Therapists for college students near San Diego, CA

If you feel stuck, overwhelmed, hopeless, or always on edge, you’re not alone. You may experience worries that keep you up at night, or keep you from enjoying your life. Or you may feel like your life will never be the same again after experiencing something traumatic. You might also be feeling hesitant to ask for help because no one else in your life seems to feel the way you do, and can’t understand your struggle. I see you and understand your struggle. I will help you feel comfortable in sharing your worries, your concerns, your problems, your challenges. I use a gentle and personal approach to build a warm and trusting relationship, and ensure that your autonomy is preserved in treatment decisions. You can expect a collaborative relationship from day one. I use a person-centered and strengths-based approach in therapy, and rely on evidence based strategies to help you reach your goals. I will help you to strengthen your ability to cope with and manage challenges, teach you how to communicate with others, and help you to build confidence and self-esteem. Therapy won’t solve all your problems, but I can help you in building the skills you need to face those problems.

My clients usually approach me when they are ready to make a change in their lives. They are experiencing conflicts, inside themselves or with others, and are looking for an empathic, flexible and dynamic clinician to provide support and guidance. With clients and within myself, I emphasize maintaining mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health and wellness practices, as well as, feelings of HOPE and self acceptance. My clients and I are both “agents of change,” constantly progressing, and continuously developing through this journey called life. I am currently licensed and practicing in the state of California and New Jersey. I also have a permit to practice in New York supervised by Dr. Melissa Laracuenta- Hernandez.

Finding a healthy balance between work and fun can be challenging. Trying to excel in academics, sports, and career goals, while also enjoying the college experience, and life in general might seem out of reach. Stress and burnout affect people of all ages and in any stage of life, career, or sport. I can help you to reconnect with yourself and rediscover meaning. I provide a safe, non-judgmental, and empowering space to explore how. I work with clients aged 17 +. Challenges and topics include burnout, self-esteem, ADHD, high performance/intelligence, perfectionism, grief/loss, relationships, trauma, and self-improvement.

I work with adults who may feel overwhelmed by their thoughts and emotions—whether that includes anxiety, depression, negative self-talk, or other mental health challenges. My goal is to support you in achieving your mental health goals and to empower you to take an active role in your healing journey. I take a client-centered approach, placing your unique needs and mental health goals at the heart of our work together. I strive to create a supportive, non-judgmental environment where therapy feels like a safe and welcoming space. I value open communication and will listen with care and intention, while gently supporting you in navigating uncomfortable emotions and life’s challenges.

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Dr. Francesca Balada has successfully assisted many individuals lead happier and more productive lives. As an independently practicing psychologist, Dr. Balada has been providing psychology services to individuals for over 15 years. She has been a licensed clinical psychologist since 2005. Dr. Balada specializes in providing Consultation, Clinical Supervision, Testing and Neuropsychological Assessments. A neuropsychologist provides specialized services from multiple perspectives: medical, emotional, behavioral, cognitive, educational, and rehabilitative. Evaluations incorporate extensive details about an individual’s medical history, developmental history, cognitive ability, academic history, and daily functioning. Dr. Balada evaluates individuals with: memory impairment, concussion, head injury, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder, Alzheimer’s Dementia, Frontal Temporal Dementia, Parkinson’s disease and stroke. Dr. Balada has dedicated her life to helping others reach their full potential and often lectures on the subject of neuropsychological assessment and intervention. Regarded as an expert in assessment and diagnosis, Dr. Balada has acted as a consultant for many academic institutions and hospitals, in addition to acting as a consultant and teaching expert. DR. BALADA IS CURRENTLY SERVING ANY INDIVIDUAL LIVING IN NEW YORK AND CALIFORNIA VIA TELEHEALTH

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Hello, I’m Alison. I help young adults who are overwhelmed, hopeless or anxious feel more in control and able to manage life's stressors and challenges. Some of the issues young adults have come to see me for include: relationship concerns, feelings of being overwhelmed, struggling to adapt to college or missing home, body image issues, life transitions, questions about gender/sexuality, and personal and family trauma. Trauma can include many things, such as relationship abuse, childhood abuse, illness, death, discrimination, and adoption issues. Using talk and somatic (body-oriented) therapy, as well as the expressive arts, I help clients connect to themselves and access resources to help them feel more at peace and in control of their lives. You will find me to be authentic, caring, and a dedicated support on your journey to healing. I bring compassion, mindfulness, and creativity to my work and consider it an honor to work with my clients. As a lifelong traveler who has lived in many places, I enjoy and value working with people from all walks of life. I look forward to meeting you.

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Welcome! My style of therapy is based on compassion, authenticity, and connection. Collaboration is central to my work. We’ll collaborate during our sessions to set goals and create a path to achieving them. My areas of expertise include depression, anxiety, anger, trauma, grief, and significant life transitions.

I currently have limited availability; please reach out to inquire of openings (as of 06/17/2026). Growing up Asian American in San Francisco, I had the privilege of feeling like “the majority” rather than feeling like “the minority.” When my mental health took a turn in my teen years, I was fortunate to have an Asian school-based therapist who reminded me of a “cool Asian aunt.” I remember feeling at ease seeing someone who looked like me in a space I thought was only meant for white people or people who were “that crazy.” This therapist showed me that therapy could be warm, kind, and even involve the humor I needed to say the hard stuff. She showed me that people like us could receive support and care through a listening ear. (I thought the only kind of care Asian elders gave was via cut fruit.) Years later, I hope to share this same safe experience as the person now sitting in the therapist’s chair. Whether you are living out your parents’ dreams or just trying to make it through the week, I can help you explore whether your path aligns with your values and supports your growth. I promise I won’t sass you the way my former Asian auntie-like therapist might, but I’ll make sure we keep it light where it needs to be, and hold space where it’s dark. We will discover who you are and what you need, with the utmost care (and a dash of humor, because therapy is hard enough as it is).

Dr. Marcille here. I am a licensed psychologist with over 30 years experience working with college students. I am a psychology professor and former dean of students. I've worked at universities both internationally and in the US and have experience working with diverse students. I enjoy working with college students, helping them with academic, personal and career issues.

I use a somatic (body-based) approach through which we enter into our inner landscape through the body rather than just through the mind. We uncover patterns and ways of being which may be stuck and not moving, and we build our capacity to move with them or out of them. There is no fixed diagnosis or “fix” here, there is movement toward a fuller expression of you within your own life experience. In addition to my lived and learned experience, what I offer to you as a client is this: an invitation to try on moving more fully with your own lived experience (trauma and pain, joy and celebration, mental health/ illness, intersectional identities, and oppressive systems) in your own body, at your pace, and with choice points.

I work best with students who feel stressed, overwhelmed, or uncertain about the next steps in their life—whether that’s managing academic pressure, navigating relationships, or figuring out what comes after graduation. I help students make sense of their experiences, manage stress, and find practical ways to feel more balanced and confident. My sessions are supportive, and collaborative, giving you a space to be heard and explore what matters most to you.

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The backbone of my work is relational – meaning, the relationship between us is at the core of therapy. My training and experience have led me to believe that therapy is not "one size fits all", nor is it one therapist fits all. I will approach your situation, open to discovering what kind of therapeutic relationship will work for you at this time. I have training and experience in the following methods: CBT, Trauma Focused CBT, PCIT, and Narrative Therapy. After a thorough assessment, I typically like to collaborate with clients on the method that would work best considering the symptoms. In a typical session, clients can expect to feel heard and validated while tackling goals towards a happier life.

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Alexandra Spigelman is a Licensed , Marriage and Family Therapist who works with adults who are seeking a more fulfilling life within themselves and in the relationships that they share with others. Alexandra specializes in relationships, mens and women's issues, anxiety, depression, trauma, recovery from narcissistic abuse, and the discovery of one's self worth. Alexandra is passionate about serving her clients so that they gain clarity, uncover barriers, speak and live their truths to create the lives of their dreams filled with possibilities.

My name is Casandra, and I am a Marriage and Family Therapist trainee who is motivated and ready to help you embark on your journey in therapy! Whether you are new to therapy or have previously attended therapy sessions before, please know that I am eager to work with you and help you to the best of my ability. My goal is to create a safe environment for you to explore and process varying emotions, experiences, and stages of your life.

***Currently serving individuals in California and Oregon*** Hello! My name is Carlota, and I am a social justice advocate; a believer in science; a fierce and overly-obsessed dog mom to two wacky pups; an immigrant; and steadfast in my conviction that we have a fundamental obligation to help one another if we have the means and capacity to do so. I am a licensed clinical social worker, and have been in practice since 2013. I completed my undergraduate degree at UC Berkeley in 2008, and received my Master of Social Work (MSW) in 2013 from the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis. I embrace evidence-based and research-supported therapies, while also honoring the power of the therapeutic relationship and process. I specialize in trauma and PTSD, depression, Bipolar Disorder, anxiety and panic, grief and loss, interpersonal difficulties, and life transitions. I am a trained teacher of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), and am certified in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD and Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depression (IPT-D). I also have extensive training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT) for Bipolar Disorder, and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) for the treatment of PTSD in children and teens. Why might I be a good fit for you? Because I get it, and I am whole-heartedly with you on this journey. I know that coming to therapy is a profound undertaking, and that what I will ask of you in this process is not easy. Introspection, change, and confronting avoidance are hard, and so I strive to provide a safe, authentic, and collaborative environment that honors your story, experience, and identity with compassion and without judgment; I strive to be worthy of bearing witness to your story. ***Sirviendo a personas ubicadas en California y Oregón*** ¡Hola! Mi nombre es Carlota, y soy amante de la justicia social; una creyente en la ciencia; una mamá de dos perritos excéntricos; una inmigrante; y firme en mi convicción de que tenemos la obligación de ayudarnos unos a otros si tenemos los medios y la capacidad para hacerlo. Soy una trabajadora social, y he estado en práctica desde 2013. Me gradué de UC Berkeley en el 2008, y recibí mi Maestría en Trabajo Social (MSW) en el 2013 de la Universidad de Washington en San Louis. Acepto las terapias basadas en la evidencia y respaldadas por la investigación, al mismo tiempo que honro el poder de la relación y el proceso terapéutico. Me especializo en trauma, depresión, el trastorno bipolar, ansiedad y pánico, duelo y pérdida, dificultades interpersonales, y transiciones de vida. Soy una maestra capacitada en Reducción del Estrés Basado en Mindfulness (MBSR), y estoy certificada en Terapia de Procesamiento Cognitivo (CPT) para el trastorno de estrés postraumático y Psicoterapia Interpersonal para la Depresión (IPT-D). También tengo una amplia entrenamiento en Terapia Dialéctica Conductual (DBT), Terapia Interpersonal y de Ritmo Social (IPSRT) para el trastorno bipolar, y Terapia Cognitiva Conductual Centrada en el Trauma (TF-CBT) para el tratamiento del trastorno de estrés postraumático en niños y adolescentes. ¿Por qué podría ser una buena opción para ti? Porque pongo todo mi corazón para estar contigo en este viaje. Sé que venir a terapia es una empresa profunda y que lo que te voy a pedir en este proceso no es fácil. La introspección, el cambio, y la confrontación de la evitación son difíciles, y espero proveer un entorno seguro, auténtico, y colaborativo que honre su historia, experiencia, e identidad con compasión y sin juzgar; me esfuerzo por ser digno de ser testigo de tu historia.