Therapists for college students near Los Angeles, CA

Hello, my name is Lauren and I am a therapist working in private practice in Saratoga. My style is warm, supportive, and collaborative. I have a relational focus and I value how attachment influences each individual and the process of therapy. My clients seek to change what is difficult and what isn’t working in their life. Many struggle with the impacts of trauma interfering with their day to day life. Others may struggle with feeling stuck or emotionally overwhelmed. They may be experiencing a challenging dynamic in their relationships or a lack of connectedness to others. My clients are looking to transform their life, achieve personal growth, and to heal. It takes courage to recognize each of our own unique needs and struggles, and I admire the strength it takes to reach out for support and help. I believe that all individuals have the ability to change, and that personal growth is possible for everyone. If you are ready to take the first step toward your path of healing, please contact me. I am currently offering in person services on Wednesdays.

I am a Board Certified Psychiatrist with over 30 years of experience. I have worked with students since the 1990s in a variety of settings and most recently was the director of the Stanford student mental health program (2008-2017) then on staff (2017-2022). I treat a variety of conditions from anxiety and depression to ADHD and bipolar disorder. I also practice intensive short term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP).

I’ve been in private practice for almost 20 years. Something that sets me apart from a lot of other therapists is my strong commitment to having a good match between therapist and client. If I’m not the right match, I will try and help you find someone who is. I work collaboratively with my clients to form a relationship that feels supportive, while at the same time, helping to stretch their capacity in whatever area(s) they may be wanting to work on. I am warm and kind and non-judgmental, and also very honest and real.

Many young adults are emerging from the direct and constant influence of parents or guardians, into a space where they have more control and responsibility for their own lives. In this stage of life, we are discovering who we are independent of those early influences and developing our own personal worldview. We are exploring new relationships and new interests as we prepare to launch into the workforce and set ourselves up for the future. With everything that is going on, you might be feeling intense stress or pressure. Maybe you feel like you’ve taken a wrong turn, are uncertain about next steps, or need a place to explore your possibilities. Many young people realize that they’ve been impacted by something in their past that they feel ready to explore or find freedom from. Perhaps you’ve discovered something about yourself in relationships with others that you’d like to understand better or change. Whatever your goals are, therapy provides a confidential, non-judgmental space to work through your experiences, discover your personal strengths and learn to choose a future that feels exciting for you.

Initiating the process of therapy can understandably feel overwhelming, that’s why I strive to provide a supportive, non-judgmental, and confidential space for clients to explore difficult parts of their lives. I specialize in working with young adult issues, identity development, life transition, and first-generation students. Separating from your family, navigating new relationships, and discovering your path and interests are some of the unique challenges in this period of life. I have over four years of experience working in university counseling centers providing individual and group therapy to students, staff, and faculty. ​Through a safe and collaborative therapeutic alliance, we can work toward bringing relief to your immediate distress while also fostering a deeper understanding of yourself and others. I'm interested in helping you access your innate wisdom and healing potential. I’m curious and sensitive to cultural differences and the unique factors that have shaped your life. Together we can develop and uncover parts of yourself that can lead to living a richer, more creative life.

Relationships are the most rewarding and often the most difficult parts of our lives. If you're struggling in your romantic relationship, friendships, family or even in your relationship with yourself...you're not alone. Negative thoughts and feelings can keep you from the life you want with the people you love. Counseling can give you the support and encouragement you need to help move forward and find new, better ways to communicate and connect. It can be difficult to know who to trust with the things you're going through. Therapy offers you a confidential, comfortable place to talk about the things in your life that are hard to share with others. Together, we can uncover your strengths and use them to create a plan to give you relief from the uncomfortable place you're in today.

Are you feeling stressed, overwhelmed, confused, or depressed? Are you feeling disconnected or lost as you navigate your college journey? I would love to support you and empower you to reach your potential. We all deserve to live a rewarding and fulfilling life and sometimes we just need a little help into the right direction. I am honored to help you! In my practice, I strive to combine clinical expertise with empathy and cultural competence to provide effective support and guidance to individuals struggling with depression, anxiety, ADHD, and college adjustment issues. My goal for anyone that I work with is to create a safe and nonjudgmental space for clients to explore their concerns, develop coping strategies, and work towards positive change.

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!).

If you are reading this you are likely ready for a shift or change in your life. How to proceed in creating a more satisfying life is often confusing, but it is possible. If we listen deeply and compassionately enough to the wisdom of our body and mind the obstacles to our wholeness can become the catalysts of deeper awareness, meaning, agency and fulfillment. I aim to help you explore both the known and unknown parts of yourself so that you can more easily navigate your inner world, your relationships with others and the complex demands of being human.

Navigating life’s transitions can often feel lonely, overwhelming, and even hopeless. Whether you’re mourning the loss of an important relationship, shifting into a new job or role, adjusting to an unfamiliar environment, or simply trying to stay afloat amidst a sea of relentless responsibilities and challenges, you may become paralyzed by your thoughts and worries and begin to lose the sense of joy and contentment you used to feel. As a recent undergraduate and graduate student myself, I completely understand how this feels. I chose to specialize in young adult life transitions so that I can offer guidance and support to students going through issues such as relational conflict, anxiety, depression, body image, and identity development. Together, we will navigate towards self confidence and personal growth by focusing on finding balance, coping with difficult thoughts and emotions, and striving towards a life that aligns with your personal values and prioritizes what truly matters to you. I use an eclectic approach to customize therapy in order to help you uncover your innate capacity for growth and fulfillment. I offer fully remote services and convenient scheduling to accommodate what works best for you. Choosing the path towards growth requires tremendous strength and resilience, so take the first step today.

In times of change and stress, it's totally normal to feel a bit anxious and overwhelmed. We might find ourselves feeling a bit lost or just going through the motions without much joy or meaning. You might find yourself not being the person that you want to be, feeling completely lost in a new environment, or struggling to adjust to some current transitions in your life. You hold within yourself the resources to move forward into a more fulfilled, joyful, and peaceful life where you feel in control and like you have the tools you need to manage challenges that come up. Sharing your journey with others, allowing them to witness both your joys and struggles as you navigate transitions, can be transformative. Together, we can explore and uncover the resilience and strength within you to foster a more meaningful and joyful life.

I once heard someone doing a lecture say, “we know what we believe when we hear what we say.” This would definitely inform the kind of therapy you would experience with me. I view the client as the one who has the answers, and we’re working together to solve a mystery. One of my roles is to help my client tell the story, point out clues being overlooked, gently challenge entrenched beliefs, provide unconditional positive regard, and help the client make sense of their difficulties and their world. Our work together would be collaborative. I’m not a “sit, nod, and take notes” therapist. I’m interactive, and socratic, and relational. I view thoughts, feelings, and behaviors from a lens of curiosity; wondering what beliefs are behind them; helping to root out dynamics that help those things persist. Often we are stuck in a distorted comfort in familiar pain and we simply cannot see it without someone reflecting that in the room. I am an integrative (drawing from multiple therapeutic orientations) humanist-existential therapist; an enthusiastic cheerleader. I will bring humor and validation into the session. I’m passionate about brain chemistry. I am social-justice oriented. I am also trauma-informed. While I work in many different focuses of psychotherapy, I find that the most pervasive themes in my work with clients include: adjustment to life changes, problems with alcohol and substance use (and the way that co-occurring mental health issues interact with it), LGBTQIA+ topics, issues of neurodiversity, anxiety and depression, personality disorders, identity & esteem development, and healthy relationships of all shapes and sizes. I am experienced, both professionally and personally, working with a variety of relationship configurations and am highly comfortable talking about issues of sex positivity and non-standard definitions of families and relationships such as polyamory and non-monogamy. I am a licensed therapist, an addiction professional, a bit of a technology geek, and a fellow traveler in recovery. In addition to those things, I am Compliance Officer at an all women’s addiction treatment center where I’ve worked in various capacities ranging from counselor to director since 2010. I have also been an adjunct professor in the Master’s program at Pacific Oaks College, an adjunct professor for Glendale College’s Drug Studies program, and I served on the board of the California Association for Drug/Alcohol Educators (CAADE). I am a member of CAMFT at both the state level and in the San Gabriel Valley chapter.

My psychotherapy practice serves Gen Z throughout California using a trauma informed, body based approach to help with the existential anxieties of being a young adult today. My work strives to deepen my client’s relationships with themselves and others, helping them to be more emotionally literate, embodied, clearer where their boundaries are and able to regulate their nervous systems. Together we think about families, cultural and personal trauma and their effects on the body. Our therapeutic relationship is a laboratory to practice relationship. I am a highly sensitive person, a yogi, mindfulness practitioner, a parent, partner, athlete, world traveler, dancer and musician. I draw on all those influences and my compassion to be the ally you need.

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I'm a clinical psychologist with extensive expertise working with individuals facing a variety of life's challenges such as depression, anxiety, grief, relationship issues, and life transitions. I also incorporate EMDR to support my clinical work for clients who have experienced various types of trauma. You can expect to work collaboratively and at your pace to address your concerns. I prioritize the development of a safe and trusting therapeutic foundation that allows for deeper understanding and supports your growth. Additionally, I am able to practice via telehealth in over 30 states through PsyPact. If things are hard right now, as life can often be, please reach out. You don't have to do this alone. When you are ready to take the next step I am happy to provide a free consultation call to help determine if we are a good fit. I look forward to talking with you!

I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and an Art Therapist. I help clients create healthier patterns in life and improve relationships. My areas of emphasis include abuse, trauma, anxiety, academic stress, depression, divorce, grief, self-esteem, and personal growth. I am also trained in EMDR. My approach is warm, respectful and caring. I work collaboratively to create a safe, accepting environment for expression to help empower clients to create more balance, meaning and joy in their lives.

If you are the person, everyone turns to, who do YOU turn to? You give everything to everyone else but never have time for you. It gets tiring always being the ''strong'' one. I see you. You might be struggling to get through the day or question yourself and your worth. This can look like anxiety, depression, problems recovering from a traumatic experience as an adult or as a child. I want to help you know what you DESERVE. Find the life you want and be more in control of your thoughts, emotions, and choices. Let's look inward and do this difficult but deeply important and rewarding work together. Currently, I can see clients who reside in Pennsylvania, California and North Carolina.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

I HELP YOUNG ADULTS CONSCIOUSLY GET WHAT THEY WANT (IN LIFE AND RELATIONSHIPS). Life is overwhelming. Between school, work, relationships, and technology calling for your attention at every moment, it’s extremely difficult to remain calm and grounded. We can lose our sense of purpose and passion. I've had my own struggles in life, which led me to see therapists, take countless personal growth workshops, and sit in meditation retreats. Through doing all of this work, I figured out how to rewrite the mental and emotional patterns that no longer served me. I learned how to achieve greater peace by getting out of my head and getting present in my body. Unlike other therapists who merely sit and listen, I take an active and engaged approach. You may find yourself in a guided meditation or a role-play exercise. There may be optional homework assignments. We’ll tune into exactly what you need. I’m here to support you to find your unique, confident voice.

I am passionate about helping individuals, teens, and families work through challenging parts of life. I have specialties working with the LGBTQ+ population and young adults working through difficult experiences and life transitions. I additionally use EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) in my practice to assist in trauma processing. I believe strongly in finding a good "fit" in a therapist that best suites the individuals needs to have the best outcomes possible. If you choose to come to therapy, I can help explore and process your feelings openly in a safe and nonjudgmental environment. Although it may be difficult to do, I strongly believe that openly talking about positive and negative life experiences is the key to positive growth and change. In doing so, you will gain greater awareness and understanding about yourself. I have helped many people understand how their repetitive patterns and routines can make them feel stagnant. Which as a result, keeps them from moving forward in life. I will give you the skills and tools to utilize to successfully managing potential issues that may arise in the future. I look forward to speaking with you and beginning the road to positive growth and change.