Therapists for college students near University of Southern California

Starting or continuing college can be exciting, overwhelming, and everything in between. Whether you’re navigating new independence, academic pressures, identity exploration, or unexpected challenges, it’s a lot to hold on your own. For years, I’ve supported my community in a variety of settings—from community clinics to crisis counseling—and I understand how life transitions can impact mental health. I specialize in working with LGBTQIA+ students and those experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, and major life changes. My time as a 911 crisis counselor especially taught me how to hold space during some of life’s most difficult moments. In my practice, you’ll find a safe, nonjudgmental environment where your story matters. I use a mix of evidence-based approaches, tailored to your unique needs, all grounded in a humanistic framework that values self-exploration, growth, and discovering your full potential. Together, we can work on building insight, breaking unhelpful patterns, and creating new ways forward—so you leave each session feeling more grounded, confident, and ready for what’s next.

Feeling anxious, stuck, or burned out? I help college students move through anxiety, eating struggles, body image stress, and relationship ups and downs. Therapy with me is about more than just “coping” — we get to the root so you can feel lighter, trust yourself more, and actually enjoy life again. I’ve worked with clients all over the world, using approaches that help you truly heal and create lasting change. My goal is to help you feel more capable of handling life’s challenges while also making space for the positive, nourishing parts of your life.

I am passionate about teaching others how to access their deep knowing and watching people grow and learn in new and successful ways. I find the work of psychotherapy to be fulfilling and purposeful and I look forward to being on the journey of improving your mental health wellness with you. I use empathetic listening, curiosity, and my excitement for helping others in order to provide a sense of validation to my clients. I believe that we heal through meaning making and I help you do this in an supportive and understanding space. I also believe that being heard and acknowledged for who we are and what we feel is so important for the human experience and I work hard to offer this to my clients. I work to build a strong therapeutic relationship with my clients by creating a collaborative, compassionate and respectful therapeutic relationship. I offer a safe and supportive container for individuals to explore and strengthen their abilities. I am honored to help my clients and feel humbled to be trusted enough to be invited into the pain and experiences of those whom I get to work with.

I honor and respect the opportunity I have to help my clients recognize their worth, build trust in themselves and others, and empower them to be their authentic selves. I strive to create a warm, safe, and nonjudgmental space where you feel heard, seen and truly understood. I use a client centered approach while working to build rapport with clients. I use a mix of ACT, CBT, DBT, Solution focused and MI to assist clients in identifying their values, exploring how their thought and behavioral patterns are serving them, increase their distress tolerance, build mindfulness and relaxation skills to help them meet their goals.

You don’t have to go through this alone. Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, stuck in depression, navigating the weight of grief, or carrying the invisible wounds of military service, therapy can help you find stability, clarity, and relief. I specialize in working with adults facing anxiety, depression, life transitions, and grief. I also have extensive experience supporting active-duty military personnel and veterans and as a veteran myself, I understand the unique challenges that come with military life, whether it’s the stress of deployment, reintegration into civilian life, or managing trauma and loss. My approach is compassionate, practical, and grounded in evidence-based practices. I create a space where you’re heard without judgment and supported in making meaningful change. Together, we’ll work at your pace to understand what’s holding you back and build the tools to move forward with strength and resilience. I work from an eclectic approach including CBT, DBT, Solution-Focused, and Psychodynamic concepts. I also offer EMDR therapy, which is particularly effective for those impacted by traumatic experiences. Providing client-centered therapy and allowing my clients to feel seen and heard is something that I’m passionate about. I offer support with finding the best strategies to help you cope with feelings of anxiety and depression and feel more prepared to take on life’s stressors. Reach out today and let’s work together to find your path forward.

I'm a person, who's a Therapist Thank you for visiting my page. I have been in private practice since 2017. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and ADHD-Certified Clinical Services Provider. My Specialties are Neurodiverse individuals, ADHD, Anxiety and Panic Disorders and Chronic illness. I also have experience with many different situations ,conditions. and family dynamics.

Welcome, here's a short synopsis of some of the challenges I help navigate with clients. I work with navigating times of change, pressure, or uncertainty. Some are feeling overwhelmed by school, relationships, or expectations—from others and themselves. Others are struggling with anxiety, burnout, low mood, or feeling like they’ve lost touch with who they are. You don’t need a diagnosis to seek support—just a sense that something’s off and a willingness to explore that together.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

I am a psychotherapist with over 15 years of clinical experience in a variety of settings. I received my psychotherapy training at the San Francisco State University and graduated in 2012. After working at a private counseling center for 6 years, I opened my private practice in 2018 as a licensed marriage and family therapist. I specialize in working with LGBTQ+ adults and Asian adults. My areas of interests include gay/lesbian and gender issues, sexuality. I have history of interest in issues of race and culture and their intersection with psychoanalysis.

Hello and Welcome! Are you a couple needing to strengthen communication, navigate conflict effectively, and break free from long‑standing gridlock? I’m Rocio Vaca, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 17 years of experience, and I help you deepen friendship, build emotional intimacy, and create shared meaning. Are you exploring your identity, preparing to come out, struggling with self‑acceptance, or navigating gender‑affirming care? Together, we can build healthy coping strategies, strengthen resilience, and address symptoms of anxiety, depression, or stress while supporting a stronger sense of self. I help clients find relief from overwhelming thoughts, emotional exhaustion, & daily stress by identifying triggers, emotional regulation, & building coping skills. I also support children/ teens with OCD, trauma, low self‑esteem, & assertiveness challenges often from being bullied, helping them understand emotions/cognitions, build confidence & boundaries. I view therapy as a collaborative and individualized process—one that builds practical skills while fostering insight, emotional healing, and growth. Clients often describe my style as warm, grounded, and down‑to‑earth, creating a space where they feel supported, understood, and empowered throughout their therapeutic journey.

Thank you for taking the time to view my profile. I know personally how hard it can be to reach out for help, and I think it shows a lot of strength that you're trying to make your life better! I often work with clients who struggle with feeling like they can't control their worries, or are feeling stressed and burned out from school or work. I have also worked with many clients dealing with daily sadness and depression, the effects of trauma, and clients managing chronic health conditions like HIV. In addition, I have many years of experience helping clients who identify as LGBTQ+ and are looking for an affirming, understanding space. I'm here to help you find solutions that will help improve your life and help you connect with your values. We can try out several different research backed therapies until we find what is most helpful for you. Please give me a call or send me an email if you have any questions or would like to set up an appointment! I hope to talk with you soon.

Hello, my name is Dayna Hunt and I am a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist in the State of California. I was born and raised in Northern California, specifically Marin County. I have lived in Southern California and also Seattle, Washington. I have traveled across the United States as well as to Europe and lived a short time in Australia. I enjoy being outdoors, hiking, spending time in nature and with family. I received my Bachelor of Science Degree at California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo, CA and my Master of Science Degree in Counseling Psychology at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. I have always enjoyed listening to people's stories and problem solving. I knew I wanted to be a counselor at a very young age and began pursuing psychology early in life.

I help thoughtful, driven students break old patterns to build more connected lives: where impact & soul align. As a former tech leader, Stanford student-athlete, and experienced therapist, I know how achievement can hide inner conflict, and that lasting growth happens when we feel both secure and challenged. In therapy, we explore the pull between ambition and ease, connection and distance, and deeper healing.

For nearly two decades, I have worked with people during the moments that interrupt the life they expected and ask them to reconsider who they are. I am especially drawn to working with young women and emerging adults navigating anxiety, self-worth, relationships, identity development, grief, and the transition into adulthood. These years often carry an unusual amount of pressure: to choose the right future, become financially independent, maintain relationships, look confident, and appear certain while privately having very little room to be unsure. Many of my clients are capable, thoughtful, and highly motivated. They may perform well academically or professionally, remain dependable within their families, and appear composed to the people around them. Beneath that competence, however, there may be relentless self-criticism, perfectionism, relationship anxiety, difficulty making decisions, or the feeling that everyone else received instructions for adulthood that they somehow missed. Therapy creates an opportunity to understand the structure beneath that distress. We may explore when achievement became connected to worth, why disappointing someone feels more dangerous than disappointing yourself, or how belonging became dependent upon being attractive, agreeable, useful, or easy to love. We look at the expectations you inherited, the identities you have performed, and the strategies that helped you remain safe or accepted but now make it difficult to know what you actually want. My style is warm, direct, and actively engaged. I am not a therapist who remains silent while you carry the entire conversation, nor will I offer reassurance that sounds comforting but leaves the underlying problem untouched. I listen carefully, ask intentional questions, identify patterns, and offer perspective or challenge when it can help the work become more honest. Difficult conversations are approached with care, but they are not avoided. Our work holds both depth and practical application. We will address what is happening now while also examining the experiences, relationships, and beliefs that continue to shape it. Insight can help you understand why a pattern exists, while practical tools help you respond differently when that pattern appears in daily life. Both matter. Understanding without action can leave someone informed but unchanged, while skills without deeper understanding may only improve the surface. You do not need to arrive knowing exactly what is wrong or what therapy should look like. You may begin with anxiety that will not settle, a relationship that has altered your trust in yourself, a transition that has left you without a familiar identity, or the sense that the life you are building does not fully belong to you. We begin with what is present and allow the work to become more precise over time. The goal is not to turn you into someone more impressive, productive, or acceptable. It is to help you separate who you are from who you learned to become in order to feel safe, successful, loved, or included. From there, you can make decisions with greater clarity, build relationships without repeatedly abandoning yourself, and create a life that feels genuinely authored rather than merely performed.

I help individuals grow toward healing and health through integrative therapy. Throughout the lifespan, many things can happen to interfere with our relational health- addiction, body image, trauma, depression, just to name a few- and I have experience guiding my clients through them all. Together, we will work towards you and/or your relationships becoming their most empowered and functional.

"If you are struggling to sit with difficult emotions and would like support, I can help. My mission is to empower you to learn how to turn towards your pain to find healing, instead of running away to endure long-term suffering. This process is done by teaching you how to sit with difficult emotions. When you can learn how to sit with difficult emotions, you can then begin to process them and to heal through them. As you begin to heal, you can then start to make peace with the past, let go of it, and bring joy in to the present. This enables you to turn slowly and gently towards the future where you can start to feel whole again. As a result, you begin to develop a deeper and more meaningful connection within yourself and with others."

Hello, I'm Amber. I am a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) offering sessions virtually and in-person. I am passionate about the outdoors, animals, music, art, and new adventures and I try to blend this into my therapy as much as possible. I view therapy as a collaborative effort and work to build a strong relationship that allows me to be direct and challenge you to grow, while always holding respect for your process and empowering you from a judgement free space and a personalized integrative approach. I know our world can be a scary place to exist; therapy should be a space to be authentically you and to feel safe to explore yourself uncensored. Looking at this page is already a big step and I am here to support you. Feel free to contact me to schedule a consultation either through this platform or my website.

Licensed in CA, NC, FL and PA—offering seamless virtual care for students on campus and those traveling home for breaks. I am a Licensed Psychologist. I attended U of Miami, FL for my B.S, M.S., and Ph.D. As part of my graduate program, I completed courses and did research at Duke, U of Penn, Jefferson University, and Rutgers. I completed a specialized post-graduate Harvard program to understand and overcome internal barriers to achieve personal growth. Later in life, I became a UCLA Alum by obtaining my Certificate in Human Resource Management and was selected as the valedictorian for my speciality. This added a capability to enhance my work as a Strategic Human Resource Executive for two large Aerospace companies based in Torrance, CA. I live in beautiful Napa, CA. My practice is virtual using a secured platform. I see adults 18+ yo for individual therapy. For the past 30 plus years, I helped people just like you find ways to get on track with their lives. My goal for you is to understand yourself and be able to take steps to feel the way you want to feel. During our initial sessions, I ask that you share what you feel I need to know about your situation and circumstance, your feelings, about who you are and what you hope to gain through therapy. I take time to get to know you. We will explore your thoughts, feelings, reactions that arise in therapy as these are just as important as what happens outside of therapy. You will design your own unique tools and techniques to use throughout your life in various situations that give you relief and help during difficult times. Compassionate and patient, encouraging you to overcome hurdles you can control and let go of ones you can’t. We will move you towards your best self by holding you accountable for your own growth. We work collaboratively; starting with what’s happening now, breaking things down into manageable areas to work on. We explore ways to increase your awareness and your actions from how you view things to your actual behaviors. I keep up with the latest science on evidenced based approaches, and leverage our current understanding of our whole body. You'll gain resilience to handle life’s challenges. I believe that we are creative, resourceful & whole... and sometimes, we just need a helping hand. We have genetics and learned behaviors that make us who we are. Think about it, if we can learn what we have learned to bring us to where we are today, without even trying, imagine what we can do if we put just a little bit of effort and energy into learning something different that would work better for us today. If we take care of our whole body, eat right, stay active, stimulate our brains, give to and receive from others then we do better dealing with stress and challenges. I do practice the things I talk about. It’s important that I take care of myself. And we’re not prefect so sometimes we stop our best practices and then we realize we need to pick them up again because we notice the negative impact. That’s me too. I love that we have similarities and differences as humans, that’s what makes us so wondrous! If you want to learn more about how I can help, send me a message. Please be sure to share your personal email and your personal cell phone so I can reach you.

Many of the students I work best with feel pressure to "have it all together" on the outside—yet inside, they're overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, relationship challenges, or past trauma. They may be high-achieving, creative, or deeply caring individuals who feel stuck, disconnected, or unsure how to move forward. In our work together, I provide a warm, grounded space to explore what’s really going on beneath the surface. I use practical, body-based tools along with talk therapy to help you feel more empowered, connected, and aligned with who you truly are. Therapy doesn’t have to be about fixing what’s “wrong”—it can be about reconnecting with your inner strength and learning new ways to care for yourself.

At Northstar Psychology Group, we specialize in psychological assessments and evaluations for college students. We are experts in ADHD, Autism and learning disorders and are passionate advocates for students receiving the accommodations and therapy they need to succeed. We are in-network with Aetna and are licensed in California, Florida, Maryland, New York, Virginia and Washington D.C. If you are experiencing academic challenges, difficulty with time management, motivation and organization, schedule a consultation with us through our website.