Therapists for college students near University of Southern California

I work best with students who are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or unsure of themselves while navigating school, relationships, work, or major life changes. You might be holding a lot together on the outside while feeling emotionally drained or stuck on the inside. If you’re looking for therapy that feels warm, supportive, and collaborative—where you can go at your own pace—we may be a good fit.

I am inspired by the resilience of the human spirit and the profound potential for growth and healing within everyone. Witnessing clients navigate challenges, uncover their strengths, and achieve breakthroughs is deeply fulfilling. The ability to make a meaningful impact by supporting individuals as they reclaim their lives and well-being drives my passion for this field. I’m also drawn to the ever-evolving nature of mental health care, where continuous learning and innovation allow me to grow alongside my clients. I prioritize creating a safe, nonjudgmental space where clients feel comfortable expressing themselves openly. Active listening is at the core of my practice—I strive to fully understand their experiences by reflecting, validating their emotions, and asking thoughtful questions. I also adapt my communication style to each client’s unique needs, ensuring they feel respected and seen. By fostering empathy and tailoring interventions to their individual stories, I make it clear that their voice and perspective are central to the therapeutic process. Trust is built through consistency, authenticity, and mutual respect. I show up as a genuine, compassionate presence, balancing professionalism with warmth and relatability. I also collaborate with clients, empowering them to take an active role in their therapy. By being transparent about the therapeutic process and celebrating their progress, I foster a sense of partnership. Over time, these elements come together to create a strong, trusting alliance that supports meaningful growth and healing.

Melanie invites you to explore and embrace all the parts of who you are, recognizing that your intersecting identities shape your experiences and the way you interact with the world. She takes a thoughtful, down-to-earth, and at times, direct approach that blends working toward meaningful goals with staying present. With warmth, honesty, and just the right dose of humor, she creates a space where you feel safe enough to risk vulnerability. You might benefit from working with Melanie if: - You're facing a big change, like a breakup, a move, a new job, or a loss, and feeling untethered. - You've achieved a lot, but continue to be plagued by anxiety, depression, burnout, and self-doubt. - You're an athlete, artist, or high performer, whose inner life doesn't match your outer success. - You're processing trauma or childhood experiences that still impact you today. - You want support managing stress, emotion dysregulation, and executive dysfunction. - You're tired and frustrated by not getting what you want out of your relationships. - You wish you could set appropriate boundaries, find the words to articulate the internal workings of your mind, and have the confidence to express your needs.​

Lynn Yudofsky, MD is a board certified psychiatrist who offers personalized, integrative treatments, including psychotherapy, medication management, and a wide range of lifestyle interventions via telehealth/video visits to patients throughout California. She trained at Yale, Baylor College of Medicine and UCLA and worked at Stanford University. She specializes in treating numerous conditions such as anxiety, stress, depression, sleep issues, ADHD, burnout, panic attacks, OCD, overweight, obesity, and relationship problems for example. Call today to book an appointment!

Avoid traffic & travel time with Video/Phone Telehealth sessions (I do not offer in person counseling). Do you enjoy learning about yourself, seeking joy, purpose and growth all while keeping a sense of humor about life and yourself even when facing challenges? Are you dealing with stress, anxiety, major life changes or adjustments (career, moving, marriage, separation, break-up or divorce), trauma or grief and loss? These have been my areas of specialty for 20+years. I also love working with those in the entertainment industry or in the helping professions (healthcare, mental health, caregivers, spiritual / coaches). Sound like you? I may be a fit! Time does not heal all wounds. But, what you do with your time can make a HUGE difference. Using grief, loss, CBT, and stress management techniques, together we can work on everything from individual support for children, teens or adults to couples or family counseling. I like seeing the results in my clients feeling happier, healthier and satisfied. Whether it's your first time in therapy or you have had experience in the past and life circumstances have led you back to searching for someone new, I hope I can help. I know from personal experience that weeding through all the therapists is a daunting task, and finding the best fit for you is essential. Note: I don't take insurance and provide paperwork for you to submit to any PPO for Out of Network Benefit reimbursement.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Welcome. I'm a bilingual Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) with a passion for helping individuals and families feel supported, understood, and empowered. I bring experience from school-based and community mental health settings, where I’ve worked with children, adolescents, adults, and families navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, and cultural adjustment. My approach is warm, collaborative, and rooted in trauma-informed care. I draw from evidence-based practices such as CBT, play therapy, solution-focused therapy, family systems, person-centered therapy, and mindfulness: always tailoring treatment to meet each client’s unique needs and goals. I strive to create a safe, inclusive, and culturally responsive space where healing can begin. I'm here to walk alongside you. Your story matters, and it would be an honor to be part of your journey.

I am a PMHNP who graduated from Cal State LA’s MSN program. I have experience working in phase 1 and 2 clinical research helping develop new medicines for mental health patients. I also have my own family history of mental health issues. My ability to connect with my patients deeply inspires me to keep working in this field. I get to know every patient’s background, lifestyle, relationships, occupations, hobbies, stressors, and medication history very thoroughly to develop a holistic approach to create a plan with the patient to ensure effective care.

Are you ready to make a change in your life? Is there a pattern you keep repeating in relationships that you want to let go of? Do you want to feel comfortable and happy in your own skin? Is your past affecting your present in debilitating ways you want to change? Your brain is naturally wired for change, the neuroplasticity in your brain allows you to form new neural connections breaking free of limiting beliefs. Therapy taps into this ability, and provides tangible skills for you to learn and connect to your own healing power. An experienced hand makes all the difference in healing and awakening to your best self. Specializing in trauma I’m holistic in my approach looking at the flow of energy in you as a whole being: Spirit, Mind, and Body. I interweave Mindfulness, Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Attachment Focused Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (AF-EMDR) to fit your unique needs and together we take a journey to the possible.

I am an ANCC Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. I completed my Bachelors of Science in Nursing at Mount Saint Mary’s University and earned my Masters of Science in Nursing at Cal State Long Beach. Prior to my career as a nurse practitioner I worked in emergency nursing and inpatient psychiatric settings. Prior to my nursing career I served in the US Army as a medic and completed my enlistment as a Sergeant. I am a married mother of twins and my interests include learning to play the drums and guitar, going to the gym and astrology. I am inspired to work in mental health as I believe wellness is multifactorial. The state of our mental health is what can influence our ability to function in our day to day. People of all walks of life, including myself, have either experienced a need for mental health care or loved someone who has. I am thrilled to provide care in a time where mental health is becoming less stigmatized. It is extremely rewarding to witness what a profound impact high quality mental health care can provide. I tailor my approach and treatment plan to align with preferences and values through thorough assessment and consideration. I ask questions and I encourage my clients to do the same. Care should be collaborative and that includes hearing and respecting the individual seeking care. I provide recommendations for individualized treatment plans and work together to develop a treatment plan that is right for the client’s perceived needs. All psychiatry providers at Foresight have specialized experience in treating a wide range of common mental health conditions, including but not limited to ADHD, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, depression, and PTSD. In addition, I specialize in the following areas: academic stress, BIPOC mental health issues, LGBTQIQ2s+ mental health, first responders, racial identity, sex-positive, kink allied, transgender care, veterans care

Experiencing genuine empathy in my own life deeply shaped the therapist I am today. I know firsthand how powerful it is to feel truly seen, heard, and understood. That experience inspires me to offer the same compassionate space to every person I work with. In our work together, you will be met with warmth, curiosity, and respect—never judgment. I believe healing begins in a safe relationship where you can explore your thoughts, emotions, and patterns at your own pace. Therapy is not about “fixing” you; it is about supporting you in reconnecting with your authentic self. Life’s transitions, grief, stress, and uncertainty can feel overwhelming, yet they can also open the door to growth. Together, we will gently explore the coping strategies and protective patterns that have helped you survive, while discovering new ways to move forward with greater clarity, resilience, and self-compassion. My hope is to create a welcoming space where you can breathe deeply, feel supported, and step into meaningful change with confidence.

My experience working directly with students in school settings has been the most meaningful and rewarding part of my professional journey. I found that I connect naturally with students and genuinely enjoy supporting their emotional, social, and academic growth. Because of my passion for this work, I consistently sought out additional opportunities to work with students and often exceeded the minimum requirements in order to gain more experience supporting them. In my work with students, I focus on providing simple, practical, and easy-to-apply tools that help them successfully reach the goals we set together in session. I strive to create a supportive and encouraging environment where students feel heard, understood, and empowered. I make it a priority to ensure they know they have someone in their corner at all times, and I approach my role as both a strong supporter and advocate for their well-being and success.

My name is Dr. Noah Lau Branson and I am a biracial licensed clinical psychologist providing therapy and counseling services in Pasadena, California. My practice is largely online and thus I provide services to people throughout California. I specialize in working with people and couples with mixed backgrounds (bi and multi-cultural/ethnic/racial) and other types of complex identity formation (religion/spirituality, LGBTQ+, SES). In addition, I have specialties in developmental and relational trauma, helping professionals (therapists, teachers, medical practitioners, pastors), and men’s issues. As a therapist, I believe reducing your symptoms is just the first step. I want to help you discover the roots of your pain, make meaning of your story, create healthy relationships with yourself and others, and take steps to live well.

We support college and graduate students navigating stress, anxiety, mood concerns, burnout, and major life transitions. Our clinician-led team offers compassionate, evidence-based mental health care in a collaborative and nonjudgmental space, helping students build coping skills, resilience, and confidence as they balance academics, relationships, and personal growth.

I support clients who are navigating ADHD, OCD, anxiety, and depression, and I integrate practical strategies for emotional regulation, motivation, and executive functioning. Sessions with me may include skill-building, mindset shifts, medication support when beneficial, and space to process your experiences at your own pace.

Combining the imagination of a poet with the skills of a psychologist, Dr. Owen (she/her) is an engaged and active listener. She sees the goal of therapy as helping students reduce current distress, resolve symptoms, and enhance their sense of passion and purpose. Dr. Owen uses insight-oriented and existential perspectives to deepen conversations, including informed consideration of family, societal, racial, gender/sexual orientation, and cultural dynamics that may be impacting you. This approach helps provide a through-line of inquiry across sessions. To help people start feeling better in the short-term, Dr. Owen uses the skill-sets of cognitive-behavioral therapy, trauma-informed practice, mindfulness, and somatic work to address things impacting your ability to function in school and to work toward feeling better day to Dr. Owen is a secular therapist who also specializes in working with exvangelicals—people who have grown up in or left fundamentalist religious churches or spiritual groups—as well as anyone who is on a path of deconstruction, i.e., deeply examining their religious/spiritual beliefs or faith. Dr. Owen has been in academia herself, having worked at a community college, a state university, and a small, highly selective liberal arts college, so she understands things unique to academia you may be struggling with. Common issues include navigating political issues with graduate students, undergrad challenges such as choosing a major and dating, worries about career, and working through cultural and identity issues. For students residing in Hawai’i, Dr. Owen is able to accept HMSA insurance.

I care about others and want to help people better understand the power of their emotions as an empowering tool to live a better life, for themselves and others in society and the communities we may be from. Mental health stigma is apparent in society, it is a mission statement for me to support in breaking stigma. I come from a multicultural immigrant and BIPOC/API background; serving this populations and the mental health challenges they may be facing in America is meaningful work to me. I understand how it feels to struggle with depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, complicated family dynamics, academic stress, racism, systemic oppression, religious trauma, chronic/rare illnesses sexual orientation discrimination, gender identity challenges; I focus my scope of practice & clinical skills towards serving these issues. I work in a client centered strength based and collaborative approach, where I work alongside clients as professional partners in treatment to focus on goals they care about and we both agree are appropriate and achievable in this treatment services setting. I ask open ended questions and take time and patience with clients to support them in feeling safe and comfortable enough to open up over time. I value constructive feedback, as the therapy space should be known that is is two humans working together towards clients’ goals, hopes, and wellness.

I am double-board certified; Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. I am also A Reiki / Karuna Practitioner and Healing Touch Practitioner. I am currently taking one year course in Compassionate Inquiry which a therapy approach addressing root causes of trauma and addictions. I guide patients to connect with their strengths to empower them and install hope as well as witness their healing process, growth, and transformation. These have been the most rewarding and inspiring aspects of working in mental health care. Since every patient is an unique individual, I approach each patient holistically, as the whole including their physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental body.

* I'm licensed in Louisiana and California and would love to work with you virtually by FaceTime, Zoom, or phone. Reach out at 504-261-4443 (text) * I am in-network for many health plans for students from California through Headway Therapy. You only pay your copay through the portal. Start here: https://headway.co/providers/lisa-tahir-3?utm_source=pem&utm_medium=direct_link&utm_campaign=63753 * I am a Tulane Alum and teach in the Glass Art Department. * Check out my podcast, "All Things Therapy" on Spotify and iTunes * I've written a book on self-forgiveness and empathy endorsed by His Holiness The Dalai Lama, "The Chiron Effect: Healing Our Core Wounds through Astrology, Empathy, and Self-Forgiveness." Give me a text to 504-261-4443 to start your healing journey!

Who I Work Best With: Most of my clients are people who've gotten really good at functioning — and really tired of it. You've probably figured out how to hold things together, stay busy, keep up. But something isn't working anymore. Maybe you're exhausted in a way you can't explain. Maybe you're finally asking questions you've been pushing down for years — about who you are, what you believe, how you want to love, or why your brain works the way it does. A lot of people I work with are navigating things like anxiety, depression, identity, relationships that don't fit a neat box, or a major life shift — faith deconstruction, a breakup, figuring out you're neurodivergent later in life. Some are just trying to get through the week without falling apart. If that's you, we'd probably work well together. What Working With Me Looks Like: I'm not going to sit quietly and just reflect things back at you. I'm also not the worksheet-and-homework type. My style is pretty collaborative and direct — I'll gently push back when I think it'll actually help, and I'll meet you where you are. I have 15 years of experience working with new parents and kids before becoming a therapist, which means I come in with a lot of real-world, people-first perspective. I also have personal experience with religious deconstruction — so if you're untangling a faith background or questioning things you were raised to believe, I genuinely get it, not just clinically. I work especially well with people who are neurodivergent, queer or questioning, in non-traditional relationships (like polyamory or ENM), or somewhere in the middle of a big life change. You don't have to have it figured out to reach out.