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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Laura Drucker

Offering therapy in California
License: LCSW
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesGriefSelf esteemCoping with life changes
30 years of experience

Hi! I'm glad you are thinking of working with me so let me tell you a bit about myself. I have worked in this field for over 30 years. I received my Master's Degree in Social Work in 1984, and am licensed in California (LCSW) and Arkansas (LCSW). Additionally, I have a Master's Degree in Human Rights. I have worked with people ages six through older adulthood and with individuals, groups, couples, and families. I have worked in private practice and public mental health settings. I bring this wealth of knowledge and wide range of experience and expertise to my individual work with you. My approach is client centered and non judgmental. I will work with you to problem solve, grow, develop new life skills, identify and achieve your goals while helping you to clarify your values, know yourself better, and build upon your current strengths and skills. I am really looking forward to the privilege of working with you!

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Dr. Kathleen Bailey

Offering therapy in California
License: Ph.D,LMFT,CADC II
Stress, AnxietyAddictionsRelationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuse
20 years of experience

I am a marriage and family therapist licensed in California and Utah with over 23 years of experience working as a Substance Abuse Counselor and 12 years as a Marriage and Family Therapist. I have worked with clients with a wide range of concerns including depression, anxiety, relationship issues, parenting challenges, career transitions, substance abuse issues, addictions, grief and loss , stage of life issues and relational violence. I also helped many people who have experienced trauma or emotional abuse. I provided a holistic approach that includes many spiritual practices and traditions, including Christianity. My counseling style is warm and interactive. I believe in treating anyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion, and I don't believe in stigmatizing labels. My approach combines cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, inner childhood work, family systems theory, dreamwork, EMDR, psycho-dynamic and Jungian psychotherapy. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. It takes courage to seek for a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. 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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Miranda McKinley

Offering therapy in California
License: LICSW,LCSW
Stress, AnxietyTrauma and abuseDepressionCoping with life changesCompassion fatigue
6 years of experience

My therapeutic style is holistic, inclusive and trauma informed. I support folks with connecting to their most authentic and resilient selves. I work with folks wanting to process, reframe and change behaviors; individuals interested in exploring their generational trauma and how it relates to their anxiety and fear-based behaviors; and those experiencing social justice, burnout and compassion fatigue.

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Heather Connors

Offering therapy in California
License: LCSW, PPSC
Stress, AnxietyFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseGriefDepression
11 years of experience

Hello and Welcome to this Mental Health platform! I am so happy you are here! A little about me... I have been working with individuals 18 years and older for over 12 years. I enjoy what I do because it helps people become the person that they were created to be. I love being a part of something bigger than myself. I feel that working with you will give me the opportunity to help you help yourself and possibly others around you. My goal is to help you understand what healthy is, and give you tools to be that for yourself, and to hold boundaries, so you don't take less than healthy from others either. I want to help you with communication skills, and conflict skills with others as well. Understand yourself better, and help you manage your feelings, without your feelings managing you. Giving me the opportunity to be in your life to assist you in your life's journey is a pleasure and honor. I know you already have talents and gifts within you that were meant for a higher purpose. I just want to help you develop those tools already in you to help you function well in life and be the best you, you can be. I do this by encompassing evidence based therapeutic tactics and other tools. I will help you dive deep into ways to emotionally cope with stressful situations. I will assist you get passed any barriers that may be standing in your way in order for you to function positively in society. Thank you for giving me the opportunity. I look forward to working with you!

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Elias Protopsaltis

Offering therapy in California
Trauma and abuseDepressionCoping with life changes
14 years of experience

I understand how challenging it is to come to therapy and speak of subjects that can bring about fear, anxiety and feelings of being judged. Therapy is the safest of environments to bring up topics that have brought about great pain or arrest in one’s life. My hope for you is that therapy becomes a useful tool to transform your life into how you envision it to be. Life is too short not to be lived out to its fullest potential. By working with you, I hope to collaborate in a transformation process where life goals come to fruition. As your therapist, I am your advocate and will support you in all areas where challenges, obstacles and barriers are encountered. I hope this message finds you well and instills a sense of hope that anything, if one’s mind I put to it, is possible to change for the better. I am Licensed Psychotherapist in the state of California with a focused practice dealing with client trauma. I use a number of treatment modalities from Cognitive Behavioral, Existential to Object Relations therapy to address Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, Anxiety, Insomnia, grief/loss. I have been providing individual and group therapy services in agency and private practice settings for over 15 years. My educational background consists of an MA in Counseling Psychology from John F. Kennedy University and a BA in Psychology from San Francisco State University.

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Quenette Freeman

Offering therapy in California
Stress, AnxietyGriefAnger managementSelf esteemCoping with life changes
8 years of experience

Quen Freeman is a psychotherapist licensed in California with 6 years of therapeutic practice experience. She's experienced in helping clients with stress and anxiety, coping with grief and loss, anger management, motivation, self esteem, and confidence building. Quen believes that you are the expert of your story and that you have many strengths that will assist you in overcoming things that challenge you. Quen practices a brief therapy model (6-8 weeks) utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness-based protocols to share tools that you can use immediately to meet your therapy goals and ideally improve your day-to-day life experiences. It takes courage to seek out a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps toward change. I am here to support & empower you on your journey.

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Shoshana Levine

Offering therapy in California
License: LCSW, C.Ht.
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseGriefSelf esteem
27 years of experience

I am licensed in California as a Clinical Social Worker with 27 years of professional work experience. I graduated from Stony Brook University School of Social Welfare. I have been in private practice helping clients with depression, stress and anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, & coping with grief and loss. Using an approach to psychotherapy that is both holistic and traditional, it is my goal to help you heal the wounds of your past in order to be able to live a fuller and happier life in the present. The first step in the process of healing is to help you find the origins of your wounds. I believe in healing your emotional, psychological and spiritual pain thereby integrating your body, mind and soul and bringing you back to your authentic self. I use Psychotherapy /Talk Therapy, including the modalities of Heart Centered Hypnotherapy (HCH), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). These modalities provide the tools to help you discover the wholeness that exists within you and help to purge the body of pain, sadness, old grief, guilt and any negative feelings or emotions. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. With your input, as therapy is a collaborative effort between the therapist and the client, I help you to formalize a treatment plan that is tailored 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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Mie Lynn Tsuchimoto

Offering therapy in California
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesSelf esteemCoachingADHD
23 years of experience

I have been licensed in California with 23 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, relationship issues, motivation, self esteem, and confidence, & executive and professional coaching. 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 seeking a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage. I am here to support you in that process.

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Jazmin Sepulveda

Offering therapy in California
Stress, AnxietyTrauma and abuseSelf esteemBipolar disorderDepression
7 years of experience

I am licensed in California with 3 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, trauma and abuse, motivation, self esteem, and confidence, & bipolar disorder. 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!

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Aseel Ross

Offering therapy in California
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsDepressionCompassion fatigue
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, relationship issues, family conflicts, & depression. 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.

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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