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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Christie Stegmaier

Offering therapy in California
License: MS,LMFT
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesIntimacy-related issuesDepression
8 years of experience

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California (LMFT# 111636) with over eight years' experience. Along my journey of becoming a therapist, I have also received 40-hours of domestic violence training through House of Ruth; specializing in intimate partner violence. I have worked with individuals with a wide variety of issues including domestic violence, depression, grief, anxiety, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting issues, personality disorders, and OCD. I have also worked with many individuals who have experienced trauma and abuse. Although I am more of a direct therapist, I am also a warm and interactive therapist. I create a nurturing and safe environment that is non-judgmental and caring. I often will use a solution-focused approach, providing options and tools necessary to make immediate changes in your life. However, every individual is unique, and I tailor my therapy sessions to fit what you are looking for. I also see therapy as a collaborative effort - we work together to create solutions. I will remain by your side on your therapeutic journey. It takes courage to seek a more fulfilling and happier life, and to take the first steps towards positive change. I am dedicated to helping individuals find ways that work best for their needs, and I respect every individual's uniqueness. I am committed to helping my clients develop attainable and valuable treatment goals that will lead them to achieve lasting positive life changes and personal growth.

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Dr. Alexandra Duffy

Offering therapy in California
License: Psy.D.
Stress, AnxietySelf esteemBipolar disorderDepressionADHD
15 years of experience

Hi there! I am Alexandra Duffy a clinical psychologist with licenses in California, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Washington. Thanks for taking a moment to learn how my counseling and therapy can be a useful tool for yourself or someone you care about. Therapy is a way to invest in yourself, have support during difficult times and deal with past issues that impact your current life and relationships. Together, we discover healthy ways to help cope with the unknown and things outside of our control. I specialize in treating depression, anxiety, panic disorder, ADHD, eating /body image issues and Bipolar Disorder. I also work with students of all ages (and even parents) to address issues with learning, such as dyslexia, ADHD, learning disabilities and executive functioning issues (e.g., time management, procrastination, prioritizing work, regulating emotions, etc.), which can be especially challenging right now with Online and Distance Learning. I have extensive experience with the evaluation and diagnosis of ADHD, dyslexia and learning disabilities to improve overall functioning and also provide documentation for academic and test accommodations. My therapy style is warm, interactive and collaborative. I tailor our sessions and treatment plan based on your individual needs and take into consideration your prior experience with counseling. I utilize an eclectic style incorporating psychodynamic and evidence-based modalities including cognitive-behavioral, interpersonal, and mindfulness-based interventions. I integrate healthy lifestyle techniques to improve emotional health and overall well-being by addressing sleep habits, exercise and eating patterns. I also help manage electronic media usage to find a balance between being informed and feeling worried or overwhelmed by the 24-hour news cycle and uncertainty in our lives right now. I earned my Doctor of Clinical Psychology degree (Psy.D) from the George Washington University and Postdoctoral Master of Science in Clinical Psychopharmacology from the California School of Professional Psychology. I completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Harvard University’s Bureau of Study Counsel. I have worked in inpatient/residential treatment, private practice and as a Staff Psychologist at UCLA and the Georgetown University Law Center. Some of my clinical interests include identity development, perfectionism, mastering attention regulation concerns, and learning styles/strategies to improve academic performance. I am also interested in helping actors and individuals in the creative arts to improve self-awareness, explore emotions and use relaxation techniques in the creative process, as well as to cope with rejection, criticism and stress. I have taught workshops to improve self-esteem and reduce anxiety for students, professional and healthcare workers, as well as during the audition and interview process. I have enjoyed leading Finding Focus groups and the Art of Public Speaking wellness group. These skills and techniques are beneficial during individual counseling sessions as well to increase personal effectiveness.

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Karena Franses

Offering therapy in California
License: LCSW
AddictionsLGBTRelationship issuesGriefSelf esteem
28 years of experience

Welcome and thank you for taking the time to read my profile page. It has been my aspiration and commitment through my work life to collaborate with those seeking help and together make every effort to understand what is causing the suffering and in doing so to find some relief from the pain. I have been a practicing Buddhist for many years, and I meditate daily. I love that His Holiness the Dalai Lama said, “Kindness is my religion," because we all need it, we all benefit from it when we give it and receive it and without it life is just harder and lonelier. Buddhism informs my life and therefore my work. It has helped bring humility and compassion to my life and work. I believe that the answers to each person’s suffering lies within themselves. Most work involves clearing the clouds that mask the liberation in each of us. My work life has played out in two quite different areas of care. The first was a county hospital, and the second a private practice, both in San Francisco. I worked for 21 years as a social work supervisor in a busy outpatient HIV clinic with 2,800 patients. Motivational Interviewing was the most effective type of counseling to use with the population we worked with. In the other setting, I had a small psychodynamic self-psychology informed psychotherapy practice, working with individuals and couples. Both settings offered me the opportunity to discover, explore and develop different skills as I encountered the vast diversity of human experience, where pain, trauma, and resilience came together as a gift to be tended with care, love, and compassion. At the hospital AIDS clinic, we were initially faced with dying patients so much of the work involved just being with the dying. As fewer patients died when the medications improved, we were then faced with issues of severe addiction, trauma, depression, and a population who had experienced ongoing racism, homophobia, poverty, and homelessness. At my private practice, I met with clients who presented also with addiction issues and in addition those with relationship problems, impact of homophobia, body image issues, self-harm, trauma, and abuse. I could never have imagined such a career when I started out. Now I feel deep appreciation and gratitude to all the clients and patients I served on this path. To all those who shaped my career, and taught me how to be a social worker and therapist through their kind and generous feedback, which at times let me know how much I meant to them, and at other times how I missed an opportunity to be empathic. I hope we get a chance to meet and explore whatever issues are of most concern to you and together work to clear the clouds and find relief. Thank you again for your kind attention.

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Dr. Patrice Fortune

Offering therapy in California
License: PhD, LMFT
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesGriefDepressionCoaching
28 years of experience

Welcome to my page, my name is Patrice! Great appreciation for your interest and stopping by. Experience personalized one-to-one mental healthcare with concierge services. I specialize in customized mental healthcare with close therapeutic relationships developed as your dedicated therapist. Enjoy a range of conveniences and supportive care to fit your mental health, work, and lifestyle needs. Specializing in heart-mind connections with individuals, couples, corporate professionals, first responders, military and veteran challenges for emotional balance, mental clarity, and sustained resilience improves the immune system, health, and confidence. Devoted to enriching life with over two decades of experience assisting clients through an effective, compassionate process to gain inner confidence, build unshakable resilience, remove success blocks, develop loving, lasting relationships, and discover your life's purpose. You will have an opportunity to learn simple steps that you may seamlessly incorporate to produce dramatic, life-changing results and generate an abundant life on your terms. Find your inner strength and discover your true potential through collaborative care. When you are ready to take the first step, your compassionate, experienced concierge mental healthcare therapist can empower you. Once again, welcome to my practice. Thank you for considering my concierge services to assist you with your sensitive concerns. It is a pleasure and honor to serve you!

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Jeremee (Mimi) Bouchard

Offering therapy in California
License: LCSW
Stress, AnxietyFamily conflictsSelf esteemDepressionCoping with life changes
15 years of experience

As a therapist, I create a warm, safe, nonjudgmental environment for people to be able to open up and share their feelings and make sense of what is troubling them. I strive to empower people and help them realize the strength and potential they possess. My experience has prepared me well to be able to interact and connect with a wide variety of individuals from diverse backgrounds. I have 21 years experience working in the mental health field, 18 years of which as a therapist. I have a great deal of experience focusing on areas like relationship issues, parenting, communication skills, mood management, and conflict resolution. In my practice, I utilize a number of theoretical orientations and therapy styles, as I find that different techniques work with different people. I primarily draw from humanistic, positive psychology, cognitive behavioral, and solutions focused theories. My approach to therapy is meeting the client where they're at, I follow your lead. I begin by asking questions to get a sense of what kinds of things you're struggling with, and see if we can figure out a direction we want to move in. We go at a pace that you're comfortable with. Sometimes just having someone to talk with to help you identify and process your feelings can provide some relief, especially if there's a lot of stuff bottled up. Then we can work toward identifying areas of your life that you're not satisfied with, and develop some basic goals to drive our work together. *Please note that I currently only have availability Monday - Friday in the mornings/early afternoons.

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Keith Chilton

Offering therapy in California
Stress, AnxietyAddictionsRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseDepression
26 years of experience

I am a family and marriage therapist licensed in California with over 20 years of experience as a caring witness working with youth, adults, couples, and families to help them increase their ability to balance personal motivations with social and relationship challenges. As a passionate and curious learner, I embrace a "each one teach one" and "it takes a village" counseling style. I have had the honor and blessing of a few caring witnesses in my life. I pledge my life's work to pass on the attentive sense of care that was instilled in me. It takes courage to seek a more fulfilling and happier life. If you are ready to take that step toward change, I am ready to support and empower you. I look forward to working with you.

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Anupama Masih

Offering therapy in California
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseParenting issuesDepression
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, trauma and abuse, & parenting issues. I have done faith-based Therapy for Christian clients . 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. I also speak fluent Spanish,.

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Jose Campos

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

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 10 years of experience of providing therapy for various mental health conditions and from that I believe in the dignity of people and professional treatment is most effective when dignity of the person is at the forefront of therapy. I specialize in treating depression, anxiety, and traumatic stress, in addition to issues embedded in those challenges such as relationship problems, difficulties with a sense of purpose, coping with past abuse, ADHD, and unresolved grief. As your therapist, I will collaborate with you on goals and objectives to achieve while having a therapeutic environment that is inclusive, empathetic, and informative about different mental health conditions or socio-emotional difficulties to empower decision-making about what goals to create and pursue in therapy. Therapy is intended to be individualized to see the whole person and not just the issues that are brought forward. With that said, I want to know what is working for you, and please ask me questions at any point during our time together. Apart of my professional goal is for you to be confident in sharing with me what I can do in assisting you. I look forward to meet you.

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Virginia Mintzlaff

Offering therapy in California
License: MS, LMFT
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseGriefDepression
22 years of experience

I am licensed in California with 22 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, & coping with grief and loss. 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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Darian Brinton

Offering therapy in California
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesDepressionCoping with life changesADHD
5 years of experience

I am licensed in California with 7 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, relationship issues, depression, & 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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Malaika Hill-Jones

Offering therapy in California
Stress, AnxietyLGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuse
10 years of experience

I am licensed in California with 10 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, lgbtq+ related issues, relationship issues, & family conflicts. 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. Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage and I am proud of you for getting started!

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Kevin Graves

Offering therapy in California
LGBTTrauma and abuseSelf esteemDepressionADHD
4 years of experience

I have helped myriad adults, adolescents, and couples navigate neurodivergence (ADHD, autism, learning), gender diversity and LGBTQ+ related issues, racism and oppression, HIV, anxiety, OCD, depression, trauma and abuse, self-compassion and confidence, motivation, & relationship/school/work/financial stress. Queer, antiracist, neurodivergent, disabled, poly-affirming, and bilingual (Spanish), I aim to treat all with respect, sensitivity, dignity, and compassion, & centering minoritized voices. I integrate client-centered, psychodynamic, humanistic-existential, Emotionally Focused (EFT), feminist/queer, collaborative, and Socioculturally Attuned (SCAFT) therapies to aid healing. I am licensed in California with 4 years of experience as a therapist, 8 years in university learning and mental healthcare, with over 30 years of professional experience (e.g., DJ/producer/music industry, IT, and corporate training). 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 change. I am here to support & empower you in that journey.

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Kathy Valencia

Offering therapy in California
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsSelf esteemDepression
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, perinatal and postpartum mood disorders, relationship issues, family conflicts, 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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Marilyn Ramirez-Torres

Offering therapy in California
LGBTTrauma and abuseGriefSelf esteemDepression
9 years of experience

I am licensed in California with 9 years of professional work experience in Mental Health Services. I have experience in helping clients with trauma and abuse, lgbtq+ related issues, coping with grief and loss, motivation, self esteem, depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder. 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. Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage and I am proud of you for getting started!

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Michael Fillipon

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

I am licensed in Massachusetts with 10 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, & motivation, self esteem, and confidence. 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 am proud of you for getting started!

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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