Therapists for college students near San Diego State University

I am a licensed clinician (CA LMFT 1187995) currently accepting new clients at Hidden Quest Therapy! My practice is tailored for individuals who self-identify as Geeks & Gamers, Artists & Creatives, or Spiritual seekers. I specialize in utilizing Geek & Video Game Therapy, Expressive Arts Therapy, and Spirituality to support clients in cultivating the strengths they have developed within the symbolic, inner worlds of their passions and interests. Together, we work to extend these strengths into other areas of their lives with the goal of feeling just as capable, connected to community, and called to a greater purpose in the outer world.

Healing tends to come from within, rarely, if ever, does it come from “outside” of us. My focus is to draw from many therapeutic approaches so that your treatment suits your needs. Let me be open, honest, and authentic with you, “I’m here to help you, not fix you.” I make it a point to do my best to support anyone who makes the choice to change their life by seeing a therapist. Admit it, this is not an easy task, in fact, it’s scary and being scared is what keeps most folks from healing. It takes “a little rebellion” from within to wake up and seek help. My greatest passion is being a healer, and a part of that is empowering you to become your own healer. In therapy, the “client is the expert” and my approach can help you cultivate the ways to increase your personal growth, insight, and courage to help yourself.

Hi, I’m Julie! I’m so glad you’re here. I identify as a cisgender Latina woman and am proud of my Puerto Rican heritage. I love working with college-aged adults navigating the big transitions of this stage—figuring out who you are, what you value, and how to manage all the pressures that come with it. If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, or emotional overwhelm, you’re not alone—and therapy can help. My approach combines practical coping skills with deeper exploration of your thoughts, emotions, and the many parts that make you who you are. I believe we all carry an innate inner wisdom, and my goal is to help you reconnect with yours—building self-trust, compassion, and healing from within. I look forward to connecting and supporting you on your journey.

My name is Erika Arias MSN, FNP-BC, PMHNP, I believe that mental health treatment needs to be personalized so that individuals in need of help are provided with unstigmatized care, to be heard, validated, and treated like human beings. I provide psychiatric evaluations and medication management for patients between the ages of 18-70 years old. I diagnose and treat significant depressive disorders, generalized anxiety disorders, PTSD, insomnia, schizophrenia, ADHD, OCD, and mood disorders and provide services in addiction medicine.

You've been on edge lately...anxious, overwhelmed, and stressed. You knew that life would have its challenges, but you can't seem to catch your breath. You feel so overwhelmed, that you're stuck and you pass your time doom scrolling or just endlessly watching You Tube. You're trying to stay afloat, but you feel that can't get ahead no matter what you do. ​You know could call your friends or family, but you don't want them to worry and they've got their own stuff too. You know that it would be helpful to talk to someone, especially since even the easy things seem hard. You're ready to clarify what's really going on and what matters most to you. You're looking to make sustainable changes so you can find relief, feel grounded, and live more intentionally. As your therapist, I offer you a space where you can you put down the emotional weight that you've been carrying. In session I'll be compassionately direct with a hint of humor so you can start to make sustainable changes. Therapy is a collaborative process so I'm not a smile-and-nod therapist, but I'll be real with you so we can build therapeutic rapport based on authenticity and openness. Together we’ll examine long-standing patterns in your thoughts, behaviors and relationships to develop a committed action plan so you can start to feel more empowered and confident. I'll walking along side you in your journey as you start to deepen self awareness and align your actions with your values. Reach out and send me an email to set up a phone consultation today!

I'm Sergio, and I’m an Associate Professional Clinical Counselor who has been working in the mental health field for over eight years. I’m a big believer in the power of rewriting your own story—no matter where you’re starting from. My work focuses on helping people navigate anxiety, depression, grief, schizophrenia, and I’m especially passionate about supporting the LGBTQ+ community. I’m also a proud veteran, having served as a military police officer with the California Army National Guard. I concurrently work at a residential facility where I support families and help them better understand mental health. I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help people break out of negative thought patterns, and I’m also certified in grief counseling. Fun fact: I speak Spanish, and I’ve also studied kinesiology—so I take a whole-person approach to wellness. My goal is simple: to walk alongside you as you process your emotions, your struggles, and your healing. Taking that first step toward change can be scary, but it's also incredibly powerful—and you don’t have to do it alone. One symbol I always come back to is the semicolon; it represents the choice to keep going when things feel overwhelming. Your story isn’t over, and I’m here to help you keep writing it. Let’s take the next step together.

We specialize in working anxiety, depression, life transitions, stressors and relationship issues. We work from a client centered perspective, meaning we will always meet YOU where you are at. We work to help clients feel better.

I am a Marriage and Family Therapist and Professional Clinical Counseling intern with the Center of Resiliency. I am excited to begin our work together! I am passionate about helping people begin healing from trauma, improve their interpersonal relationships, and work towards the best version of themselves. I work with adults, couples, and adolescents with a range of life challenges, including depression, anxiety and panic management, relationship and interpersonal issues, life changes and adjustments, and PTSD and trauma.

Hi fellow Broncos! I graduated in 1976 with a Bachelor's in Psychology, received graduate and medical setting training, then moved back across the street from Mayer Theatre in the Commerce Plaza Building, Suite 605. Give me a call and we'll set something up! Thanks. (408) 244-9552

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

I have personal, lived experience with all of my primary areas of focus. I have a wide array of specialties because life presented many unexpected changes that resulted in a fulfilling career. I remember feeling out of place throughout my childhood, but I didn't know how to convey my feelings. My childhood was always unpredictable and chaotic so I was able to recognize those things in others. I didn't understand what I was feeling at the time, but I remember thinking, "how is no one seeing this or saying anything?". From a young age I had a deep sense of connection to the unmet needs of others. I was always told that I was "resilient" but I didn't want to have to be that, it didn't feel fair. Through my own personal growth I learned how to transform my emotional wounds into a way to serve others. We can't undo what was done to us, but we can take charge of how our needs are met from this point forward. I am a Depth psychotherapist and strongly rely upon experiential therapy. This means that you can expect to address the underlying deeper issues. One of the strongest components of the therapeutic process is receiving validation and genuine understanding. This results in a vulnerable and open relationship between the client and the clinician. I have a diverse background and support issues in my practice, that I have personally experienced. I have worked in a variety of mental health, rehabilitation, and addiction settings, including both: in-patient psychiatric hospitals, treatment facilities, residential, and outpatient programs, as well as caregiving facilities for persons experiencing disabilities. I spent the first part of my career as a clinical case manager working with the homeless, veterans, and persons experiencing addiction and acute mental illness. My practice focuses on assisting individuals in establishing a centered approach to their lives by digging up the past and connecting to their core values. Some of the most important aspects in my life include: advocacy, rehabilitation, fostered autonomy, and being in-tune with the needs of a wide variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. I rely on your intuition and guide you to reaching your empowered self. Together we will connect to your mind, body, and unmet emotional needs. I will help you recognize and understand how your emotions impact your thoughts and decisions. I will help you develop awareness of your internal thoughts, foster insight into your body’s responses, and teach you to listen through somatic awareness.

Liberate Via Therapy is made up of therapists who are enthusiastic about providing therapeutic services. Although we welcome people of all backgrounds, we are especially excited to assist people of color, undocumented individuals, and the marginalized. We believe, once liberated from internal and external barriers, you will live a fulfilling life. In our collaboration with you: We help empower you to achieve the sexual freedom, personal development, and healthy relationships that you desire. We attend to your mental health needs while being mindful of the sociopolitical forces that influence your lives. We confidently push therapy to its edges as we welcome, integrate, and transmute learned lessons from altered states of consciousness into wisdom. We gently challenge you as you navigate your journey towards liberation. Reach out to us for a free 15 minute consultation.

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.

Are you feeling stuck in life, wanting something different but not sure what it is or how to get there? Maybe you are overwhelmed with the pressure to be perfect in relationships, school or work, resulting in the feeling of never being good enough. The decision to seek therapy is not easy. It means accepting the fact that we are struggling in some facet of our life and need help. I am a licensed marriage and family therapist, specializing in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Brainspotting and Psychedelic Integration Therapy, helping clients identify and heal the roots of their distress.

Hi, I’m Amanda. I work with individuals and couples who want to get to the root of their patterns—whether it’s relational conflict, trauma symptoms, anxiety, or a sense that something deeper is in the way of fully living. Many of my clients are high-functioning on the outside but exhausted internally. Others feel flooded, shut down, or stuck in dynamics they can’t quite name. I help you slow down and listen to the wisdom of your nervous system, so we can understand how past experiences may still be living in your body—and gently unwind them. My approach integrates EMDR, somatic therapy, parts work (IFS-informed), and body-based listening tools like the Safe and Sound or Rest and Restore Protocol. I also offer Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy for those seeking an altered state of consciousness to process trauma or reconnect with meaning. When working with couples, I draw from Relational Life Therapy to help partners move beyond blame and disconnection and into clarity, ownership, and renewed connection. I also offer Discernment Counseling which is a short term focused therapy for couples unsure whether to stay or separate—with compassion for both perspectives. Outside the therapy room, I spend as much time as I can outdoors—going on “bug hunts” with my son, hiking local trails with my husband, or exploring a new interest in horseback riding. I also love yoga, travel, and quiet mornings with coffee and books. If you’re ready to get curious about what your symptoms are trying to say—and want to feel more connected to yourself and your relationships—I’d be honored to support your journey.

I know it can be daunting reaching out for therapy - to let in support, to try to find the right fit, to allocate the resources & time. When I was a senior in college, therapy truly saved my life - but I so remember how long it took for me to be able to make that first call. So props to you for exploring! If we end up working together, you will likely share a lot about you. So here’s a little bit about me: I’m a white (French, British, and German heritage), queer, cis-woman from a middle-class background who is able-bodied (with some lived experience of chronic illness). I’m often dreamy, sensitive, irritable, passionate, anxious, patient, funny. I love humor, music, sour gummy worms, Rihanna, poetry, shoes, crying, and books. I’m passionate about social justice and art. I grew up in a coastal town so the ocean feels like home. I startle easily. I love singing and songwriting. Some of the big themes I’ve grappled with during this lifetime are: grief & loss; sexuality & sexual orientation; gender; body image and eating disorders; depression; anxiety; addiction and relationships with family members struggling with addiction; containment; perfection; co-dependence & attachment; sexual trauma; disconnection from creativity; betrayal, infidelity, & trust; monogamy & ethical non-monogamy; suicidality. And here's a bit about my therapy practice: I offer therapy for individuals & partners experiencing a broad range of life challenges. And, I have extensive experience in supporting folks as they navigate the following content areas: communication & relationship issues; grief & loss; identity; trauma; sexual orientation, sexuality & sensuality; creativity; systems & lived experiences of oppression; anxiety & fear; depression; co-dependence; addiction; infidelity, betrayal & trust; and inner-child work. I’m sex-positive, queer, and poly- & kink-affirming, and welcome all ethnic & racial identities & positionalities. The therapy that I offer is depth-oriented and strongly rooted in Gestalt & somatic modalities, as well as intersectional feminism. It is trauma-informed and client-centered. For those that are interested, I also enjoy using intuition, creativity, and the imaginal realms (imagery, visualization, experiential exercises, art, dreamwork, etc.) to support our explorations. If none of that means anything to you (understandable!), here's a *hopefully* less-jargon-y description of how I approach my work as a therapist: I fervently believe that you (and only you) are the authority of your experience. I am here to offer my curiosities, intuition, and reflections — in dialogue with you — to help you explore and discover your truth. I am interested in meeting you wherever you are in the present moment, supporting you to increase your awareness. It is my belief that only by increasing our awareness can we increase our felt experiences of agency and choice…which in turn allows us to live a more empowered, aligned, compassionate, and enlivened life. I care deeply about creating a safe container in our therapeutic relationship — to respect boundaries, to always track for consent and choice, to unambivalently welcome all parts of you, to fervently support both your safety and aliveness. I am passionate about and invested in exploring power, positionality, and privilege. I welcome and support difference, and am committed to efforts to not perpetuate authoritarian and oppressive systems in the therapeutic relationship. I honor & trust the massively creative and adaptive survival strategies that you have developed to keep you safe. And, I also honor the ways that the habitual enacting of those survival strategies may no longer be serving you — that your circumstances and capacities may have outgrown these mechanisms, and that you may need some support in this vulnerable re-emergence into the world. I will sit with you in your suffering. I’m not afraid of the darkness, or of your shadow. I will go to the depths with you. And stay there, in the underworld, with you for as long as you need…until you emerge anew on the other side. I believe that, together, we can co-create a homecoming for you. That our work can guide you home to your innate nature — to your authentic expression of your many parts of self. To your passion and presence and joy. To your aliveness. To feeling deeply nurtured and nourished. A return to self in which you come to truly and intimately know yourself for the first time. I so looking forward to hearing from you & seeing if we might be a good fit to work together, should you choose to reach out!

The students I work best with are often going through big changes in life that feel overwhelming—like starting at a new school, dealing with pressure at home, or feeling unsure about friendships. Many of them feel anxious, stressed, or sad, and sometimes find it hard to talk about what’s really going on. They usually want a safe space where they can share their thoughts without being judged, and where someone really listens and helps them make sense of their feelings. Some of my students want support with building confidence, finding healthy ways to cope, or learning how to manage tough emotions when they show up at school, at home, or with friends. If you’ve ever felt like no one really understands what you’re going through, or like you have to hide how you feel, then you’re the kind of student I can support. Together, we’ll work on helping you feel more comfortable in your own skin and finding strategies that actually fit your life.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

My name is Daniel Chandler. I am a Board Certified Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. I specialize in psychotherapy and medication management for those who want to improve their mental health and well-being. I want to help you find the right medication regimen at the lowest dose that works for you. My therapeutic approach is integrative and trauma-informed. I see patients via Telehealth to allow for easy access to mental health needs. I deliver open, honest, non-judgmental, authentic care to every patient I work with. I use a collaborative approach, with shared decision-making, to address all necessary goals. I want to get to know you, your goals for treatment, and your priorities so that I can tailor your treatment to match your needs. I welcome clients of diverse backgrounds, including persons identifying as POC, LGBTQIA+, spiritual, religious, and anyone with their own unique identity.

I am a cancer survivor, an active duty military spouse, and a child of grief after losing my father at a young age to addiction. Building resilience and fostering hope is not just something that I practice professionally, I have lived it. These experiences combined with my clinical background have given me a unique perspective on healing. I value the realness of showing up as yourself in and out of the therapy room. When I am not wearing my therapist “hat” you can find me at the movies, cuddled up on the couch with my two fur babies, or in the kitchen. I am a serious foodie, dog mama, bookworm, Bravo-binge-watcher, coffee fiend, and yes….I am a millennial. I love to paint, listen to 90s country, decorate for the holidays, and travel (when I can!).