Therapists for college students near San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Cultivate Grace Counseling and Consultation Services! I am a Registered Play Therapist™ (RPT™) and I specialize in therapy for children and teens navigating emotional ups and downs, life transitions and stress related to adjustment challenges. Through play therapy, parent-child relational work, and solution focused techniques, my goal is to help young people build confidence, strengthen emotional regulation, and feel more connected at home and at school. Parents are an important part of the process. I offer consultation and practical guidance to help you feel more equipped, supported, and less alone along the way.

I love to watch the process of personal growth and transformation, knowing that my support supplements the hard work clients put into being the best version of themselves that they can be. I learn from my clients while they learn from me, and I am honored to enter into clients’ unique worlds. I hope to impact my clients by providing them the compassion and nonjudgmental presence that they deserve, along with the coping skills and insight that will help them face future challenges with strength and wisdom. My therapeutic inspiration comes from a variety of perspectives and sources: Aaron Beck (cognitive-behavioral therapy), Susan Johnson (Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy), Carl Jung (classic analysis), Daniel Siegel (neurological growth and attachment), Gabor Mate (trauma, addiction, and attachment), and Murray Bowen (family systems theory). This list will continue to grow as I do- like yours, my journey and growth is a work in progress. I enjoy working with clients in emerging adulthood (approximately age 16 to 26). This is an exciting period of life, where identity is solidified and major life decisions are made (education, career, relationships). Another population I have had a lot of success with is adult survivors of childhood abuse and neglect, as I use a trauma-informed approach. I am open and respectful of various religious and spiritual communities, understanding that this may be a source of strength and identity for a client, or a source of tension and pain as a client questions their faith background. Previously, I provided therapy at a non-profit agency in the San Fernando Valley of Southern California, where I had the honor of walking alongside at-risk youth and their families on paths toward functional and adaptive mental and relational health. I also have experience in various school-based settings, where I provided frequent on-campus crisis management as well as on-going counseling services as part of students’ Individualized Education Plans. Gaining a deeper understanding of youth and the struggles they face gave me a richer and more holistic view of the adults they become.

Amy Anderson, LCSW is a solo practice run by Amy Anderson who has been in practice since 2017. She specializes in high performing achievers struggling with relationship instabilities, burnout, and or misalignment of values. She is trained in Gottman Method Couples, Internal Family Systems, and EMDR.

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My name is Diadra Smith. I am an licensed clinical therapist and I use she/her pronouns. I am a clinician who identifies as black, queer, and neurodivergent. I believe all of these intersections has given me the opportunity to see myself in these communities who are often overlooked and underserved in the field of mental health. Why I got into this field was to create a space that is safe, brave, and encourages you to help find your most authentic self. I believe in abolishing and decolonizing what therapy is “supposed” to look like and who it is "supposed" to be for. I view relationships with my clients as a collaboration, asking you for your expertise on your life while I provide guidance through empowerment and advocacy. I am drawn to working with adolescents, adults, and families. I have a passion for working with BIPOC, neurodivergent folx, and LGBTQIA+ communities. My mission is to help to heal complex traumas, environmental inequities, and address intersections of identity unique to our experiences. If reaching out for help feels scary or shameful, I’d like to offer the idea that you are on the verge of change. Acknowledging what isn’t working today is a big first step to making the changes you'd like to see tomorrow. You’re coming at just the right time. However you found your way here, I am honored to be considered to walk with you on your journey.

Hi, I’m Kendal McDowell and I've been working in the field since 2019. I'm licensed in both CA and PA and I work specifically with college students and college athletes. Having been a college athlete myself, I'm familiar with the joys and stressors of collegiate life. College can be an exciting and eye opening experience, but sometimes it can also open our eyes to some things within ourselves or those around us we may not have noticed before. Together we’ll work to pin point what’s really going on. We’ll look deeper into areas that range from: relationships, anxiety, and depression. I’m here to help discover what’s causing symptoms or distress, and what we can do about it. We’ll spend time getting to know who you are and what could be missing, to bring more joy and happiness to life. Not sure yet? Reach out to set up a free 15-minute consult- no need to commit to a scheduled appointment right away! You can text/call (717-769-5510), or send me an email (kmcdowellcounseling@gmail.com) to set something up.

We feel it coming … just as we open our hearts, things shift. They start pulling away and we’re waiting for the breakup to come. We spend days and weeks ruminating about why it ended, what we did wrong. Why does this keep happening? When a relationship ends, the darkness that follows can overwhelm us — we’re left unmoored, disconnected. Our hearts are aching, and the person we relied for support is gone. As we’re left alone sorting through the pieces, old wounds may surface — I’ve been here before. Why do I keep finding myself back in this place? Am I broken? Friends and family may try to help with advice and distractions, but their words ring hallow. It’s too hard to engage in daily life when our hearts feel so heavy. We envision the relationships we want, but it feels so out of reach. There has to be another way. Relational therapy creates a space to slow down and understand what is keeping us from experiencing the relationships and the connection we want. We can slow down to explore what patterns continue to repeat and why. By understanding how we relate to ourselves and others, we can start shifting and responding before cycles repeat. This intention nurtures the connections and closeness we’re striving for. The vision is possible — you just need some help to reach it. Welcome to Flutter Relational Therapy! I’m Elizabeth and I understand the power of relationships. Humans are wired for connection — the pain that comes from disconnection is debilitating. We look for ways to cope that continue to isolate us — affairs, alcohol, screens, fights -- this exacerbates our suffering. The solve is in healthy, meaningful relationships. Relational therapy creates an intentional space that guides people towards the connections they want. Humans are complex and there is no one size model that fits us all… but by slowing down to understand our own why, we make sense of our feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. This insight creates opportunities for growth and relating in different ways. When we understanding our hearts and our minds, we can shift our responses and restore our connections. The relationships we want for ourselves are in reach -- I can help you uncover your own road map to get there.

The people who tend to find their way to me are usually carrying more than they let on. They’re smart, self-aware enough to know something isn’t working. They’re tired of overthinking, people-pleasing, feeling like they’re watching their own life from a slight distance. Sound familiar? I’ve been doing this work for over fifteen years, but honestly the reason I’m a therapist goes back way further than that. I was the kid who noticed when people were struggling. The one who wanted to understand what was actually going on beneath the surface. That never went away. I’m a parent. I play music. I read fiction and think about it too much. I’m not a blank wall you talk at; I’m a real person, and I bring that into the room with me. If something here feels right, trust that. A free consultation costs you nothing but fifteen minutes, and you’ll know pretty quickly whether it’s a fit. No commute. No waiting room. Just show up as you are.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Specializing in anxiety, trauma, OCD, and life transitions. Providing talk therapy, EMDR, solution-focused, client-centered approaches for mental health treatment.

Welcome! I am so glad you are here. I am a licensed psychologist and gender expert, specializing in working with transgender, nonbinary, and LGBTQIA+ communities. I also specialize in working with Black, brown, and indigenous, as well as POC. I have extensive experience working with college and graduate students. I am queer/trans, and an immigrant myself. I also have expertise in this area. I completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University in their gender and sexual identities track. I offer therapy to people with a variety of concerns including trauma, anxiety, panic attacks, OCD, eating disorders, and difficulties with impostor syndrome. I hope I get the honor of working with you.

I specialize in treating depression, anxiety, self-harm, binge eating, substance abuse, and grief. I am trained in the application of Dialectical Behavior Therapy. I practice an array of therapeutic techniques including tenets of Cognitive Behavior Therapy, mindfulness, and grief therapy. I work collaboratively with clients to provide concrete tools for them to cope in everyday life. I provide an empathetic and a non-judgmental environment.

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I've worked with parents in the Sacramento area for 2 decades now, but as my own children have grown into young adults I have also made a shift into working with college students of any age. I'm not sure whether it's an openness to learning that extends to person growth, my ability to relate to the challenges of academia, or what exactly makes the relationship so successful, but I have found it to be mutually beneficial to the students I work with. I use an eclectic approach of mindfulness, psychodynamic, and CBT to balance short term immediate benefits with long term personal growth.

Life isn’t always easy. Sometimes, even the strongest people amongst us need a little bit of help to work through some of life’s more challenging problems. Everyone has battles to fight and hurdles to overcome at some point. Whether you struggle with anxiety, depression, self-esteem, or any other issue, you should know that there is hope for a better tomorrow. You might be initially hesitant to seek out help and support for personal matters, but when you do, you will feel confident that you are taking a courageous first step towards getting to a better place and being a better you. My practice specializes in treating individuals, couples and families, and through years of experience, I’m confident that no problem is too great to overcome. Through therapy, there is always a way to address the issues you face and learn coping strategies to help you both right now and in the future.

I love working with college students navigating this important chapter in their lives. I understand a lot of the challenges many students encounter during this time in their lives and have a variety of ways to offer support. Some of the ways I can offer support are by helping students understand the underlying issues fueling the challenges they are facing as well as learning coping tools and finding access to resources or practices that can benefit them and help them move through the places they feel stuck to obtain their bigger goals. I offer a variety of techniques and ways of working with students, including but not limited to, tools based, interventions, dream work and hypnotherapy which can be especially helpful in resolving ineffective habits that get in the way day-to-day.

Prior to being a therapist, I worked in community mental health care in San Diego and San Francisco for nine years. I believe community care and mental wellness are so important for the well-being of individuals and our communities as a whole. I practice therapy from a strengths-based, trauma-informed perspective. Engaging in therapy can be a big step, and I aim to be a supportive guide on my clients’ therapeutic journeys. I like working collaboratively with clients to identify specific solutions that can help improve overall quality of life. I practice therapy from a solution-focused, strengths-based, trauma-informed approach. I utilize elements of CBT, DBT, Person Centered, Narrative and Mindfulness-Based Therapy in sessions to support my clients toward well-being and growth.

Hello! I am a clinical psychologist who specializes in working with young adults, LGBTQ+ people (especially trans and non-binary), trauma, and emotional instability. My clients often come from backgrounds where they feel misunderstood and invalidated. They sometimes feel frustrated with their important relationships, or like they're stuck on an emotional roller coaster, or like they have trouble relaxing and feeling safe. In therapy, I create an accepting, non-judgmental environment where my clients can feel truly seen. From there, I help clients understand themselves, what they want to change in their lives, and how to reach their goals. I completed my training at college counseling centers and a hospital program serving college students. I know the challenges college students face, and I love helping students overcome those challenges. If you think we might be a good fit for therapy, please reach out! I offer free 15 minute consultation calls for anyone interested. I am currently offering therapy in person in Berkeley, CA on Saturdays and over Zoom Tuesday-Saturday in California, New York, and Virginia.

Welcome to my profile! I am a licensed marriage and family therapist. I have worked with clients for almost a decade in both county behavioral health agencies and private companies. I work with adults and adolescence that are looking for support with anxiety, depression, OCD, school issues, and relationship concerns. My approach to therapy is a blended approach in which I Incorporate cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), Exposure Response Prevention (ERP), and Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). I want clients to have a warm, positive experience where they feel listened to and heard.

Having had the pleasure of working with college students at Santa Clara University, SJSU, and UCLA, I help people feel better by addressing the specific concerns that bring them to therapy. I aim to listen carefully and offer a safe space to explore what’s on your mind, with the goal of helping you get what you want from therapy and feel more like yourself again. My work often focuses on relieving emotional distress, deepening connection to one’s feelings, gaining insight into recurring challenges, and fostering a greater sense of self-alignment and vitality. I've had the opportunity to help folks address many challenges in therapy from anxiety, depression, loss, and relationship challenges to questions about one's identity, life transitions, and processing difficult experiences from childhood. This approach to therapy is called psychodynamic. In my approach, I incorporate many principles from AEDP and have also been trained in other modalities such as CBT, ACT, and DBT. I sometimes draw from these modalities when someone may want to develop coping skills to deal with life’s ups and downs as they work towards their goals for therapy. I also welcome people to bring up issues of race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender identity, pertinent political issues as well as any other aspects of their culture or themselves they wish to share, explore, or better understand in therapy.

Hello, hello! My name is Tiphanie. I am an EMDR trained LCSW who is bicultural and bilingual in English and French. If you are looking for a supportive space to navigate feelings of depression, anxiety or overwhelm, a space to self-reflect, or address cycles of self-sabotage, let’s meet. I especially seek to serve BIPOC and/or LGBTQIA+ adults. In my practice, I draw from trauma-informed care, client-centered approaches, culturally and racially responsive lenses, as well as LGBTQIA+ affirming modalities.