Therapists for college students near San Francisco, CA
I specialize in women's mental health, postpartum and infertility treating trauma, anxiety and mood disorders. I provide individual, couple's and family therapy in my MIssion District office.
Hi! I’m Dr. Ruth Rayikanti, a Board-Certified Psychiatrist and the Founder of A Blank Canvas. My greatest passion is helping people find clarity, confidence, and deep inner peace so they can live life with intent, purpose and presence. I was raised in San Francisco and went to UC Davis for my undergraduate studies. After earning my medical degree at Ross University, I completed my psychiatry residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, followed by a year of specialized training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Kaiser Permanente. But beyond credentials, what truly defines my approach is that I take the time to listen to your story, understand your goals, and provide compassionate, evidence-based care tailored uniquely to you as a whole person. Throughout my career, I’ve worked with high-achieving individuals including students who are navigating life transitions, burnout, or feeling disconnected from themselves. Whether you’re managing ADHD, anxiety, depression, or simply seeking to connect with who you truly are, together we will explore solutions that create real, meaningful change in your life. Outside of my private practice, I founded A Blank Canvas, a wellness platform dedicated to mindfulness, inner peace, and peak performance. This space is designed to help individuals reconnect with themselves in a deeper way and realign with their purpose. I believe within each of us lies a blank canvas – a place of infinite potential waiting to be expressed. If you’re seeking a psychiatrist who sees you beyond your symptoms and will partner with you to create lasting transformation, I invite you to reach out. I look forward to connecting with you. Be well!
Many people begin therapy feeling emotionally exhausted, stuck, or unsure of where they belong. This can be especially true for those navigating multiple cultures, identities, and expectations at once. When family values, cultural norms, and personal needs don’t fully align, it’s common to feel pulled in different directions—or to quietly lose touch with yourself. Over time, this strain may show up as burnout, anxiety, relationship stress, or a lingering sense that something isn’t quite right, even if everything looks “fine” on the outside. I take a collaborative, culturally responsive approach to therapy that honors the complexity of your lived experience. I don’t believe there is one “right” way to feel, heal, or move forward—especially when identity, family dynamics, and cultural expectations play such a central role in your life. My work integrates evidence-based modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Emotion-Focused Therapy, family systems therapy, and person-centered approaches. Together, we will make sense of patterns shaped by your past experiences and relationships while building practical coping skills that support meaningful, sustainable change. I earned my Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of San Francisco. During graduate training, I completed my internship at Gateway Public Schools, where I worked with adolescents ages 11–18. In this role, I supported students navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, identity development, and a wide range of family-related and personal challenges, gaining hands-on experience working within complex systems that impact young people’s emotional well-being. Over time, clients often gain greater emotional clarity, self-trust, and a stronger sense of agency—feeling more empowered to live in ways that feel authentic rather than obligatory. Therapy is a space where you don’t have to choose between parts of yourself—you can bring all of you into the room. My goal is to create a supportive and affirming therapeutic space where you feel genuinely seen, heard, and understood. We will explore how family dynamics, identity development, and cultural influences have shaped your experiences, while also focusing on what matters most to you moving forward. Outside of therapy, I value humor, perspective, and taking meaningful chances in life. One quote that resonates with me is: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky — Michael Scott. This mindset reflects my belief in growth, courage, and the importance of showing up for yourself—even when the next step feels uncertain.
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)
Are you hard on yourself? Do you hold back from loved ones or struggle to accomplish things? It doesn't have to be this way. You’ve been struggling for a long time and you can change. Opening up can feel uncomfortable, but therapy can help you to a better path. You can get unstuck by disentangling from old patterns, imagining new possibilities, and connecting to what's most important. I have fourteen years of experience at UCSF helping patients to recover from moderate to severe mood symptoms and to more creatively participate in their lives. I also hold a credential in perinatal mental health. My psychotherapy practice is online or through walk and talk sessions in San Francisco parks. I’d like to help you see beyond this difficult moment. I’d love to help you enjoy your life more.
Dr. Victoria Meraz is a trauma informed psychologist passionate about supporting BIPOC, immigrants, women, and LGBTQ+ clients. She uses evidence-based approaches tailored to each client's unique needs and goals, creating a safe, inclusive space for healing and growth. Her work is grounded in cultural humility, empowerment, and personalized care.
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I'm a curious, compassionate depth-oriented therapist who loves people, and feels humbled and inspired each day by the clients I work with. I work with clients online anywhere in California and in person in San Francisco, CA. I most often work with young adults who are seeking support to reduce barriers in the way of living a more fulfilling life. Frequently my clients seek my support related to: eating disorders disordered eating body image concerns social anxiety self doubt, rumination, and indecisiveness trauma wanting a deeper sense of connection, community, and belonging college decisions, stress management navigating complicated family dynamics gender exploration and transitions
I aim to provide a supportive environment that fosters reflection and growth. I am trained to provide evidence-based treatment in a flexible manner and often pull from CBT and DBT concepts and interventions. My approach emphasizes not only the building of skills to address your mental health symptoms but also skill development in the areas of communication and conflict management toward improving relationships. While I value maintaining a generalist practice, I have special interests in working with and supporting athletes and those who identify as a member of a marginalized group. I am also invested in helping people to access care that is right for them, and will make every effort to provide additional resources/providers if I am not the right fit.
Welcome to my practice! We all face challenges in our lives. With those challenges come opportunities to choose how we respond. Some of the difficulties we face include adapting to a new school, job, or relationship, making new friends, and finding meaning in one's life. Other challenges are unique to the individual like discrimination, identity concerns, or trauma. I create a safe space for clients where I am present, genuine, and empathetic. Central to my approach is learning about my clients in a nonjudgmental, affirming way. I help clients develop a deeper understanding of how their past and current experiences influence their thoughts and reactions. The therapeutic interventions I use help clients develop skills to meet their challenges. Therapy is a collaboration that leads to enhanced self-awareness and effective problem-solving. With increased understanding, skills, support, and resources, we have more freedom to effectively cope in ways that are consistent with our values. Freedom means we are not repeating previous maladaptive patterns, allowing us to live the life we want, experiencing greater fulfillment and happiness.
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My mission on earth is to help people live authentic, fulfilling lives. There are many things holding us back from this way of being: patterns of thoughts and behaviors that no longer serve us, fear, depression, anxiety, shame, loneliness. In the virtual world we are more connected than ever, and we are also in a time of profound disconnection - from our body, ourself, others. Therapy is a great way to get connected. To start living the life you dream of. Perhaps to begin dreaming that a better life is possible. I'm here to walk with you on your journey every step of the way. Together, we will discover who you are and make a plan to get you where you want to be. Self-knowledge, acceptance, compassion, forgiveness, and change are not easy. But the end result is more freedom, possibility, and love. I'm ready to walk your journey with you. Are you ready? "There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path." ~Morpheus, "The Matrix"
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Many of the people I work with are Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) who are struggling to navigate multiple areas of their life like work, school, family, relationships, or the intersectionalities of their identities. Many talk about often feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or stuck. This then kicks off to what feels like a never ending cycle of confusion, frustration, depression, and anxiety. Therapy is an opportunity to find clarity and work through these obstacles to help people get their life back on track. My clients and I work together to develop more mindful behaviors to help lead a more meaningful and healthy life. People develop certain attitudes and perspectives based on their early life experiences to survive when they were younger. But these attitudes and perspectives are not helping now which is part of the reason why people might feel stuck. By looking at these attitudes and perspectives closely, people can learn to change how they talk to themselves, how they react to their emotions. and take more thoughtful actions to move forward towards a more authentic and fulfilling life. My practice integrates several evidence-based treatments such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis (CBTp), Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) that encompasses principles of person-centered, recovery-oriented, trauma-informed, multiculturalism, and strength-based values. With my compassionate, collaborative, non-judgmental, and down-to-earth style, therapy can address the things that are getting in the way of people’s life so that they can move forward. COMMON EXPERIENCES THAT I WORK WITH PEOPLE ON: - It feels like your mind is playing tricks on you - It feels like your eyes or ears are playing tricks on you - It feels like something odd is going on or hard to explain - Confused at times whether something is real or imaginary - You feel suspicious or mistrustful of others - It feels like you have little control over your thoughts - It feels like others can hear your thoughts or read your mind - Having thoughts or beliefs that you or others find strange - Race-related identity, culture, and intersectionality - Cultural and systemic trauma and oppression
Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.
Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.
I'm an integrative therapist, which means I pull from several different theoretical orientations. I utilize elements of humanistic, psycho-dynamic, attachment theory, and family systems. As an integrative therapist, I view each of my clients as an individual rather than a diagnosis. My style is direct, warm, and collaborative. I believe in the importance of the therapeutic alliance between therapist and client. The relationship that emerges between therapist and client is a powerful healing tool. I bring safety, empowerment, compassion, and a non-judgmental atmosphere to the therapeutic process, which allows you to explore all parts of yourself within a safe container.
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I am a Board Certified Psychiatrist with over 30 years of experience. I have worked with students since the 1990s in a variety of settings and most recently was the director of the Stanford student mental health program (2008-2017) then on staff (2017-2022). I treat a variety of conditions from anxiety and depression to ADHD and bipolar disorder. I also practice intensive short term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP).