming up unexpectedly and just having to grin and bear it until the feeling passes. Or maybe these overwhelming feelings of anxiety and dread only come up when you are dating or when you are close friends with someone. You are usually confident and happy in your life but anxiety eats away at you when you get close to someone. t doesn’t have to be this way. You can reclaim your life. Your body was MADE to feel and EXPRESS emotions. And, if you don't learn how to identify, respond to, and express those emotions regularly- they will come out- in ways that often feel out of control. My name is Lisa Manca and I specialize in working with anxiety/trauma, dating anxiety, and online therapy. My approach will help you learn how to deeply connect with your body, identify what is happening, and move through it with more ease and grace so your body has to send you those big signals less and less. We won't just TALK about what is happening or what has happened to you, we will create new routines, patterns, and strategies that feel GOOD in your body and that work in your life. Our sessions will get you moving through life with more ease (literally), dancing (sometimes), and getting really clear on creating a new way of moving through life and relationships. Through therapy with me, you will find a deep sense of safety and connection to yourself and your body. Your emotions will no longer be the enemy and you will accept who you are and be able to give compassion to yourself. You will connect with yourself, live in your body and FEEL the emotions you were once so afraid to face. Please call (415) 212-8780 to schedule your free therapy consultation now and learn how to live in your body in a way that life has more ease and less panic.
Welcome, I'm glad you made it. I am a psychotherapist specializing in individual work around emotional awareness, attachment, relationships, anxiety and depression. I work within a specific model of therapy called AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy), which is informed by the latest research on neuroscience, attachment, relationships, emotion, and how change happens in therapy, through the relationship and within the nervous system and the brain. I choose to receive weekly consultation from an expertly trained AEDP therapist who helps me to help you. I am constantly learning and expanding my knowledge and skill base as a therapist. My clients experience a deeper sense of safety, security and confidence in themselves, their relationships and the world. My clients often decrease their anxiety, depression, or unwanted worry by learning to recognize, and be with feelings in a way that feels tolerable and leads to positive feeling states of relief, calm, clarity, self-understanding, growth and compassion. If there is any part of you that has felt like you are too much or not enough, I think I can help. I look forward to connecting to you if it's feeling right.
Hello, my name is Liz Thompson. I offer you a peaceful, accepting and confidential environment that honors your unique experiences and strengths.Whether you are looking for a healthier personal identity, a happier relationship, a fulfilling marriage, or a meaningful parent-child bond -- or you wish to grow spiritually--I would love to talk with you. I am a Christian Marriage Family Therapist, licensed with the Board of Behavioral Sciences and practicing for 23 years. My undergraduate degrees are in English and Theatre Arts. I received my Masters in Marriage, Family, & Child Counseling from Western Seminary in Los Gatos, California. I've worked with families and youth at Family Intervention and Community Support, in Stockton, CA, For 18 years I worked with individuals, family members and couples, as well as facilitated group therapy at the University of the Pacific, Counseling and Psychological Services. I’ve been married for 38 years and have two adult children. It's important that we are a good fit. Please explore my site – particularly the services, couples counseling and fees. If something truly speaks to you, I’d love to hear from you. Currently, I am telehealth only and serve the San Diego area, as well as the Northern California area.
I work best with the misfits: geeks & nerds, punks, skaters, artists, musicians, writers, and activists. . . those who "rage against the dying of the light." My area of expertise consists in helping with difficulties in social relationships. Such difficulties include finding and sustaining healthy intimacy, healing from a painful break-up or divorce, school-related problems, recovering from major loss, and growing up in difficult circumstances. I am particularly suited to helping those who have cultivated their intellects and creativity but would now like to develop a greater awareness of their emotional world. Psychoanalytic thought informs my approach, but I'm far from being the silent, blank therapist. I think the psychoanalytic tradition provides the richest and most sophisticated exploration of how we love, work, and play.
As a clinician, Dr. Lee primarily sees high-achieving BIPOC clients working in Big Tech and in the creative industry. He was heavily involved in San Francisco’s AAPI community clinics, including acting as the mental health lead for Asian American Recovery Services and helped train counselors at North East Medical Center, one of the first non-profits to serve the medically-underserved AAPI population in the nation. Most of his clients are members of the APIDA community, who are dealing with anxiety, depression, ethnic identity formation, life transitions, and racial/intergenerational trauma. He is in-network for those with access to Lyra, and you can schedule your session at liminalspace.io.
I'm a curious, compassionate depth-oriented therapist who loves people, and feels humbled and inspired each day by the clients I work with. I work with clients online anywhere in California and in person in San Francisco, CA. I most often work with young adults who are seeking support to reduce barriers in the way of living a more fulfilling life. Frequently my clients seek my support related to: eating disorders disordered eating body image concerns social anxiety self doubt, rumination, and indecisiveness trauma wanting a deeper sense of connection, community, and belonging college decisions, stress management navigating complicated family dynamics gender exploration and transitions
Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.
My therapeutic approach deals with stories, and I am interested in including modern ways of storytelling into the work we do through digital media, technology, and even video games. I believe that stories are created through a variety of mediums that include art, play, and experience. I encourage the people I work with to explore all of the ways they have to come to know the world around them to make our time together even more fun, engaging, and relevant to you. In my practice, my goal is to collaborate with my clients in better understanding how they’ve storied their lives, challenging dominant narratives and systems of oppression, and exploring more preferred ways of being. The theories that inform my work include: narrative therapy, collaborative therapy, solution-focused therapy, play therapy, motivational interviewing, and strength-based therapy. Someone who might be interested in working with me is open and willing to explore the different ways that therapy can "be"! I invite collaboration and exploration in the work we do together, so feel free to bring the passions that drive you along with the obstacles you are facing into the room. Music, art, games, movies, even the people in your life are all resources to bring to therapy that can help to better understand the person you want to be and the story you want to tell. My experience as a queer, 1st generation Filipino-American is what inspires me to support others in their identity development. Navigating the endless messages and oppressive narratives that make up the modern, cultural milieu can be overwhelming and limiting. My hope is to create a non-judgmental space where the people I work with can challenge these dominant social narratives that attempt to tell them who they are or who they should be and begin crafting their own unique, preferred sense of self. I believe in challenging the notion that therapy is apolitical. I believe that the work that we do in attempt to better ourselves as individuals undoubtedly impacts and is impacted by those arounds us whether it's friends, loved ones, neighbors, or strangers across the globe. This is why I use social justice framework in my practice as I hope to promote total wellbeing not just for the client but for the larger communities and systems we are a part of.
Are you feeling unhappy, isolated, stressed, stuck, or like nothing ever goes right? Do you want to improve your relationships with friends, family, or partners? I strongly believe everyone can benefit from a safe space to process their emotions and struggles weekly with someone outside your immediate support system. It’s daunting to find a therapist who is right for you. I will meet you where you’re at - whether that’s helping you find the words to express yourself or finding the right goals and motivations to move yourself to the next phase of life. I provide psychotherapy services to teens, young adults, and adults of all ages, but I especially enjoy working with college students. I approach therapy from a person-centered and strengths-based perspective. That means I believe you are the expert on yourself; and that with support and guidance, you have the ability to make the changes you want. I believe I can help you to improve your self-awareness, understand and accept patterns from your past, and learn new skills and healthier ways of engaging in the world. Prioritizing healing, growth, and change are lifelong practices that often need a tune-up. I believe transformation requires time, space, patience, and self-compassion. In therapy, I offer a safe and caring relationship that supports you in doing this life-changing work. If you are experiencing depression, feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, perfectionism, people pleasing, grief and loss, life changes, trauma, low self-worth, self-criticism, communication, identifying needs, and boundary issues, please reach out today! Registered Associate MFT #118406 Registered Associate PCC #7659 Supervised by Dr. Joy L. Johnson, Psy.D. (PSY28452)
You have taken the first step to reach out for support. I know that this can be a difficult thing to do but it is a great first step. You may be seeking support because you have been dealing with stress, loss, worry, feeling down, and looking for ways to cope with the difficulties of life. I have been working in the mental health field for over 10 years. As a former Activities Therapist, Therapeutic Behavior Coach, and currently a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I have experience working with culturally diverse individuals, couples, children, seniors, and families. If you would like to learn more about the therapy process and the services I provide, please reach out to me and schedule an appointment.
Individual Work: Individual work is core to my practice. I work with adults and adolescents. Together we can explore whatever you feel to be disturbing your experience of life, particularly depression, anxiety, grief, loneliness, spiritual and creative blocks, illness, childhood abuse, trauma or issues related to sexuality, gender expression, and intimacy. Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy: I have extensive training in Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy, and am a Journey Clinical KAP provider. In addition to traditional psychotherapy, I offer a therapeutic modality called KAP: the use of ketamine as a compliment to psychotherapy. I deliver KAP in my practice in partnership with an organization called Journey Clinical, which has a specialized medical team that determines eligibility for KAP, prescribes ketamine lozenges where appropriate, and supports me in monitoring outcomes. If you are interested in exploring KAP, please contact me to discuss eligibility and next steps. Areas of Specialty Depression, Sadness, Loneliness and Grief Anxiety Career and Life Transitions Men's Issues Business Partner Struggles Sexuality, Intimacy and Relationship Concerns LGBT, Kink and Queer Community Issues Spiritual Exploration Shame HIV and AIDS Compulsive Behaviors Adult Children of Alcoholics End of Life Issues Integration of psychedelic experiences
My Background Hello and welcome! I have been helping people heal and live more fulfilling lives for over 20 years. I am just as passionate today as I was when I first began. My formal training began while studying psychology at UC Berkeley where I became interested in learning about the mind, human behavior and emotions, personality and developmental psychology. For several years after undergrad, I helped people with developmental disabilities by providing them with vocational, recreational and social opportunities so they can live their best lives. I later received my Masters in Clinical Social Work from Boston College where I dove deep into understanding human behavior in the context of environment. My post-masters work involved coaching parents on helping their children with autism and behavioral issues express their needs in safe and effective ways; managing a substance use helpline and providing crisis intervention and family therapy for people who were hospitalized due to severe and acute mental health issues. For three years, I provided group, family and individual therapies to clients at an Intensive Out Patient program in a bay-area hospital, teaching mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness skills. My Journey Growing up I was never taught how to appropriately identify and express my feelings or process pain. This caused me to direct any pain I experienced either inward towards myself or outward towards others. This resulted in hurtful and angry outbursts towards those I love or turning inward and experiencing numbness, anxiety, depression and shame. In my own therapy, I came to discover the power of changing the relationship I had with my emotions. I explored past wounds and destructive patterns and as a result, have experienced deep healing and changes that have significantly improved the quality of my life and have allowed me to experience more intimacy, happiness, deeper fulfillment and peace in all areas of my life. The work I have done in therapy has also had a powerful impact on my ability to serve my clients. My Approach I am compassionate, caring, and non judgmental. My clients have told me they appreciate my authenticity, kindness and creativity. I create a safe environment allowing people to feel comfortable discussing even the most sensitive issues. Clients also feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings on my approach to their therapy. This has lead to an open dialogue encouraging meaningful conversations, improving both the therapeutic relationship and outcomes for my clients. About Me A California native, I love spending time in nature, hiking, singing and recording songs, playing guitar, yoga, meditation, reading, traveling and spending time with friends and family. I also enjoy writing and reading about spirituality, psychology and personal development. I currently live in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Hi, I’m Amanda. I work with individuals and couples who want to get to the root of their patterns—whether it’s relational conflict, trauma symptoms, anxiety, or a sense that something deeper is in the way of fully living. Many of my clients are high-functioning on the outside but exhausted internally. Others feel flooded, shut down, or stuck in dynamics they can’t quite name. I help you slow down and listen to the wisdom of your nervous system, so we can understand how past experiences may still be living in your body—and gently unwind them. My approach integrates EMDR, somatic therapy, parts work (IFS-informed), and body-based listening tools like the Safe and Sound or Rest and Restore Protocol. I also offer Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy for those seeking an altered state of consciousness to process trauma or reconnect with meaning. When working with couples, I draw from Relational Life Therapy to help partners move beyond blame and disconnection and into clarity, ownership, and renewed connection. I also offer Discernment Counseling which is a short term focused therapy for couples unsure whether to stay or separate—with compassion for both perspectives. Outside the therapy room, I spend as much time as I can outdoors—going on “bug hunts” with my son, hiking local trails with my husband, or exploring a new interest in horseback riding. I also love yoga, travel, and quiet mornings with coffee and books. If you’re ready to get curious about what your symptoms are trying to say—and want to feel more connected to yourself and your relationships—I’d be honored to support your journey.
Hi, I’m Suyapa (she/ella), a Spanglish bilingual first-gen Latina therapist. I provide virtual therapy for adults in California, Nevada, and Florida navigating trauma, anxiety, family roles, grief, and identity exploration—through a culturally responsive, feminist, neurodiverse-affirming, and 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusive lens. If you grew up in a BIPOC or Latine/Latinx household where silence, sacrifice, or survival roles were the norm, you may now find yourself overwhelmed, disconnected from your needs, or constantly taking care of others while neglecting yourself. Maybe you’re the eldest daughter, the fixer, or the one everyone leans on—but you’re tired of holding it all together alone. My clients are often cycle-breakers who carry invisible emotional labor, many of whom grew up with siblings facing disabilities, mental health challenges, or substance misuse. They come to therapy ready to unlearn people-pleasing, set boundaries without guilt, and reconnect with who they are—beyond survival. My Approach I offer trauma-informed, relational therapy that honors your story and your culture. I use EMDR, Brainspotting, somatic and mindfulness practices, and a collaborative, holistic approach that supports healing on a mind-body-spirit level. The therapeutic relationship is central to our work—I’m here to help you feel safe, seen, and deeply supported. What It’s Like to Work With Me I’m not a blank slate—I show up with my authentic self and deep respect for your lived experience. I won’t pretend to have all the answers, but I will walk beside you with empathy, curiosity, and care as we get to the root of what’s weighing you down. Together, we’ll explore how your past is impacting your present, and build tools for healing that feel right for you.
Are you feeling anxious, fearful, or sad? Do you struggle with negative self talk? Are family dynamics painful right now? I can help. I am well versed in the problems that college students from a variety of backgrounds face. I have over a decade of experience helping clients to better manage difficult feelings, improve relationships, and feel good about themselves. I use a variety of tools such as mindfulness, self-compassion practices, and other interventions that will help you express and process core emotions on a deeper level. I look forward to helping you feel better, gain insight, and work toward having a meaningful life.
Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.