Therapists for college students near San Francisco State University

You have the innate ability to uncover, identify, explore, and ultimately change unwanted or problematic thoughts or behaviors. My style is personal, collaborative, and responsive to your needs. I start from the premise that you are the expert on yourself. Therapy is a safe and empowering space to pursue the best version of yourself. I walk alongside you throughout the process, lending support, offering validation, teaching skills, and providing accountability. I am a therapist at Octave, a behavioral health practice creating a new standard for mental health care that’s both high-quality and accessible. To learn more about my availability, please reach out to our Client Experience team by emailing or calling.

Some of the areas I have provided treatment for include substance use/abuse, depression, anxiety, grief/loss, and adjustment disorders due to life transitions. For nearly 20 years, I have worked with adults, families, and couples both individually and in group settings. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in the state of California and obtained a Doctorate Degree in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) in 2005. I relocated to the Bay Area in 2020 from Los Angeles. I have worked in numerous medical center settings including Cedars-Sinai, Century City, and Kaiser Permanente just to name a few. My clients often describe me as supportive, ethical, passionate, and energetic. I am a therapist at Octave, a behavioral health practice creating a new standard for mental health care that’s both high-quality and accessible. To learn more about my availability, please reach out to our Client Experience team by emailing or calling.

I became a therapist after working for many years in business and finance. I was fortunate to then complete a master's and subsequently a doctoral program in Psychology. This professional and academic experience supports the therapy I've been providing for over a decade. By connecting academic theories with my clients' real-life situations and an empathic and thoughtful style, I seek to help clients understand themselves better while supporting their movement forward in positive directions. In addition to working as a therapist, I have written about long-term success for couples and workplace stress and have led therapy groups on these topics as well as anxiety and depression. I specialize in these areas working with couples and individuals. I am a therapist at Octave, a behavioral health practice creating a new standard for mental health care that’s both high-quality and accessible. To learn more about my availability, please reach out to our Client Experience team by emailing or calling.

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with experience working with individuals, couples, families, and groups. I work with those struggling with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, substance use, and relational issues. I gravitate toward using Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Gottman methods in my approach to build understanding of your inner dialogue, your values, and how to create more fulfillment in your life. While working with couples, I support building trust through assertion practice, role playing, shifting toward appreciation, and improving communication techniques especially when in conflict. My therapeutic style is a balance of building trust through understanding and asking intentional questions to get to the heart of the issue. My approach integrates processing unaddressed emotions, challenging unhelpful narratives, and building new strategies to manage life stressors in its many stages. I'm a therapist with Octave and Evernorth Behavioral Care Group. Octave is a mental health practice providing high-quality care covered by multiple insurances. Evernorth Behavioral Care Group is a behavioral health provider group in-network with Cigna Healthcare and Evernorth. For my availability, please reach out to Octave’s team by emailing or calling.

Dr. Padla was born in New Jersey and attended school there through college where he received his Bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University. After this, he received a Master’s Degree at Virginia Tech before attending medical school at Rutger’s Medical School, Newark, New Jersey. He then did his psychiatric residency training at the prestigious Institute of Living in Hartford Connecticut. During his years of private practice he has specialized in general psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, pain management and obesity medicine. He has trained physician’s assistants while being an adjunct professor in Psychiatry at Western Michigan University. He retired in 2017 after being Chief of Psychiatry at Doctor’s Hospitals of Indiana. After a brief retirement of six months, he was lured out of retirement and became the psychiatrist at the Sacramento Native American Health Center where he currently still works. Dennis Padla, MD Experience (background and professional journey) Time with APA (how long you’ve been part of the team) Personal note (2–3 lines about yourself outside of work) Certificates & licenses (list of credentials) Specialization (your focus areas in psychiatry/mental health) Title (your professional title as you’d like it to appear) Experience- BS with Honors 1981 School of Environmental and Biological Sciences- part of Rutgers University MS 1983 Virginia Tech- Full Tuition Scholarship through Graduate Research Assistantship MD- 1988 Rutgers New Jersey Medical School Psychiatry Residency 1992- Institute of Living Center for Psychiatry 1992-2018- CEO and Medical Director Neuropsychiatric Hospitals- Psychiatrist in Chief 2013-2016 Sacramento Native American Health Center 2018-2023- Psychiatrist-in-Charge Advanced Psychiatry Associates 2018-present - Psychiatrist Behavioral Care Solutions 2012-present - Assistant Psychiatry Director Current Active Licenses California, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. Title: MD Psychiatrist- focus Adolescent and Adult Psychiatry General, Forensic, Psychiatry, Pain Management and Obesity Medicine

Everyone needs a little help in life every now and then. In my practice, I work collaboratively with teens, families, couples, and individuals to help identify and solve problems that get in the way of achieving life goals. I provide brief, solution-focused therapy as well as long-term therapy, depending on the issues and circumstances. I use evidence based treatments that have a track record for success. I am a direct and compassionate therapist, and use my sense of humor when helping people make changes in their lives. My clients and I work as a team, and we often include family members, friends, coworkers, and other community members as resources in our work. We can work together to help you get back on track to accomplishing your goals. I have office locations in Corte Madera and San Francisco. I also offer phone and web therapy for those who can't come into the office. For more information, please call (415) 686-9544 or email drkeith@drkeithsutton.com

Kindful Body brings together therapists who are passionate and expertly trained in helping our clients transform their relationships with their bodies and food. We help our clients to heal parts of themselves that keep them stuck in destructive behaviors, so they can make the changes they desire to live with more ease, balance and authenticity. Our unique approach is informed by Internal Family Systems (IFS), Mindful Self-Compassion, Brené Brown’s Shame Resilience Theory, Intuitive Eating and Health At Every Size®. At Kindful Body we believe that our struggles provide us with opportunities for growth and to discover new strengths; the quality of our lives depends on the quality of our relationships; and that self-compassion is key ingredient for our well-being. The Kindful Body team is ready to help you on your healing journey.

I provide psychotherapy for children, adolescents, and adults. I work with people who are struggling with depression, anxiety, histories of trauma, relationship issues, life transitions, work issues, and low self-esteem. I also work with people who are looking for support in processing and understanding difficulties related to cultural identity. This includes issues pertaining to race, gender, sexual orientation, immigration, and second-generation Americans. Lasting personal change can develop within empathically-attuned relationships. This belief forms the basis for my work. My style is warm and collaborative, with a relational psychodynamic approach. We'll pay close attention to your story and inner experiences while always attending to how things play out in current relationships.

Yvonne Perez-Sallaberry, LMFT is a bilingual (English/Spanish) therapist who supports students in navigating anxiety, trauma, stress, and life transitions. She uses evidence-based approaches like CBT and strengths-based practices to help clients build coping tools and reach their goals. With experience working with both adolescents and adults—and over 15 years in education—Yvonne understands the unique challenges of academic life and the pressures that come with high-stakes environments.

I am currently accepting new clients (as of 03/16/2026). Growing up Asian American in San Francisco, I had the privilege of feeling like “the majority” rather than feeling like “the minority.” When my mental health took a turn in my teen years, I was fortunate to have an Asian school-based therapist who reminded me of a “cool Asian aunt.” I remember feeling at ease seeing someone who looked like me in a space I thought was only meant for white people or people who were “that crazy.” This therapist showed me that therapy could be warm, kind, and even involve the humor I needed to say the hard stuff. She showed me that people like us could receive support and care through a listening ear. (I thought the only kind of care Asian elders gave was via cut fruit.) Years later, I hope to share this same safe experience as the person now sitting in the therapist’s chair. Whether you are living out your parents’ dreams or just trying to make it through the week, I can help you explore whether your path aligns with your values and supports your growth. I promise I won’t sass you the way my former Asian auntie-like therapist might, but I’ll make sure we keep it light where it needs to be, and hold space where it’s dark. Together, we will discover who you are and what you need, with the utmost care.

I help teens and young adults seeking help with depression, anxiety, stress management, self-criticism/perfectionism, and improving communication and relationships. I apply multiple techniques including CBT and mindfulness practices.

Welcome — I'm so glad you're here. You are so not alone in what you're carrying and you don't have to have it all figured out to move forward; this is exactly where we start. Being in college can be a huge adjustment, one that often comes with anxiety, loneliness, major academic pressure, and figuring out how to build authentic community. Whether you're navigating academic pressure, relationships, family stress, sexuality, gender exploration, or just the uncertainty of what comes next, I want to be in that space with you. Together we'll find insight using creative expression, mind-body connection, and shedding the internalized ideas of who we think we’re supposed to be. This is a place where everything is process over product and where we are actively seeking the imperfect. My approach is rooted in deep empathy, expressive arts, somatic practices, social justice lenses, and whole-person centered frameworks. I specialize in working with identity exploration, neurodiversity, queer folks, as well as young adults navigating the internal and external complexities of college life. We will start our work together with meeting right where you are and will walk together the rest of the way. My goal is to help you find more empowered, centered, and become more connected to yourself and others. Through our time together, however long that might be, my hope is that you're able to explore the many wonderful, scary, and magical layers that we hold. You can find me in my virtual office space or in-person at my Hayes Valley office. When I’m not sitting in the therapist chair, I’m usually guiding expressive arts workshops, working with queer & trans youth, reading multiple books at one time, out enjoying nature, or spending lots of time adventuring. I hope we get to meet soon! "I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become." - Carl Jung

Hi, my name is Esma. Clients come to my practice looking for a therapist who can get to the root of their problem. I specialize in working with sensitive, high-functioning people who look fine on the outside but feel stuck on the inside. My practice is integrative, trauma-informed, and centered around helping clients navigate trauma, complex PTSD, anxiety, relationship challenges, and attachment wounds. I draw from Brainspotting, IFS, ACT, CBT, and other holistic approaches depending on each client’s individual needs and goals. I’m not afraid of hard conversations, and I won’t tiptoe around the things that matter. Clients appreciate that I’m both caring and direct. I’m not cold or overly clinical, but I also won’t sugarcoat things or avoid difficult conversations. I help clients get underneath the surface and start making real changes. I also use humor naturally in session because sometimes humor creates the exact amount of honesty, perspective, and relief people need to finally let their guard down. Therapy can be deep and challenging without feeling rigid or performative. I’m both caring and straightforward. I bring warmth and honesty into the room equally. You’ll feel supported, but you’ll also be held accountable. I believe both are necessary for growth. I offer both in-person and online therapy services in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego. I especially enjoy working with young adults and creating flexible, accessible options for support. Some of the services I currently offer include: • Brainspotting Group Therapy — Self-Love & Secure Attachment (weekly with flexible attendance) • Brainspotting Group + occasional individual therapy as needed • As-needed therapy (individual or couples) • Weekly therapy (individual or couples) • Every-other-week therapy (individual or couples) • Therapy intensives (individual or couples)

Adulting is hard. As we go through transitions in our lives, it can be a time that is both exciting and stressful. In my work, I enjoy supporting college students as they tackle all the ups and downs that come their way. I especially love helping those who are the first in their families to go to college because I've been in their shoes. In my practice, I specialize helping individuals who have experienced trauma and I love blending my passions for music, dance, fitness, and yoga with my professional experience to help young people find their way, develop, and overcome challenges.

I am a licensed psychotherapist in San Francisco, California. I bring my creativity and intellectual curiosity to a psychodynamic approach to clinical psychology rooted in the tradition of psychoanalysis. My approach as a therapist is honest and direct. I am actively engaged in the process of exploration, listening for the unconscious - for what is said and what is not said. I aspire to collaborate with you to rediscover your authentic self and a renewed sense of aliveness by accessing and reflecting on your own inner wisdom from multiple perspectives. I work with artists, creators, writers and thinkers; highly sensitive people who are deeply affected by the world and whose sensitivities are both their greatest asset and most daunting challenge. Wherever you find yourself in the infinitely varied spectrum of culture, gender, race, sex and religious identity, you are welcome here with me. It is my privilege to join you on this journey. I am here to help you see that everything is possible.

Well Coast provides psychiatric evaluations and treatment, including psychotherapy and medication management. We provide ADHD assessments and treatment. We also specialize in anxiety, OCD, depression, bipolar disorder, trauma / PTSD and other mental health concerns. Both in-person and convenient videoconference appointments are available. We accept most PPO insurances, including Anthem Blue Cross, UC SHIP, Aetna, Optum / United Healthcare, Tricare, Tri-West VA CCN and Medicare. Our providers are all LGBTQIA+ and neurodiversity affirming. Our mission is to improve the quality of life of individuals and their families by compassionately serving their mental health needs, while empowering their everyday lives through education and community support. Clients can self-schedule online with the provider of their choice at https://www.wellcoastmedical.com by clicking "Find a provider" at the top of the website.

There are many things that can lead a person to seek therapy. You may be experiencing a persistent feeling of fear but just can't put your finger on where it’s coming from. Perhaps you've been feeling anxious about being judged harshly by others or have been struggling with feelings of emptiness, loneliness, or loss of control. Bearing the weight of these experiences can often feel exhausting. But, you do not have to be alone in these struggles. Taking the first step to seek help can feel vulnerable and even scary. I believe that when the right conditions are present healing of the heart, mind, body, and soul can – and will – occur. Reach out today.

I am a psychologist/psychoanalyst and have been in private practice since 1984. Please visit my website if you would like to learn more about my practice.

My approach relies on a warm and trusting therapeutic relationship where we can safely engage in healing work. We will navigate the pains and challenges of today, while fostering an understanding of how the past has played a role - all while inclining toward a meaningful future. I will provide tools for immediate relief as needed to support this process. I often work with folks who are highly sensitive, feel different or misunderstood, have overwhelming emotions, struggle with relationships, have low self-esteem, are queer or questioning, or are seeking to develop identity, purpose, and meaning in life. I would love to talk to you more about how I work, hear about your goals for therapy, and answer any questions you might have. I look forward to hearing from you!

Client's that work well with my collaborative style are often people who are struggling with life transitions. I often connect with people who are working to find different methods to manage anxiety and perfectionism. I also hold space in my practice for queer couples.