Therapists for college students near University of Southern California

Brenda Valenzuela is a dedicated therapist who places building trust and engagement at the core of her practice. She takes a humanistic approach, focusing on understanding each individual's unique perspective and experiences. Brenda strives to create an environment rooted in empathy, respect, and authenticity, ensuring clients feel truly seen, heard, and understood. Her warm, inclusive style centers on meeting clients where they are, using thoughtful questions to tailor each session to their needs. Brenda is committed to fostering genuine connections, celebrating progress, and guiding clients through growth and healing. Outside of her professional life, Brenda is a mom, who enjoys spending time outdoors with her family, including her goldendoodle and fiancé, a firefighter in Southern California. She values family time, walks, farmers markets, and library visits, bringing the same warmth and authenticity to her personal life as she does to her work.

Deborah Cho is a native New Yorker of Korean-American descent and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with many years of experience in therapy and crisis intervention across private practice and community-based programs. She is recognized for her active listening, consistency, and connectedness. Deborah's therapeutic style is interactive, compassionate, and person-centered, with a focus on person-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and motivational interviewing. She is dedicated to helping clients develop healthy coping mechanisms, process their past, and achieve a sense of peace and fulfillment. Outside of her professional work, Deborah enjoys taking on calligraphy projects as a hobby.

Jessica Grasso is a licensed therapist who builds trust with her clients by listening to their issues, validating their concerns, and forming a rapport to help them achieve their goals. She meets clients where they are and focuses on their strengths to support their progress. Jessica approaches therapy from an empathetic and positive space, believing in the importance of being an encouraging therapist who validates and supports clients in their time of need.

Rachel Peterson is a telehealth clinician serving clients in Nevada and California. She specializes in depression, anxiety, and substance use, with additional experience in perinatal mental health and crisis intervention. Rachel builds trust through empathetic and reflective listening, providing a safe space for clients to discuss issues important to them. Her therapeutic approach incorporates cognitive behavioral and dialectical behavior techniques, as well as motivational interviewing, empowering clients to reach their own conclusions and embrace self-determination. Rachel is passionate about helping clients identify patterns in their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, supporting them in making meaningful changes.

Samantha Walker is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 18 years of experience providing therapeutic services to children, adolescents, adults, and families. She has more than 10 years of expertise working with DSS and court-ordered cases, as well as a strong background in educational settings. Samantha utilizes a variety of theoretical approaches tailored to each client. Connecting with her clients is her top priority, ensuring they feel heard and seen through empathy, honesty, and gentle responses. She fosters trust and rapport by encouraging clients to share their experiences, hobbies, and dislikes. Samantha’s initial approach is to create a warm, collaborative, and non-judgmental space to discuss concerns, goals, and expectations. Beyond her professional life, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, staying busy with her three children, and recharging by watching movies, reading, laughing, and exploring creative outlets. She loves animals, especially cats.

Tia Banks is known for establishing trust by creating a safe, nonjudgmental environment where clients feel heard and respected. She uses active listening, empathy, and collaboration to ensure clients are involved in their treatment process, focusing on open communication to build strong therapeutic relationships. Friends and family have always turned to Tia for support and advice, even before she became a clinician, which helped her realize the importance of connection, listening, and helping people feel understood. Tia’s therapeutic style is warm, relaxed, and client-centered, emphasizing a comfortable environment and practical interventions to support clients in reaching their goals.

Overwhelmed, scattered, stuck in cycles of anxiety and procrastination. Losing track of time, riding emotional highs and lows, struggling to quiet your mind — and not knowing why. These patterns can be linked to ADHD, and in adults they frequently go unrecognized for years. What builds up in that time isn't just difficulty with focus and follow-through, but criticism, self-doubt, and anxiety that never quite got resolved. The adults I work with are often highly capable people who've built impressive lives, but carry a quiet exhaustion from working twice as hard just to keep up. They mask well in public and struggle privately. My approach integrates multiple evidence-based therapies, including EMDR, a model built on the understanding that your brain has a built-in system for healing — linking difficult or traumatic memories to your adaptive memory network for nervous system healing and cognitive restructuring, so you can move forward with clarity.

Many of the people I work with have spent a long time feeling like they're just trying to get through each day. They may be overwhelmed by anxiety, stuck in repetitive thoughts or behaviors, carrying the weight of past experiences, or feeling disconnected from themselves and the people they care about. Some have experienced trauma that continues to affect their relationships, confidence, or sense of safety, while others find themselves caught in cycles of fear, self-doubt, or uncertainty. You don't have to have everything figured out before starting therapy. Whether you're struggling with the effects of a difficult past, feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, or finding that your thoughts and emotions are interfering with the life you want to live, therapy can provide a space to better understand what you're experiencing and begin moving toward meaningful change. I strive to create a supportive, compassionate, and nonjudgmental environment where you can feel heard, respected, and understood. Together, we'll work at a pace that feels right for you, focusing on your goals and helping you build greater confidence, resilience, and hope for the future.

Clients that I see in my practice are frequently struggling with life transition, academic stress, family concerns, and issues in their interpersonal relationships, all while trying to succeed as students. I also work with many clients either diagnosed with ADHD (or suspecting that they have it) who are seeking support to improve functioning. My practice is also LGBTQ+ affirming and welcoming.

Core Therapy was founded in 2020 with a simple belief: quality mental health care should be accessible, compassionate, and designed to meet people where they are. What began as a virtual response to a growing need for mental health support has evolved into a diverse team of compassionate clinicians serving individuals, couples, families, and children throughout California. Our practice is rooted in client-centered, culturally responsive care. We recognize that every person comes to therapy with different experiences, identities, challenges, and goals. Our clinicians work to create a supportive space where clients feel heard, understood, and empowered to make meaningful changes in their lives. As a fully virtual practice, we aim to make connecting with the right therapist easier and more convenient—bringing quality care directly to you, wherever you feel most comfortable. At Core Therapy, our goal goes beyond providing therapy. We strive to reduce barriers, challenge the stigma surrounding mental health, and make therapy feel more human, approachable, and connected.

Flourish works best with students and young adults who may look like they’re doing well on the outside but feel stressed, anxious, overwhelmed, or stuck underneath it all. Many clients are navigating relationships, family expectations, identity, self-worth, academic or career pressure, major life transitions, or simply trying to figure out what they want their life to look like. You don’t need to have everything figured out before starting therapy. Our goal is to provide a genuine and authentic space where we can make sense of what’s going on, identify patterns that may be getting in your way, and develop practical ways to move toward the relationships and life you want.

I specialize in working with college students and emerging adults navigating relationships, anxiety, self-worth, family stress, and major life transitions. My clinical work is informed by my research and teaching on emerging adulthood, health, and relationships. In addition to being a licensed marriage and family therapist, I am a clinical supervisor and university professor in Child Development and Family Science, with particular expertise in romantic and family relationships.

I hold engaging in this work as the greatest privilege. I work with clients to help them make meaning and transform the often overwhelming, distressing, and confusing life experiences we all face. I use humor, honesty, perception, and compassion to create the space that will help us access the most lively and generative core of your self that is often overshadowed by relationship struggles, trauma, and other life transitions. Maybe you've found your way here because you haven't felt yourself lately. Perhaps things are feeling just out of reach in your relationships or school work. Possibly the world is feeling loud, lonely, and difficult to navigate. Or maybe, you're curious to understand more about your internal world. Whatever the reason, you are welcome here.​​ It takes great courage to be in this work. Just by finding yourself here, you're already on your way. Together, we will find a road through. ​

Hello. For more information about me, please go to my website, www.robertmft.com. I am a CERTIFIED EMDR TRAUMA THERAPIST. As of January 1, 2026 I am currently accepting new clients for weekly VIRTUAL psychotherapy. I am accepting UNITED HEALTHCARE/OPTUM/ANTHEM plans only or private pay clients. I do offer a sliding scale for students. Thank you. Robert Norgaard LMFT www.robertmft.com

Do you experience stress, worry, or panic? Does anxiety interfere with your pursuit of personal and academic/professional goals? I can help you overcome your fears and help you live a more meaningful and fulfilling life. My goal is to provide a compassionate environment in which my clients can learn strategies to attain greater life satisfaction and well-being. My areas of expertise include Anxiety Disorders (generalized anxiety and worry, social anxiety, panic disorder, agoraphobia, and specific phobias), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors (compulsive hair pulling and skin picking). I also support parents who are experiencing anxiety or OCD during the perinatal period. I will collaborate with you to develop a treatment approach that meets your needs. Through evidence-based approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), we'll work together to reduce your distress, build healthy coping skills, and restore a sense of balance in your life.

There is always HOPE! When you walk out of my office my hope is that you leave with tangible skills, suggestions and a plan to try in real life. While the therapy session is a time of opening up and finding some answers, the real work is done out side of your sessions! My aim is that you walk out feeling supported, equipped and hopeful that change is possible. I never want people to feel stuck in therapy either, my goal is to work with you until you feel ready to tackle life on your own, I feel it's my job to work myself out of a job :) I always remain available after we've completed therapy for check in's or for email exchanges, but I want you to start therapy with the end goal in mind!!!! Please reach out to discuss your particular needs.

Hi! I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and have been working in the mental health field since 2008. I have had my own private practice since 2019. My goal is always to meet clients where they are and to be as helpful as possible in the process. I work with children, teens, adults, parents, and couples using practical, evidence-based approaches. I focus on individual, family, and community-based strengths in order to create a foundation for lasting change. I also have specialized experience in treating young children with behavior problems, as well as individuals who are struggling with anxiety, depression, self-harm, sexual identity, and trauma-related issues. I aim to help my clients feel supported and validated, but also feel a sense of trust and belonging when they are in a session with me. My general philosophy is to meet clients where they are and go from there in terms of how I can be the most helpful.

FREE consultations! Are you feeling stuck in negative thoughts, intense emotions, or behavioral patterns that don't serve your best interest? Are you hoping to build more meaning and joy in your life? You may feel hesitant about reaching out for help, especially with pressure from all directions to "have it all together". We're here to join you on this journey to discover healing and build a balanced life. Our goal is to help you find compassion for yourself, develop skills to help you navigate life stressors, identify how you can become the best version of yourself, and be confident in the resilient person you are. We work with clients struggling with anxiety, depression, eating disorders and body image issues, life transitions, and trauma who want to build a better future. We have been told by clients our therapists are warm, caring, skilled, and authentic. We primarily use Dialectical Behavior Therapy to help clients achieve more skillful ways of coping. If you want to work towards positive change in mind and body wellness, we're ready when you are.

I primarily work with college students, adults and couples with a variety of concerns, including anxiety, depression, grief and loss, parenting, relational and emotional issues, infidelity, childhood abuse, gender and sexual identity, and religious and spiritual issues. I also work with people who feel stuck, aimless, or desire to possess more purpose and meaning in their lives. In addition to psychotherapy, I offer psychological assessment services for such issues as ADHD Evaluation, diagnostic clarification, and learning disorders.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.