Finding a therapist in California can be challenging. Even in some of the biggest California cities, barriers to treatment, like concerns about cost or a lack of available providers, can make finding in-person therapy difficult. If you’re looking for mental health care in the Golden State, consider an online therapy platform like BetterHelp.

BetterHelp therapists have extensive experience and can help you work to overcome your unique challenges and meet your highest potential. From young adults needing help managing the effects of ADHD to seniors struggling to heal from events of the past, therapists can help adults of any age navigate the challenges in their lives and learn how to improve their mental wellness.

If you’re looking for a licensed therapist, CA has many online options available. Contact one of the providers below to schedule your first session and learn more about the benefits of online treatment.

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Percival Fisher, Jr.

Offering therapy in California
License: MSW, LICSW, LCSW
Stress, AnxietyLGBTTrauma and abuseDepressionCoping with life changes
15 years of experience

Greetings, Everyone! I'm Percival Fisher, Jr., but you can simply call me "Percy." With 13 years of experience, I've been dedicated to providing both individual and group psychotherapy. My goal is to assist you in achieving your therapy objectives by creating a safe, warm, and interactive space to explore your presenting issues. I bring expertise in addressing a range of challenges, including depression, anxiety, anger, trauma, "coming out"/LGBTQIA-related issues, and family conflicts. To tailor the therapeutic experience to your unique needs, I employ a diverse set of treatment modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Trauma-Informed Therapy, Harm Reduction, Motivational Interviewing (MI), Crisis Intervention, and Relational Therapeutic techniques. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Florida, North Carolina, California, Oregon, Arizona, Washington (LICSW), and West Virginia (LICSW), I am also a Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work (BCD) by the American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work. Additionally, I hold certifications as a Certified Complex Trauma Professional (CCTP-II) from the International Association of Trauma Professionals and a Certified Case Manager (CCM) from the Commission for Case Management Certification. Beyond psychotherapy, my background spans behavioral health research, HIV/AIDS education and counseling, teaching, medical social work, and leadership. During my leisure time, I indulge in watching Marvel series on Netflix, psychological thrillers, reading, traveling, engaging in conversations about current events related to mental health, and staying active through workouts. I eagerly anticipate the opportunity to work with you and support your journey. Take care! Percival Fisher, Jr., MSW, LCSW-C. LICSW, LCSW, BCD, CCTP-II, CCM

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Lorraine Sanchez

Offering therapy in California
Trauma and abuseGriefSelf esteemCoping with life changesCoaching
15 years of experience

I am a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in California, along with being a Certified Life Coach. I have 17 years of professional work experience in the mental health field working with a wide variety of disorders, life, career, and relational challenges. I also have experience in helping clients with relationship issues, trauma and abuse, motivation, self esteem, and confidence, & coping with life challenges. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I believe it is important to incorporate a life that is balanced with self care emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Through a supportive and collaborative experience, my clients will experience a process of self discovery, inner healing, insight and awareness, cognitive mindset shift, cultivate their inner gifts and purpose, and be inspired to grow and succeed. Additionally, I help clients learn how to become positive impactful leaders in their professional roles, teams, and in their community. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs/goals. Taking the first step to healing and seeking a more happier and healthier you takes courage. You are headed in the right direction and I am here to support you in that process. Nurture. Heal. Cultivate. Thrive!

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Christina Banks

Offering therapy in California
Stress, Anxiety
3 years of experience

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of California that works with "Women" with anxiety, stress, feelings of sadness, senior/elder/retirement challenges, young adult challenges, stress and anxiety while in college, and adjustment to chronic illness. Previously, I worked in an outpatient clinic for nine years assisting adults cope and adjust to chronic illness and the social and emotional issues related, such as loss of career and/or formal lifestyle. These issues were addressed by using healthy coping strategies and stress reduction techniques. I also practiced mindfulness and cognitive behavior therapy at the clinic. I utilize a strength-based approach, which emphasizes the positive qualities of a person as well as their strengths. I am a compassionate therapist that practices with empathy, validation, gentleness, and understanding. I will meet you wherever you are in your journey to recovery and will tailor therapy for your unique needs.

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Antonia Sloan

Offering therapy in California
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesSelf esteemDepressionCoping with life changes
13 years of experience

I am licensed in California and Washington with 13 years of professional work experience. I specialize in helping children, teens, & adults who are struggling with depression, anxiety, current life stressors &/or have experienced traumatic events. In my practice, I honor everyone's individual story & use client-centered approaches to support the development of self-worth, personal strengths & coping skills. I strive to create a warm, collaborative atmosphere and view it as the foundation for meaningful work with my clients. My unique approach to counseling includes traditional talk therapy with the option of adding art therapy techniques to assist my clients down the path to recovery and healing. Art therapy is a great tool in my work with children & teens. It provides both verbal & nonverbal methods of working through intense emotions & teaches ways to reorganize the thought patterns that lead to depression/anxiety, feelings of loneliness/lack of self-worth & interpersonal struggles with peers & family members. I aspire to find the best approach that will enable you to gain insights, achieve personal growth and develop happiness within your life and personal relationships. I believe that each of us has the capacity for change and look forward to assisting you in your journey.

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Monica Gonzalez

Offering therapy in California
Stress, AnxietyFamily conflictsGriefSelf esteemCoping with life changes
8 years of experience

I am licensed in California with 8 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, family conflicts, coping with grief and loss, motivation, self-esteem, and confidence. I believe that you are the expert of your story and that you have many strengths that will assist you in overcoming things that challenge you. It takes courage to seek out a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. I am here to support and empower you in that journey.

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Mary Haye

Offering therapy in California
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseGriefDepression
20 years of experience

I am licensed in California with 20 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, relationship issues, marital conflict, trauma and abuse, & coping with grief and loss. I work with Evidence Based Treatment approaches, and I offer a Christian based approach for couples who have requested to share their religious views on marriage. My sessions are intended to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. It takes courage to take the first steps towards getting help to resolve relationship problems or help to manage stress and/ or alleviate anxiety. Getting the proper tools may help you with the support that you need or getting you to the referrals that you need. I am here to support you in that journey.

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Kenneth Breniman

Offering therapy in California
Stress, AnxietyLGBTTrauma and abuseGriefSelf esteem
19 years of experience

I am licensed in California with 19 years of clinical work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, lgbtq+ related issues, trauma and abuse, & coping with grief and loss. I work with my clients to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage and I do hope can co-create a brave space for your to support you along your life journey. A growing number of researchers and healthcare professionals agree: the body, mind, and spirit are not separate, but rather parts of an interconnected whole. While I’ve been a licensed clinical social worker since 2005, I’ve come to see that traditional talk therapy can only get a person so far. Likewise, while I respect the DSM, I believe that diagnoses can be somewhat limiting for those looking to do deep, spiritual inner work and explore the big existential questions of their lives. Your pain makes sense. Rather than label you with a diagnosis, my goal is to help you understand how your past may have contributed to your current suffering and give you the space to heal from your pain and move forward. As a lifelong learner, I’ve spent the last two decades exploring the intersection of psychology, yoga, sound healing, death studies, and psychedelic integration. My sessions with clients typically include a few, if not all of these modalities.

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Melissa Dobson

Offering therapy in California
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsSelf esteemDepression
15 years of experience

I am licensed in Florida with 5 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with depression, stress and anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, & motivation, self esteem, and confidence. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. Taking the first step to seeking a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage. I am here to support you in that process.

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Erin Black

Offering therapy in California
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsParenting issuesDepression
6 years of experience

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in California with over 20 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, & parenting issues. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. Taking the first step to seeking a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage. I am here to support you in that process.

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Ranique Hopkins

Offering therapy in California
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseSelf esteemDepression
4 years of experience

Ranique Hopkins is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist based in southern California. She combines nurturing support with direct guidance to empower her clients and facilitate their growth and healing. Ranique tailors her mental health services to each individual’s preferences and personal needs. She understands that emotional well-being is crucial, akin to the air we breathe. Ranique does her best to create a safe, non-judgmental, and open environment to aid her client’s in working towards desired outcomes and goals. Ranique uniquely focuses on both the mind and body. She employs cognitive behavioral therapy, trauma-informed care, and somatic therapies to promote overall wellness.

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Manisha Parikh

Offering therapy in California
Stress, AnxietyTrauma and abuseParenting issuesSelf esteemDepression
6 years of experience

I am licensed in California with over 6 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, trauma and abuse, parenting issues, & motivation, self esteem, and confidence. I believe that you are the expert of your story and that you have many strengths that will assist you in overcoming things that challenge you. It takes courage to seek out a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. I am here to support & empower you in that journey.

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Morgan Gross

Offering therapy in California
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsDepressionCoping with life changes
14 years of experience

I am a Clinical Social Worker licensed in California with 14 years of professional work experience. Over my years of clinical experience, I have helped clients deal with everything from minor everyday stressors to severe psychiatric illness. My particular area of interest is women's health and well being, especially symptoms of depression and anxiety stemming from life stressors. My goal is always to help clients understand why they feel the way they do and then work together to function and feel their best. My other area of interest is couples therapy, and I particularly enjoy working on improving communication and conflict resolution. My background is as a family systems therapist, which means I pay particular attention to how a person interacts with important relationships and their environment. I would describe my style as warm and accepting, and I genuinely enjoy working with my clients and hearing people’s stories. I tend to prefer a pragmatic and logical approach and enjoy helping clients get to the root cause of their stresses.

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Adelina Ramirez

Offering therapy in California
Stress, AnxietyParenting issuesSelf esteemDepressionCoping with life changes
8 years of experience

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in California with 8 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress, anxiety, parenting issues, motivation, self esteem, confidence, & depression. I also have experience working with coping with life changes. I believe that you are the expert of your story and that you have many strengths that will assist you in overcoming things that challenge you. It takes courage to seek out a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. I am here to support & empower you in that journey.

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Shawn Tyras

Offering therapy in California
License: MA, LPC,BC-TMH
Stress, AnxietyTrauma and abuseSelf esteemDepression
10 years of experience

Welcome! Have you had recent changes to your life or struggling with ongoing mental health issues? Maybe your adolescent is experiencing mood changes, behavioral issues or anxiety. I applaud you for searching for support and I believe that you have come to the right place. It takes courage to seek out counseling and share personal thoughts to get to the live you want. I want to walk beside you where ever you are at this time and help you reach your goals. Here is a little about me and how I plan to support you: I have a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Webster University (2014) and am a Licensed Professional Counselor in South Carolina and Maine. After graduating, I began my career in a community Mental Health Clinic and have worked with children, teens and young adults predominately, but have some older patients that I also love working with. In addition, I work in the On-Crisis portion of this agency. Some of the therapies I use are DBT, CBT, EMDR and Motivational Therapy depending on the client's need. When it comes to small children I do utilize some art and game activities to help them move forward towards their goals and build on their strengths. The clients that I have worked with range from those with depression, anxiety, bipolar, borderline personality disorder, self esteem and trauma issues and celebrate with them as they reached goal after goal. My therapeutic style involves helping you to arrive at insight, strategies, and tools that you can begin using immediately to make positive change in your life. Sometimes we can just sit and talk and when it is needed I love to provide concrete tools wherever possible and help you to have a plan for the following days before our next session, if that is the pace you would like to move at. Most importantly, we are going to make sure we are making progress on goals that you have for yourself. I will be there to guide you, encourage you, possibly even challenge you if I feel you are unknowingly allowing obstacles to stand in your way. You may find it helpful to know that I have a lot of experience being the client in a counseling relationship and I was very nervous at first and need to know that the therapist/counselor was nonjudgmental and I would feel validated and understood when I shared things that I would never share outside of that office. People need to feel that their therapist/counselor treats them as they would expect to be treated if they were on the other side. If this is the kind of relationship you would like to have with your counselor, you’ve come to the right place.

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Janette Brown

Offering therapy in California
Relationship issuesSelf esteemCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigue
40 years of experience

Licensed in both California & Washington, I have been 41 years in the field of counseling & supervisory education. So in semi-retirement, I have a limited number of spaces. Still, I love working with people actively engaged in improving their relationships, building more confidence & self esteem, and meeting whatever recurring challenges that life brings. I have some executive & professional coaching experience as well. So whatever is on your mind, ours will be an open, safe environment, not without humor, for sharing your thoughts & feelings. I do not keep notes, so what is said can be shared with complete confidentiality. Certainly your beginning sessions are the biggest step forward in the change process; I look forward to meeting you soon!

How can therapists in California support you?

Therapists in California can practice many types of counseling, from marriage and family therapy to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). They may also assist you with symptoms of depression, stress, or anxiety.

Therapists may help you set and achieve career goals, work on current issues you may be facing, or address your past. Over 32,349,851 people live in California, and one out of five Americans has a mental health condition. Searching for licensed professionals in California may help you find mental health support for personal growth, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other mental health concerns. You do not need a mental health diagnosis to seek support from one of BetterHelp's licensed providers above.  

The mental health field can include psychiatric medication management, online therapy, marriage counseling, couples therapy, clinical social work, licensed counseling, and other mental health services in person and online. Seeing a licensed provider can help you navigate mental health conditions and life circumstances through mindfulness and other specialized techniques.

Please note that BetterHelp does not offer diagnostic or medication management services.

Why are many residents in the state of California working with a licensed counselor?

People reach out for mental health support for a variety of reasons. Many individuals work with a counselor for general life advice, while others may attend therapy for a specific concern. Whether you live in a large city or a smaller county in California, BetterHelp can match you with a licensed professional tailored to your preferences noted when you sign up.

Mental health counselors in California support clients with varying issues, which can include:

  • Challenging situations or life stressors
  • Eating disorders
  • Anxiety disorders
  • Depression or depressive conditions
  • Adjustment issues
  • Emotional support for a terminal illness
  • Chronic pain emotional support
  • Grief
  • Personality disorders
  • Trauma
  • Relationship conflicts and concerns

Finding a therapist that takes new clients in online therapy can be the first step in finding a treatment plan that works for you. Your therapist can provide a safe space for you to focus on self-care and well-being.

If you're interested in speaking to one of the therapists above or being matched with a counselor in 24 to 48 hours, consider signing up for BetterHelp. BetterHelp has over 35,000 providers, including those listed above.

Emergency services

If you are experiencing a crisis or emergency, don't use this site's online services. If you are in life-threatening danger, call 911. If you require support for a crisis, reach out to the hotlines below:

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Some commonly asked questions can be found below.

How much does a therapist cost?

Mental health professionals can differ in price. Forbes found that the average cost of in-person therapy in the US is around $100 to $200 per hour. Pricing can also vary based on your location. 

BetterHelp offers payment plans of $60 to $90 per session, charged monthly in a lump sum. You can also take advantage of this pricing on one of BetterHelp's sister platforms, like ReGain for couples or TeenCounseling for teens aged 13 to 19.

Many therapists may be upfront about their pricing and whether or not they take health insurance from the beginning. Additionally, some in your area may offer a sliding scale plan to allow those with lower incomes to pay less for therapy. However, services online can often save individuals a few hundred dollars per month.

How do I know if I should get a therapist?

Mental health services and mental health providers may help you navigate various concerns. You do not need a diagnosis or condition to attend therapy; You can discuss grief, relationship concerns, stress, or life changes and ask for general advice. A counselor may help you gain power over your life and emotions while you navigate day-to-day experiences.

Mental health issues don't always present as a crisis. Many professionals provide talk therapy and support for life transitions, skills learning, relationship problems, or life coaching. Online therapy sessions in California can allow clients seeking therapy to experience professional help through video, phone, or live chat sessions without commuting to an office.

Does insurance cover therapy?

Different counseling services can vary in cost. Therapists must apply to accept insurance through insurance companies, which may take time and money, so not every therapist offers services through insurance. If you cannot find a therapist that accepts your plan, BetterHelp may be cheaper than visiting an in-person therapist.

Is online therapy safe?

Online therapy through BetterHelp and its sister platforms is safe. Therapists are licensed, experienced, and vetted before being contracted with the platform. If you experience any concerns with your therapist, you change your counselor through the platform or app at any time.

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