Therapists for college students near UCLA

We are a psychotherapists in Santa Monica, specializing in anxiety, trauma, and relationships. Using a strengths-based approach, we are dedicated to supporting progress through warmth and understanding. We are eager to help clients with a variety of issues such as anxiety, depression, relationships, OCD, self-esteem, and chronic illness. From helping teens with trauma and high-risk behaviors to teaching parents mindfulness strategies, we are passionate about making individuals and families feel stronger. Based on research and experience, we believe in the power of brain-body-based therapies and “focusing on the present” to improve your day-to-day life. Our passion is to help individuals grow through awareness and connection. We strive to meet you where you are and help you get to where you want to be. Together we can use your personal strengths to cope, connect with others, and handle life's many issues. Whatever challenges you are facing, we hope to create a safe environment to support you.

As highly trained psychotherapists and relationship counselors located in the heart of Culver City, California, Root To Rise Therapy helps you increase emotional intimacy in relationships, communicate better, and find balance in your career, relationships, and personal life. When we are firmly rooted and grounded, we can rise to the heights we are capable of. Getting rooted helps us feel safe and stable; we experience greater freedom, creativity, flexibility, clarity, and feel more connected to others. Relationships are our greatest teachers, and our most fundamental relationship is with ourselves. It serves as a blueprint for all other relationships and therapy helps you get connected with yourself, increase emotional intimacy in relationships, practice mindfulness, and find alignment in your life.

Whether you’re starting fresh, returning to school, or trying to find your footing again, support is needed. I’ve been there myself, and I understand how demanding and overwhelming this stage of life can feel. Your schedule is constantly changing, relationships can feel uncertain, and even when this is “supposed” to be the best time of your life, it can still feel like too much. Many of the students and young adults I work with come to therapy carrying pressure from school, family expectations, relationships, work, or simply trying to keep up with life. My goal is not to add to that pressure, but to create a space where you can slow down, process what you’re carrying, and build practical tools to manage stress, anxiety, overwhelm, and life transitions. Together, we work on building coping skills, managing stress and anxiety, improving self-understanding, and finding healthier ways to navigate the demands of everyday life. I support college students, young adults, and returning students in creating more balance while still making space for who they are outside of school, work, and expectations.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Heart Theory focuses on emotion-focused therapy as an overarching gateway into and through the work. We work with individuals, couples and families helping them navigate through past traumas, symptoms of need, and developing a meaningful process through conceptualizing the problem story.

Are you feeling overwhelmed by life’s challenges, struggling with relationships, or facing uncertainty about the future? I specialize in working with young adults who are juggling many responsibilities and are seeking relief from anxiety and stress. Together we develop effective coping strategies, improve emotional well-being, and foster resilience. If you need help navigating a difficult time in your life, like the end of a relationship or figuring how to find a healthy school/life balance, I offer both the compassion and the skills that can lead to symptom relief. Please reach out for a free consultation. I have sliding scale fees so please don't let financial hardship stop you from reaching out!

At Healista, we believe everyone has the power within themselves to make change, they just sometimes need a little help along the way. We help clients connect to their inner safety by nurturing their intuitive skills to cope with life stressors and traumas with more ease and resilience in their daily lives. We believe in looking at the whole picture of your life to help you find clarity. We also believe in giving it to you straight, yet always wrapped in warmth and love and lot’s of laughter.

Hi. These are particularly complicated and stressful times. You may be feeling anxious and or depressed. Repetitive dysfunctional patterns of behavior may be tripping up your relationships, perhaps your job, as well as your overall self-esteem. It's imperative to first understand "why I do what I do." When aware of dysfunctional patterns of behavior, you will want effective "tools" to take on behaviors that either no longer work for you, or perhaps never did. Through empathic exploration as to the "why am I the way that I am" questions, I will work with you to find and explore these important answers. I look to provide you tools that will help enable you to deal with, cope, and place your self-critical demons in their proper place going forward. I offer you helpful, practical tools viewed through a wider lens to help broaden your perspective. Change can then manifest. I have a well-rounded understanding of the complexities involved in navigating very different worlds. I have owned and operated businesses. I've worked creatively, as both a professional actor and writer in the entertainment industry. I have deep passion and an empathic approach toward helping others shift out of, and away from, long-standing negative patterns of behavior that have gotten in your way. Working safely together, we will examine what these patterns have been for you and why, with the ultimate goal of creating new freedoms, leading to a more authentic and fulfilling life. MORE INFO ABOUT MY PRACTICE My professional career prior to entering the field of psychology began after I graduated from Boston University's School of Management, earning a BSBA in Finance, with honors. I then worked in a number of different business ventures, and have owned and operated businesses while based in New York City, San Francisco and Los Angeles. I have also had a separate creative career as both a stage and film actor, and as a writer in Theatre and Film, working in both New York City and Los Angeles. One of the constants of my differing past careers has been the pleasure of communicating and connecting with people, exploring lives in depth, the complexities of the human condition and getting to what matters. My past experiences have informed my life and now enable me to help others with theirs. I am here to help you. Therapy is not a "one size fits all" situation. I have experience working with people from diverse backgrounds and very different life experiences. I am here to help...you! And I want you to feel comfortable in working with me as your therapist. I offer a free 15-30 minute initial consultation, wherein we can get a sense of one another, and I can learn a little as to what is going on with you. From there, I look to help you solve these deeper issues, even if, for now, we do so by TeleHealth.

Many people come into therapy feeling internally divided — a part of them wants connection while another part pulls away, a part wants change while another part feels scared, overwhelmed, or stuck. My work is centered around helping people understand these different parts of themselves with curiosity instead of shame. I offer short-term, focused therapy that combines deep conversation, nervous system awareness, mindfulness, and medicine-assisted therapy when appropriate. Rather than approaching people as “broken,” I see emotional patterns as intelligent adaptations that once helped someone survive, cope, or stay connected. My approach is influenced by IFS/parts work, attachment theory, somatic therapy, and contemplative practices, while staying grounded, relational, and practical. I tend to work actively and intentionally with clients rather than remaining indefinitely in open-ended therapy. The goal is to help people recognize the patterns that keep repeating in relationships, anxiety, depression, self-criticism, emotional reactivity, or disconnection — and begin relating to themselves with more clarity, compassion, and honesty. Many clients describe the process as both deep and relieving because they begin to experience that they are not one fixed identity, but a complex human being made up of different parts all trying, in their own ways, to protect them.

A lot of people are struggling to be present today. The pace of life, distraction from our phones, and increasing demands at work and school make it challenging to "slow down" and enjoy life. This is even more difficult when we're experiencing mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, or substance use. I work with people to overcome underlying mental health issues and develop skills to improve presence, strengthen relationships, and sustain healthy lifestyle behaviors. I specialize in treating anxiety, including OCD (using ERP, the gold standard), integrating both cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-based modalities. I also work with people experiencing depression and substance use. I know that struggling with mental health can be overwhelming. It might feel like you are moving through a downward spiral. My goal is to reverse that spiral with you. Together, we'll identify 1) where you're at, 2) where you want to go (and what's getting in the way), and 3) practical, specific, evidence-based actions you can begin taking right away. I was previously a Clinical Assistant Professor at USC (where I worked in the Student Counseling Center), have worked with people across the clinical spectrum, and have been teaching meditation for 10+ years. I also run public courses and workshops on mindfulness and mental health. I would be glad to schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see if we're a good fit. I look forward to talking more!

I specialize in working with young adults, teens, caregivers, and families navigating overwhelm, transitions, chronic stress, and challenging relationship dynamics. I provide therapy to help restore stability and trust for those who have experienced trauma or relational wounds such as loss, chronic invalidation, coercive control, neglect, and abuse. I also work with athletes and performance-driven individuals whose ambition, discipline, and high standards fuel their lives yet may conceal pain. I integrate a sports psychology lens when achievement pressure intersects with self-concept, trauma, or burnout. I support high-level performers facing intense demands, competitive dynamics, setbacks, identity shifts, and life beyond sport, drawing on my experience as a former Division I collegiate athlete. Seeking support is a meaningful step. From the start of our work together, we will create a space that feels grounded, intentional, and deeply human, with open and honest communication at its foundation. I invite you to reach out for a free consultation call to explore whether we are a good fit.

My approach to counseling is interactive in style and based on the concept that understanding emotions is essential to personal growth and happiness. I provide a supportive, empathetic, non-judgmental environment in which my clients feel comfortable in sharing and exploring their feelings. My goal is to help my clients to develop long term skills for coping and prospering. I specialize in working with life transitions and grief and loss. I work with individuals, couples and families.

Anxiety, stress and burnout are among the most common struggles people face, yet so many continue to carry them in silence. For those living with it, the pain is very real. It is waking up each morning already feeling trapped in your own thoughts, your body locked in a constant fight or flight state you cannot seem to shut off. It is lying down at night desperate for rest, only to wake up the next day still exhausted, as though no amount of effort ever brings true relief. If this feels familiar, know that you are not alone. These experiences are more than symptoms, they are part of the weight you have been carrying every single day. I help college students and young adults break free from the relentless grip of anxiety and stress by creating highly personalized, evidence-based programs that guide them toward clarity and control. In therapy, you will uncover what is happening in your body, understand why it occurs, and learn to use a range of effective tools so anxiety no longer controls your life. If you are ready to take charge of your anxiety and begin living life on your own terms, I encourage you to reach out for support. Therapy can be the turning point you’ve been searching for, offering tools to navigate stress, burnout, and overwhelming thoughts so you no longer have to face them alone or accept them as your reality.

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.

My goal is to create a safe and non judgmental space for my clients. For more than 25 years I have worked with adults, adolescents and children to help them cultivate a greater understanding of their experiences, feelings, thoughts and behaviors. In collaborative partnership, I work with clients to develop greater responsiveness to the complexity of emotional life, including coping with depression and anxiety, developmental and shock trauma, parenting roadblocks and family and marital difficulties. In addition to my individual work, I am passionate about both working with couples and families: bringing healing and growth to relationships. I look forward to speaking with you and seeing how I can help you achieve your goals.

Our clients come from all walks of life, but tend to have one thing in common when they reach out to set up an initial appointment: they’ve realized they want more out of life. More joy, more freedom, greater emotional and relational health – in short, a more abundant life. In your first few sessions with us, it’s typical to breathe a sigh of relief – as you realize that there’s finally a space where you can be completely, authentically yourself. We start by processing your story – where you’ve been, where you are now, where you want to be. Stephen Covey writes that “to touch the soul of another human being is to walk on holy ground.” Being invited to be a witness to your story – in all the pains and triumphs and tragedies and victories – this is not an honor I take lightly. As our work together progresses, we unpack what hasn’t been working – self-defeating beliefs, unprocessed events and emotions, stale relational patterns… and we explore and process and practice new ways of being. Over time, the “ah ha” moments start to add up into the “I can’t believe how far I’ve come” moments as we reflect on your journey toward healing and abundance.

College is a time of growth, change, and sometimes a lot of pressure. If you’re feeling depressed, anxious, stuck, overwhelmed, or just not like yourself, therapy can help you create space to reflect, reset, and move forward with intention. We begin by building trust, so you can explore what’s coming up for you and build tools to feel more grounded and confident.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

At some point in life, we all experience a moment when we question whether we're on the best path forward. Perhaps a relationship feels unfulfilling, we're not advancing in our career the way we'd hoped, or we're feeling unsure about a decision. Framework Associates strives to provide affordable, accessible psychological services from exceptionally qualified therapists. Through years of specialized training, our therapists have discovered how to help you create the life you want. Together, we'll unlock ways for you to feel happier, more balanced, and better connected to your authentic self and others. ****Please request all appointments through FrameworkPsych.com. We offer online quoting, online scheduling, and online therapy.****

Let’s be real. Therapy isn’t just for when everything’s falling apart, it’s for when you’re tired of pretending you’re fine. I work with students who overthink, feel all over the place, or feel disconnected from themselves. We cut through the noise and get to what’s actually going on, using tools like CBT and a grounded, real-talk approach. I specialize in supporting first-gen and international students navigating culture shifts, identity questions, and the pressure to keep it all together. You don’t have to do it alone, and yes, we’ll probably laugh along the way.