Therapists for college students near Los Angeles, CA

Heather Ward, MA, LMFT, PMH-C, is a licensed therapist with deep roots in college campus mental health, having provided counseling and wellness support across multiple higher education settings in the Los Angeles area. Trained at the University of Southern California's Rossier School of Education, Heather has worked at Pierce College, West LA College, and California State University, Northridge, where she managed large student caseloads, coordinated care with multidisciplinary campus teams, and developed workshops focused on building healthy relationships and emotional resilience. Heather brings a warm, collaborative style and a nonjudgmental presence to her work with students navigating depression, anxiety, identity shifts, and the pressures of academic life. She draws from attachment-based, psychodynamic, and mindfulness-oriented approaches to help clients build emotional regulation skills and strengthen their sense of self during pivotal life transitions. Earlier in her career, Heather also contributed to campus mental health from an administrative lens, developing and implementing strategic mental health and counseling initiatives at UCLA Extension — giving her a uniquely well-rounded perspective on how students are supported at an institutional level. Heather is committed to culturally sensitive, inclusive care and has experience supporting diverse student populations across community college and university settings.

Therapy for college students and young adults navigating identity, stress, and life transitions, with a focus on those in creative and performance-driven environments. As a therapist with a background in entertainment and training from a performing arts college, I understand the unique pressures of balancing artistic passion with academic and personal demands. My approach is solution-focused and practical, helping clients build coping skills, strengthen self-awareness, and create sustainable balance in both their creative and everyday lives.

My name is Volker Nabavi. I am a board certified Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. I had received trained in both medical and nursing fields. This diverse background enables me to apply both medical and nursing theories to manage my client’s mental health holistically and meet them at their level. I believe in a strong connection between our mind and body. My approach is based on the holistic care model involving all aspects of life including psychological, biological, emotional, social and spiritual dimensions. I understand that our mental health is inseparable from those aspects and our environment, relationships and lifestyle play crucial roles in our mental health. My area of interest includes: Depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, substance use, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and Bipolar disorders. I am an avid listener and authentic provider. I meet my client’s at their level and provide them with holistic care. I believe in multifactorial approach in managing my clients’ mental health. Combining psychotherapy , lifestyle change and medication is the optimal approach may lead to best clinical outcome and long term relief.

I’m a Black, queer, first-generation American and first-gen college graduate offering individual, couples, and family therapy to college students and young adults across California via telehealth through Pershing Square Therapy—a trans-owned, queer-affirming, poly-affirming group practice based in Los Angeles. My therapy style is client-centered, relational, and integrative. I work collaboratively with clients to explore identity development, shift unhelpful patterns, set boundaries, and navigate life transitions. Many clients come to me while feeling “stuck,” disconnected, or unsure of their next step. I specialize in supporting: College and graduate students BIPOC, first-generation students, and immigrants Queer, trans, nonbinary, and poly communities Folks exploring masculinity, femininity, or biracial identity Those navigating anxiety, depression, relationship issues, or identity-related stress Before becoming a therapist, I worked in multicultural affairs in higher education, supporting affinity groups (Men of Color, Women of Color, Queer Students, and QTPOC), evaluating Greek Life, and developing inclusive programming on campus. I also played college-level sports and understand the unique pressures of students. Practice Values: 🔹 LGBTQIA+ affirming 🔹 BIPOC affirming 🔹 Trauma-informed 🔹 Social justice-oriented 🔹 Telehealth accessible anywhere in California (Supervised by Alo Johnston #109429)

As a therapist, I pride myself in the confidentiality and the general skills I can offer you like any other therapist. However, what you can expect with my practice goes beyond the standard therapeutic experience. My practice is person-centered and non-judgmental across several subjects, domains, circumstances, and themes. I also pride myself in being multi-dimensional in identity politics; I am Trans-Affirmative, LGBTQ+ Affirmative, Sex-positive, Body positive, Kink-positive, and more. I approach the world and my work from a lens of inclusivity rather than exclusivity. We all deserve quality care regardless of how we identify. Reach out for your free consult. Please be aware that while this site asks me to include my initial and ongoing session fees, it does not allow me to clarify my sliding scale; please feel free to inquire about that if needed. I would be honored to take this journey with you!

At Highland Park Holistic Therapy we hold space for the totality of the person and their experiences, for all aspects of your experience - the physical, the spiritual and the psychological. This means we take an integrative approach to healing. We aim to bring consciousness to every part of you. We do not view a person in pain as someone who is broken that needs fixing. You are not just a diagnosis and a prescription. Rather, the symptoms that brought you here, like depression and anxiety, we see as signals that something in your psyche needs tending to and cared for. Instead of disowning what is hurting inside, or attacking yourself for how you feel, together, we will compassionately turn toward it to find out what it needs. This kind of exploration and internal integration brings about lasting relief, improved relationships, and whole-person well-being.

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I combine a warm and direct approach with evidence-based practices (and a splash of humor) to help you unpack, examine, and rewrite the narratives in your life. Drawing from modalities such as Narrative Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Internal Family Systems, we will work to align your thoughts and actions with your values so that you can lead the life you want. I view relationships and identity development through the lens of attachment theory with the goal of helping you draw clear connections from the past to the present and into an expansive and joyful future. I know this is not easy, and take care to cater our work to meet your unique needs. I work with individuals, couples, and families, and have experience treating anxiety, depression, adjustment disorders, attachment issues, self-esteem, identity development, medical diagnoses, and trauma. I work with members of the LGBTQIA+ community as well as nonmajority identified individuals. I especially enjoy working with families and individuals navigating creative blocks, pregnancy/postpartum, multicultural issues, and academic concerns. I earned a masters of science from the University of Oregon, where I received systems-based clinical training in a community counseling center, a school-based health center, and a group practice. In addition to my clinical training, I hold a masters of fine arts in Creative Writing from Oregon State University, where I also taught writing courses and worked as an academic advisor. I am a writer turned therapist who grew up in the Bay Area but spent a decade in the forests of Oregon. Raised in a Jewish South American family, I keep my culture alive through customs, food, music, and speaking Spanish whenever I can. When I’m not working, you can find me exploring the Ojai Valley while listening to This American Life, knitting hats for friends, and chasing my toddler around at the beach. Sessions are $150 for individuals and $175 for families and couples. I consider any session with minors to be family sessions as I believe this is the most effective way to treat kids and teens. As a Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #144237 I work under the clinical supervision of Erika Morris, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #120118.

Here at Rachel Wakeford Therapy, I realize that no two people are the same, and tailor my therapy to meet your specific needs as an individual. I love helping people understand the things that are holding them back with an in-depth approach. After recognizing underlying problems, clients can fully realize their strengths and adjust certain behaviors and thoughts to see things in a different, healthier way.

Therapy Lab offers individual therapy that's based on a plan. Check out our website (therapylab.com) to see a menu of treatment plans based on common goals for therapy. With your input, we'll make a plan that's based on your goals, your timeline, and your budget. Our science-based plans are designed to support you in overcoming distress (anxiety, relationship problems, work stress) so you walk away with emotional health and insight. At your first session, your exceptionally qualified therapist will get to know you and pick or design a plan that’s customized to your situation. Therapy Lab’s plans target your specific goals in a recommended time frame. Common goals include depression, anxiety, stress, relationship problems, insomnia, parenting, child anxiety, and self-esteem. Commit to one session at a time—or try the whole series and pay less. Visit our website www.therapylab.com to explore treatment plans. You may feel intimidated or overwhelmed with the process of picking a therapist and getting started. We understand and hope to make the process easy for you. Our platform is designed to make this as smooth as possible so you know at the outset what to expect. We want to know your goals, budget, and the time you want to spend in therapy. Let's make a plan!

Welcome! Therapy isn't for broken people, it's for anyone wishing to be happy and function at their best. I help students who are anxious, who have a hard time staying focused and grounded, and who worry a lot, to understand their mind and emotions in ways that help everything make sense and reduce their symptoms to a place where they feel in control. I look forward to helping you and having some fun along the way!

Living with intense and debilitating feelings may leave you with a sense of overwhelm, hopelessness, and anger. You may have conflicts in your relationships, hold resentments, or try your best to manage with unsuccessful ways of coping. Do you have a hard time feeling safe or heard in your relationships, or trusting your intuition? You deserve a safe and supportive relationship to heal the impact of life. I help highly emotional and high conflict persons manage their intense emotional experiences, understand the causes, and learn alternative ways to cope so they can navigate life and relationships with greater satisfaction. My work is uniquely tailored to you and infuses aspects of evidence-based therapies with genuine feedback to help you gain awareness of patterns that keep you stuck and assist in moving you from surviving to thriving. As we connect, we may walk through the mud together, identify practical skills to manage the chaos of life, discover and develop your sense of inner wisdom, and navigate what keeps you stuck and why. We might even share a few laughs together. Whatever you find yourself struggling with, I invite you to no longer suffer alone.

We are a nonprofit agency that provides mental health and educational services in English and Spanish. Our services include therapy and assessments for learning and psychological challenges. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we are often able to provide several free and lost cost services to the community. Currently, we have a promotion for 15 FREE virtual therapy sessions. Visit our website or give us a call today!

I work mainly with individuals. Due to coronavirus concerns, I’m now available only for online (telehealth) sessions. In our sessions, we address such questions as: Are you having difficulties in your relationships? Do you experience anxiety or depression? Do you just want to feel better about yourself and reach your full potential? In addition, I specialize in helping creative and LGB people. Are you a creative person: Dealing with very high standards for yourself, so that only “perfection” is good enough? Do you have doubts about your own self-worth? Do you have a hard time dealing with: rejection the ups and downs of the creative process the task of constantly having to find new jobs? I help creative people to: Recognize that being creative is HARD!! Strive for excellence, not “perfection“ Become more patient with themselves Stop listening to internal, negative voices! Are you a Lesbian, gay, or bisexual who: struggles with coming out doubts your own self-worth judges yourself negatively has difficulty with society’s prejudice and discrimination I help LGB people to: be PROUD of who they are empower themselves embrace their positive qualities and achievements

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I believe therapy provides an opportunity to heal and offers the reminder that you are worthy of giving and receiving love. Due to elements like social demands, systems of power, and generational trauma, it may feel as if you’ve lost your sense of being grounded and in alignment with your authentic self. We are all healers in our own way and sometimes we need to take the risk of beginning therapy to find a place where we feel most rooted. I approach my work with clients through the lens of humanistic, gestalt, and existential theories which means I firmly believe that you know yourself best—so I take a collaborative approach when working with you. I will use my compassion, intuition, and curiosity to help you get to a deeper level of exploring, discovering, and understanding. I am passionate about supporting those who desire to elevate their self-esteem and self-worth as well as people who are navigating depression and processing past trauma. I hope to join you on your journey as you move toward a more harmonious existence with yourself, others, and the world around you.

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I am a board-certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and I completed my doctoral training specializing in psychiatry at Columbia University School of Nursing in 2019. I have experience providing psychiatric care to a diverse set of patient populations across a variety of settings. I enjoy treating patients who may be experiencing a range of life's difficulties and welcome clients with new-onset or acute conditions, as well as individuals suffering from more chronic, long-term conditions. I take an empathetic, holistic, and patient-centric approach to patient care. By combining expertise in both psychopharmacology and psychotherapy, I will work closely with you to set realistic goals and create individualized treatment plans that will aid in achieving your fullest potential.

I work collaboratively with my clients to develop a deeper understanding of themselves, with this improved understanding we are able to identify and practice healthy and satisfying life strategies. Often my clients come with concerns about self-esteem, relationship challenges, family conflicts and adjustment issues related to college. Together, in a non-judgmental environment, we are able to sort through and make sense of issues that may seem particularly challenging.

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