Therapists for college students near UCLA
Feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure of who you really are? College can be exciting—but it can also feel like too much. Maybe you’ve always been the one who holds it all together, gets straight A’s, and never lets anyone see you struggle. But now, you're anxious all the time, you're exhausted from trying to be “on” 24/7, and even small things feel like a big deal. You might feel pressure to meet expectations—yours or your family’s—and you’re starting to wonder if any of it really feels like you. Maybe you feel like you’re constantly performing. Like you can’t ever fully relax. Or maybe you’re starting to ask big questions about your identity, your future, your values—and it’s scary to realize you don’t have all the answers yet. You don’t have to figure it out alone. I work with college students who are high achievers, perfectionists, and deep thinkers—especially those who are struggling with anxiety, depression, people-pleasing, burnout, or questions around identity and family dynamics. In therapy, you can slow down, breathe, and start untangling the pressure from what you really want. We’ll work together to help you feel more grounded, more like yourself, and more in control of your life. Sessions are confidential, affirming, and tailored to who you are—not who others expect you to be. I provide inclusive and affirming care and create a space where you don’t have to explain or defend your experiences. Online sessions available for students in CA & WA. In-person sessions available in Santa Monica, CA. If this sounds like what you need, reach out. Things can be different—and therapy is a good place to start.
Asking for help is a sign of strength and therapy is one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself. Whether you are going through a life transition, experiencing relationship difficulties, struggling with low self-esteem, overwhelmed with day-to-day life, or just needing a place to talk to someone who will listen, I am here for you. I am a licensed clinical social worker with over 11 years of experience who has helped many students just like you deal with the ups and downs of college life. My specialties include grief and loss, relationship issues, depression, and anxiety. Eclectic in approach, I use a range of treatment modalities. My focus is on creating an authentic connection based on compassion and understanding. I am available for evening and weekend appointments and offer a 30-minute consultation to see if we are a good fit for each other. Finding the right therapist is a very important decision, I look forward to hearing from you and seeing if I can help.
College is a unique time of growth, but it can also bring new stressors and uncertainty. You may find yourself navigating changing friendships and relationships, questioning expectations and “shoulds,” and figuring out how to feel more independent and grounded in who you are. I specialize in working with college students navigating life transitions who want to better understand themselves and build a stronger sense of self-acceptance. Using a supportive, insight-oriented approach, we explore your strengths, values, and goals so you can feel more confident and create a college experience that feels like your own.
I am a registered associate marriage and family therapist and associate professional clinical counselor who offers in in person (Los Angeles) and virtual psychotherapy (California). I specialize in working with adolescents and young adults navigating eating disorders and their underlying emotional experiences, as well as anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and loss, identity and sexuality exploration, life stressors and transitions, acculturation, neurodivergence, and self-esteem. College can be an overwhelming time, but you don't have to be all alone. Through collaboration and support, I aim to create a warm, supportive space for clients to take a moment for themselves, explore their experiences, and deepen self-understanding. My practice is specifically tailored to each client's needs and goals. I utilize trauma-aware, systemic perspectives with skill-based teachings of CBT and DBT. My approach to psychotherapy is grounded in 2SLGBTQIA+ affirming care.
Currently accepting new clients! Do you sometimes feel unheard or want to better navigate your relationships? Are you struggling with stress, self-doubt, or the constant pressure to meet expectations? Maybe you’re adjusting to college life and trying to find balance. If you’re looking for a safe, supportive space, therapy can be incredibly helpful. Whether you’re hesitant or ready to dive in, you’ve already taken an important step by seeking support. My goals are to validate your experiences, offer a safe and judgment-free space, and help you work through whatever you bring into therapy. I support college students from all walks of life with a compassionate and person-centered approach. Many of my clients are navigating relationships, anxiety, depression, OCD, self-doubt, and major life transitions. Together, we’ll identify your goals, explore your feelings, and develop some helpful coping skills.
We commend you for taking a step in the right direction by researching therapy for yourself or your loved one. We believe that while we have expertise in mental health treatment, YOU are the expert in your own life! Our approach to therapy is to support, encourage, and guide you to tap into your strengths to create the life you and/or your family deserve. We are not a clinic. Our associates are a professional group of skilled, Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapists, and Interns committed to providing a deeply individual, personal, and empowering experience in therapy. Welcome. We look forward to seeing you soon!
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.
The therapy I offer is a powerful approach—rooted in psychoanalysis and attuned to your unconscious psychic world. It doesn’t just ease symptoms; it works at the core, transforming the emotional structures that shape how you relate, feel, and experience yourself in the world.
As a licensed psychologist with over twenty-five years of professional experience, I work collaboratively with individuals helping them overcome challenges in life which can quickly spiral into depression or anxiety. I am real and direct as a professional, maintaining a calm and helpful stance, offering practical interventions individuals can use in every day life as well as to process the impact of early childhood issues. My areas of specialization are trauma and anxiety disorders, as well as depression and disorders of childhood/adolescence.
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.
I'm a licensed psychotherapist based in Los Angeles, California, specializing in work with high-achieving individuals and LGBTQ+ individuals and couples. I work with people navigating anxiety, burnout, career stress, and major life transitions, as well as LGBTQ+ families and same-sex couples, including those exploring or building parenthood. My approach is depth-oriented, drawing on Jungian psychology to help you understand the patterns shaping your life, not just manage symptoms. As a former lawyer and a member of the LGBTQ+ community myself, I bring both personal and professional experience to this work. I offer private pay therapy and a free consultation to see if we're a good fit.
College can be exciting, overwhelming, and everything in between. It’s a time of big changes, big questions, and a lot of pressure—about who you are, where you belong, and whether you’re doing “enough.” I work with college students who are navigating anxiety, body image struggles, perfectionism, and that nagging feeling of not measuring up, even when everything seems fine on the outside. If you’re feeling stuck, anxious, or just off, therapy can be a space to slow down and figure out what’s really going on. Together, we’ll explore what matters to you and what helps you feel more like you. My approach is warm, supportive, and down-to-earth. Whether you’re on campus or away, we’ll work together to help you feel more confident, grounded, and connected—both to yourself and the life you’re building.
Dr. Vargas specializes in the treatment of depression, emotion dysregulation, trauma, and anxiety among teens and adults. She provides Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and mindfulness-based therapies. She works with people experiencing the consequences of minoritization, including racial trauma, acculturative, and minority stress. She is an LGBTQ+ affirming provider. Provee terapia en español. Dr. Vargas completed her postdoctoral training at UCLA and predoctoral clinical internship at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center. She received her PhD and MPH from the University of Southern California and her BA from McGill University.
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Dr. Azzam is committed to helping you live your truest, fullest life. Dr. Azzam provides therapy services to adults and couples who struggle with various issues, including relationship problems, trauma, depression, anxiety, perfectionism, life transitions, and alcohol/substance use. Additionally, Dr. Azzam works extensively with law enforcement personnel, first responders, and/or their spouses to help them manage their unique job and life-related challenges. Her preferred therapy treatment modalities include interpersonal psychotherapy, psychodynamic therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR), emotionally focused therapy (EFT), cognitive processing theory (CPT), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and solution-focused modalities. I’m looking forward to meeting you soon!
At The Centered Self (CSP), our interest in the practice of psychotherapy is founded in the idea that all people want to be the best version of themselves and are capable of achieving that-- whatever that may mean to them. We want to help individuals cope with the challenges that can interfere with achieving their goals and what they want for their lives. All humans struggle and fall short of their own ideals at times, learning to successfully cope through these moments of difficulty can lead to a more fulfilling life and an ability to thrive more completely during moments of success. We believe the most caring and compassionate thing that we can do as therapists and coaches is help our clients achieve their own goals. Sometimes this requires pushing towards change and other times it requires working on acceptance. We value creating a warm and validating environment for you to feel safe to focus on your own growth. The Centered Self is anti-racist and LGBTQIA affirming. We are dedicated to utilizing interventions and skills based in science so that we can most effectively help you reach your goals. We value you.
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.
My clients tend to be artists, musicians, designers, and creative people experiencing relationship issues, anxiety, depression, intrusive thoughts, doubts, or self-criticism. I help clients see the patterns in their relationships and in their lives, so that they feel more grounded and empowered to achieve their creative and professional visions. I use evidence-based approaches in the treatment of trauma and OCD.
I am Jamula (Jamalah) Taylor; a woman, a mother, and a therapist. I became a therapist to help people who look like me to be okay with being vulnerable and to support their healing. I am a member of Growth and Change Counseling. We understand that our mental health conditions are related to the break down in our relationships and that we can’t simply make depression, anxiety, or other problems go away by simply treating the symptoms. We have to get down to the roots of the problems in order to help people effectively heal. There is no problem I am not willing and able to face with you. Call me, it starts with a conversation!
College can be overwhelming. Stress, identity questions, relationship issues, and big life decisions often collide all at once. I work with college students who want support that feels real, thoughtful, and tailored to who they are. My approach is collaborative. We focus on practical tools, honest conversations, and building insight so you can feel more steady, confident, and clear about your next steps. I offer a free, no-pressure phone consultation to help you decide if working together feels like a good fit.