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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Cherie Felzer
Life is a journey of continually coming home to ourselves. Come home to yourself. to your soul. I have spent the last 20+ years working and playing with conscious personal growth, traversing pathways of dark and light, with 15+years of dance and movement meditation as my main spiritual practice. Throughout many years of traveling, I have learned so much from life, different cultures, and teachers of indigenous traditions, and finally, moved to the bay area in 2007 to pursue graduate studies in somatic counseling psychology, and complete licensure in Marriage and Family Therapy. Since moving to the bay area, I have deepened my relationships with movement, worked somatically with elders living with dementia, business and law students, women in recovery, war veterans, rites of passage with youth and in nature with children. It has been through these lenses that I learned the most about how to be with, accept, and move through stuckness, struggle, and transition. My personal experiences all inform me, offering a greater perspective, and are woven together with my training to create a truly unique practice for us to explore together the magic of the healing journey. I offer this wisdom and experience to you, from my own struggles, so that you know you don't have to do this alone. In a session, I will be your companion as we explore together the best way for you to move forward. I offer a calm, solid presence and reverence & joy for life, inviting and supporting you to be with and move through stuckness, struggle and chaos, inspiring and guiding you to listen to your body & connect to yourself, others & the earth so that you can find lightness, freedom, and aliveness, and help you live your purpose meaningfully in the world with integrity and authenticity! I am here to remind you of your deep connection to the earth, so that it may be a resource for you in times of need, holding you and guiding you, teaching you how to be gentle with yourself. It would be an honor to be a companion along your path. You have the map. I can help you read it.
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Tami Brugman
I am licensed as a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist in both Texas and California, and I have over 20 years of experience working in the mental health field. I have worked in both community mental health settings and in private practice working with individuals, couples, and families ranging from life adjustment issues to severe mental illnesses. I approach each individual with compassion and view each situation as unique using a client-centered perspective. I believe that there is a mind and body connection to mental health, and because of this belief, I am currently in a PhD program at Saybrook University in Applied Psychophysiology. I am constantly trying to improve and seek new knowledge to benefit my clients. I will utilize a variety of treatment modalities according to your situation during treatment. As a therapist, I believe my job is to utilize the tools in my toolbox to assist you in meeting your goals in therapy. It takes courage for anyone to reach out and seek counseling, and therefore I hope to be a partner with you and walk alongside you on your journey toward your goals.
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Andrea Stocker
I am an LCSW in California with almost 10 years of experience in social services. I have worked in a group home, homeless services, housing, in a prison and in a community heath setting, which has given me varied perception and varied experience. I also have experience working with older adults. I am sex positive and comfortable working with people in alternative relationships, the the LGBTQ+ community, as well as the BDSM community. I have extensive experience working with depression, anger management, and anxiety. I also work with people with eating disorders and follow the Heath at Every Size model. I believe in a whole person and client centered approach to mental health.
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Aldemar Martinez
I am a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), with 25 years of experience in the field of mental health. I also have a degree in Psychology, with I believe compliments my clinical and social work skills to formulate a more complete and wholistic approach to therapy. Additionally I am a Certified Trauma Professional, and use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as my primary theoretical approach to trauma. I believe that each individual brings into his/her therapy experience a unique set of skills, which I encourage to identify through Narrative Therapy. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is another form of psychological treatment, which I often use with my clients to identify maladaptive behavioral patterns, and replace them with healthy habits to achieve a sense of healing. Finally I believe in the human connection., which is the power to positively influence one another. I welcome you and commend you for taking charge of your life through therapy!
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Dr. Skultip Sirikantraporn
I am licensed in New York and California with 10 years of professional work experience. As a licensed psychologist and a yoga instructor, I see the healing journey for all of us as holistic, fresh, and full of growing and healing possibilities for both our mind and body. I truly believe in everyone's full potential to create a healthy, happy, and fulfilling life, despite hardships and struggles. In fact, often it is the hardships and struggles that motivate us to get in touch with our strengths to overcome and thrive to live life to the fullest. I would like to have the honor to work with you in discovering ways to create life that is peaceful, meaningful, and joyful for you. My approach is a blend of cognitive behavioral, humanistic, and mind-body integrative interventions with your unique needs and style at the center of my work. I hope to get to work with you on your journey. If you are ready to take that step, I am here to support and empower you. I look forward to working with you!
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Alan Wong
I am licensed in California with 13 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, trauma and abuse, anger management, & depression. I am also a certified therapist in Cognitive Behavior Therapy as certified by the Academy of Cognitive and Behavior Therapies. 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. 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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Tracy Pierre
I am licensed in California with 8 years of professional work experience. I have experience in assisting clients with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, and much more. In the face of life's challenges, our resilience is often tested. One thing for sure is that you do not have to face it all on your own. My goal as a therapist is to work collaboratively with you through a foundation of warmth, empathy, and trust in a non-judgmental, safe environment. Therapeutic sessions with me aim to offer valuable insights, instill a sense of hope, and equip you with the necessary tools to navigate life's challenges and thrive. Let’s start this journey together!
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Laura Todd
I am licensed in California with 16 years of professional work experience. I have experience with clients of all ages in the areas of depression, stress and anxiety, coping with grief and loss, parenting issues, & coping with life changes to name a few. I believe that as long as we are living we have the potential to grow and change. Through this work, I seek to help people realize this potential to achieve meaningful improvement in their lives by guiding them towards meaningful self awareness and acquisition of knowledge and skills to face their challenges with confidence.
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Zaida Casillas
I am licensed in California with 9 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with coping with addictions, trauma, abuse, coping with grief, coping with loss, & depression. I also have experience working with coping with life changes. 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. 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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Sandra Barela
I am a second-generation Mexican American, fully bilingual in English and Spanish, and a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California with 16 years of professional experience. Throughout my career, I have supported clients facing stress, anxiety, family conflicts, trauma, abuse, parenting issues, and depression. I firmly believe that you are the expert of your own story and possess inherent strengths to overcome life's challenges. Taking the first step toward a more fulfilling and happier life requires courage, and I am here to support you in that journey. In my recent role as Clinical Director at Mary's Path, a nationally accredited Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTP) in Santa Ana, California, I have been dedicated to empowering vulnerable teen mothers in foster care and their babies to create lives of dignity, hope, and self-sufficiency. My passion for helping young mothers stems from my own experience as a teen mom, which drives me to break generational cycles of trauma and foster better lives for mothers and their children. My personal experiences with gang violence, grief, and loss have deepened my empathy and understanding of the complex challenges faced by individuals and families in similar situations. These experiences have equipped me with unique insights into the healing process, enabling me to provide compassionate and personalized therapeutic support. I recognize the unique strengths and resilience each individual brings to the healing process and am committed to guiding you through your journey toward healing and self-discovery.
How can a counselor support you?
Therapists 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 CA, and one out of five Americans has a mental health condition. Searching for local licensed professionals 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 a BetterHelp therapist does not offer diagnostic or medication management services.
Why do people choose to work 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, BetterHelp can match you with a licensed professional tailored to your preferences noted when you sign up.
The mental health therapists in California support clients with varying issues through therapy, such as:
- 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 to contact in a crisis
If you are experiencing a crisis or emergency, don't use the BetterHelp site. If you are in life-threatening danger, call 911. If you require support for a crisis, reach out to the hotlines below:
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:1-800-273-TALK (8255)
- Crisis Text Line:Text HOME to 741741
- Veterans Crisis Line<:Call 1-800-273-8255 (and press 1) or text 838255. For support for the deaf and hard of hearing community, please use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 1-800-273-8255.
- Trevor Lifeline(LGBTQ Lifeline): (866)488-7386
- SAMHSA National Helpline: (Substance Use): (800)662-4357
- National Eating Disorder Association Helpline:1-800-931-2237 (M-Th: 9 AM-9 PM EST, Fri 9 AM - 5 PM EST
- Child Help Hotline Call 1-800-422-4453 or use the online chat feature
- National Anti-Hazing Hotline: 1-888-NOT-HAZE (1-888-668-4293)
- Physician Crisis Support Line: Call 1-888-409-0141 if you are a first responder or medical provider experiencing crises related to Covid-1
- Sexual Assault Hotline: Call RAINN at 1-800-656-4673
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Some of the most commonly asked questions about therapy can be found in the section 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.
When should I get a therapist in California?
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 can allow clients seeking therapy to experience professional help through video, phone, or live chat sessions without commuting to an office.
Does insurance cover the cost of 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 the safe option?
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.
Popular cities in California
- Los Angeles, CA
- San Diego, CA
- San Jose, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Fresno, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- Long Beach, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Bakersfield, CA
- Anaheim, CA
- Santa Ana, CA
- Riverside, CA
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