Therapists for college students near San Diego State University

Hi welcome to the world of Therapy! This step can be daunting to start but rest assured that this can be the beginning of something beautiful. If you are experiencing overwhelming feelings that are hard to explain, you're in the right place. Here, you have the free space to share your thoughts and feelings without feeling judged through the process. Here you get to learn about the most important person in the room, YOU. Being a student, learning about adulting, trying to make ends meet at the end of the month, working during your "free" time and finding time to manage a social life needless to say, trying to make a relationship work is a lot! You're not alone. I can be here with you through the process. There is no shame in knowing we need help. This is the first step of adulting, knowing we can't do life on our own. We need our tribe. Feel free to contact me for your free 10-minute phone consultation where you can ask me any questions or concerns you may have about the therapeutic process. I look forward to meeting with you!

Welcome to my practice! I'm Kristen Ackerman, LMFT. I understand that college can be a rollercoaster of experiences. Whether you're riding the highs of newfound freedom or managing the lows of homesickness and academic stress, I'm here to offer support every step of the way. I specialize in helping individuals like you adjust to the transition of moving away from home, finding your footing amidst academic demands, and striking a balance between your studies and social life. Whether you're seeking to develop meaningful friendships or intimate relationships, I'm here to lend a listening ear and provide guidance. Navigating peer pressure is also a common challenge in college life, and I'm here to help you tackle those situations with confidence. Additionally, I have extensive experience supporting individuals dealing with anxiety, stress, depression, self-esteem issues, and identity exploration. No matter what you're facing, you don't have to go through it alone. I understand that finances can be tight for students, which is why I offer flexible rate options. My goal is to make therapy accessible and affordable for everyone who needs it. My therapy services are personalized to meet your unique needs. I utilize evidence-based practices such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness, while also integrating talk therapy for comprehensive support. I strive to create an environment where you feel comfortable and empowered to explore and grow. If you're ready to take the first step towards personal growth and making lasting changes, I invite you to reach out for a free consultation. Whether you prefer to call, email, or text, I'm here to support you on your journey.

Hello! I support young adults navigating the stress of emerging adulthood, career stress, and relationship dynamics, including anxious attachments. I specialize in offering care to survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence. You're not alone, and you're brave for considering a change. Let's see how we can help you reclaim freedom, joy, and meaning in your life.

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.

Let me guess…you want to learn to be kinder to yourself, regulate your feelings, put yourself first without guilt, and heal from a past that’s holding you back. You are struggling to feel “normal” and feel confused about how you got to where you are. You can admit that sometimes you’re harder on yourself than you deserve. That’s where I come in! I help teens, adults, and relationship structures explore their lives in order to improve their communication and strengthen their connections to themselves and their communities. I’m passionate about supporting my clients using systems theories, parts work, and EMDR to help them feel more capable of caring for themselves and move towards areas of pleasure in their lives. Whether you’re navigating anxiety, neurodivergence, confusion about life, sexual difficulties, relationship stress, or major life transitions, I’m ready to meet you where you’re at with warmth and care.

Hello, and congratulations on exploring options for therapy and healing. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 12 years of experience, specializing in individual and couple's therapy for adults and young adults navigating life transitions. I support clients facing a variety of challenges, including mental health symptoms, new medical diagnoses, substance use, care-giving demands, financial stress, grief and loss, and self-doubt. My goal is to help you find balance and resilience during these times. I see couples of all types, including those in non-monogamous relationships.

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.

We all have the ability to be our best selves, sometimes we need support as we strive to discover what that looks like. I draw from diverse treatment modalities including Motivational Interviewing, Mindfulness, and Play Therapy. I have a BA in Psychology from Point Loma Nazarene University as well as an MSW from San Diego State University.

I am a passionate and caring therapist who uses a lens of self-compassion to help you address and resolve issues or challenges that are negatively impacting quality of life. By changing the negative inner voice to a kinder, more compassionate voice we'll work together toward a greater sense of fulfillment and satisfaction in life.

Hi! I’m Andrea, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the owner of Tulipa Therapy. I have over 15 years of experience in community mental health, juvenile justice, and school system settings. I work with adults and teens and love holding space for people and their experiences. I’m certified in maternal mental health and my specialties include, anxiety, burnout, grief/loss, life transitions, perfectionism, self-esteem, motherhood, and parenting. I use a holistic and client-centered approach and prioritize creating safe and compassionate spaces where you can show up exactly as you are in the present moment. My focus is on you—you lead the way, and we go at a pace that feels right for you. It’s really important to me that you feel comfortable every step of the way. I believe the therapeutic relationship is the most important piece to successful therapy. It’s really important to me that you feel safe and comfortable because that trust is the foundation for everything we'll do together. My role is to support you, listen without judgment, and help guide you through whatever you’re facing. Too often, struggles are faced in isolation, and I don’t want you to carry the weight alone. Healing is hard but so worth it, and I am here to walk this path with you.

Hello, I am so glad that you have made the decision to reach out for help and wanted to congratulate you on your efforts thus far. I know it is not easy & that reaching out can be difficult, but you have taken the first step to get help! I have worked in the mental health field since 2007 in a variety of venues. I have done extensive work with adolescents and college age young adults in a variety of settings. Some of the areas that I have worked with others are anxiety, depression, anger, addiction, social anxiety, low self-esteem/self-worth, raising emotional vocabulary & intelligence,etc. If you feel that I may be a good fit for you as a therapist then please feel free to reach out. I look forward to meeting with you and speaking with you soon. Ethan Messer

Our goal at the office of Kirstin Filizetti, Ph.D. is to help you uncover your potential and lead a life that is worth celebrating. While we can't change difficult situations of the past, we can work together to better understand & resolve challenges in your life. If you're looking for extra support and guidance through a challenging situation or you're just ready to move in a new direction in your life, one of our counselors look forward to working with you to achieve your goals. We specialize in working with: Mood disorders, Anxiety & Stress, Trauma, Relational problems, Adolescent Issues, LGBT individuals, Life Transitions, Career issues, Substance abuse/dependence, Mindfulness and Personal Growth. We also offer psychological assessments and evaluations, including: (1) testing for ADHD, (2) evaluation for learning disabilities, (3) employment screening, and for (4) diagnostic clarification purposes. Feel free to review our website for more information about how testing can be helpful for you at this time.

"Create Wellbeing Therapy Collective provides integrative mental healthcare to students using a compassionate and supportive approach. We will meet you non-judgmentally where you are at and help you with the skills to make changes. Our innovative wellbeing model addresses the needs of the whole person. We will help you to CALM the distress, ENGAGE your whole self, and INTEGRATE healing into your life. We provide expert care to complex situations including: pregnancy, parenting, marriage/divorce, eating struggles, trauma, grief, life stage and older adult care.

I help clients who are feeling stuck in a state of stress, are struggling to feel connected, and dealing with low-self worth. We’ll process trauma and difficult emotions using a mind-body approach. I work with clients to understand the root of their symptoms and how the past impacted them so that they can regulate their nervous system, improve their self-worth, and get out of that survival state and into the present moment. I’m certified in Brainspotting which is a tool that allows us to process difficult emotions and past experiences that our minds and bodies may be holding onto (and keeping us stuck). I am an LGBTQIA+ affirming therapist and am passionate about working with helpers (people who prioritize something else over themselves). Schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation call today (:

Dr. Ca-Lie Cheng-Wang is a bilingual (English and Mandarin-speaking) licensed clinical and forensic psychologist in San Diego, California. Working closely with individuals experiencing relationship dysfunctions, addictions, substance use disorders, personality disorders, traumas, emotional distress, addictions, psychosis, mood-related issues, eating disorders, and acculturation issues. She provides psychotherapy and psychological evaluations to adolescents and adults. Through her work as a clinical psychologist, she helps patients overcome struggles and develop better-coping strategies to manage stressors. Dr. Cheng-Wang also provides risk assessments, psychological assessments, and evaluations to determine the patient’s current emotional states, biopsychosocial functioning, diagnosis, appropriate treatment plans, recommendations, and/or remediations. Dr. Cheng-Wang works closely with psychiatrists, psychologists, and other agencies to determine how to best treat and care for her patients. Dr. Cheng-Wang earned her Doctorate Degree in Clinical Psychology from California School of Professional Psychology, Alliant International University in San Diego, California in 2017. Dr. Cheng-Wang earned her psychoanalytic fellowship from San Diego Psychoanalytic Center, San Diego, California. She is a member of the Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology. She presently is an Adjunct Professor at California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP), Alliant International University in the Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) departments, teaching Cognitive-Affective Bases of Behavior courses. Furthermore, Dr. Cheng-Wang was an Associate Level Certification with the State of California Sexual Offender Management Board (CASOMB). In addition, Dr. Cheng-Wang was the Secretary of the San Diego Psychological Association Supervisor Committee. Dr. Cheng-Wang has experience working in the forensic field, detention facilities, outpatient clinics, long-term residential treatment facilities, school, and hospital treatment settings. Her clinical experiences have been focused on diverse clientele, ranging from toddlers to geriatrics. She has experience providing individual, family, and group psychotherapy. Her specialty areas including the treatment of addiction, depression, anxiety, trauma-related disorders, relationship issues, attachment disorders, autism spectrum, anger management, personality disorders, and substance-related issues.

I’m passionate about working with children and young adults, especially those who are queer, neurodivergent, and/or Asian American. College is a major life transition, and I'm here to help ease the stress and anxiety that tends to come with it! In our work together, I will draw on play therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and traditional psychotherapy approaches to best fit your treatment needs and goals. I practice from a trauma-informed, anti-carceral framework where the most important thing is that you are your own expert. I hope to foster growth in emotional regulation, self-awareness, and self-esteem so you can express yourself freely and live as you want to be seen.

Many of the students I work with feel overwhelmed trying to figure out who they are and what they want, especially in a time that feels uncertain and constantly changing. You might be thinking about your future while also holding awareness of things like climate change, global crises, or instability in the world, which can make everything feel heavier or harder to make sense of. Some students I work with are dealing with habits like skin picking or hair pulling, while others feel burnt out, anxious, or like they’re trying to keep up but struggling internally. I take a relational and systemic approach, looking at both what’s happening internally and the larger context you’re living in, while also offering practical tools to support change. Many of my clients are thoughtful and aware, trying to make sense of themselves and the world around them. Therapy can be a space to slow things down and find ways to move forward that feel more grounded and realistic.

If you are considering therapy, I'd be glad to provide you with a free consultation over the phone. I believe that the relationship between the client and therapist plays a significant role in helping people overcome school stress, painful emotional experiences, destructive interpersonal patterns, and other obstacles that get in the way of us experiencing our lives from a place of openness and security. I work closely with student clients to explore the role that their unique circumstances play in how they see themselves and others. My approach to treatment relies on non-judgment, compassion, and respect for all of my clients. I utilize various therapeutic approaches and provide psychological testing, including cognitive-behavioral, mindfulness-based, and psychodynamic interventions. Your needs matter, and I will work to stay attuned to them throughout the treatment. I have fifteen years of experience treating college students, adults, children, and adolescents in various treatment settings. Through working in a collaborative and integrative manner, and treating the whole individual, I aim to help those I work with negotiate your unique place vis a vis your relationships and your greater environment. I believe that this approach can lead to lasting and meaningful changes in one's life.

"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."

As a couple and family therapist, I have a strong conviction in the healing power of healthy relationships.  Connecting to your authentic self and fostering wellness in all relationships in your life is a primary focus of my work.  I provide individual, couple and family psychotherapy for youth and adults of all family and relationship constellations. My holistic approach incorporates body, mind and spirit to help you create your full personal and relational potential.  In my practice, I utilize psychotherapy, EMDR, somatic awareness, meditation and mindfulness practices, movement, and other modalities to facilitate the growth and change you seek.  I would be honored to support you on your journey.