Therapists for college students near San Diego State University

Hi, my name is Yu-Nien (Pulinda). I am a board certified Licensed Clinical Social Worker (APU '21) who's worked with individuals from diverse backgrounds and across a wide range of ages. I enjoying working with clients from various walks of life. My clients are often experiencing difficulties coping with emotions, feeling confused about their distress, desiring a space for authenticity and warmth, and a nonjudgmental environment. I welcome all who are experiencing various struggles in life and will support you on taking the first step towards healing. My approach is integrative and tailored to each client's unique circumstances and life experiences. The therapeutic modalities I commonly draw from include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Grief Therapy, Mindfulness-Based approaches, and Psychodynamic Therapy. As a Taiwanese bilingual (English and Mandarin) social worker, I believe in meeting clients where they are and honoring their unique experiences. Through our journey together, I will walk alongside you as you build resilience, deepen self-understanding, and develop practical tools for lasting growth and healing. 您好，我是妤寧(Pulinda)，持有加州認證Licensed Clinical Social Worker執照。在我的臨床工作經驗中，我曾與來自不同背景及各年齡層的個案合作，因此特別關注每一位來談者的獨特性，也享受了解個案不同的人生歷程與生活經驗。我發現許多個案前來尋求協助，是因為他們正在面對情緒調適上的困難、對自身的情緒困擾感到困惑，或渴望擁有一個能夠真誠表達自我、被理解、並感受到溫暖與接納的空間。我希望能提供一個不帶批判且安全的環境，讓個案能自在地探索自己的經驗與內在世界。在壓力源無處不在的世界，我們可以一起溫柔的面對焦慮、憂鬱、創傷及失去，一起消化，找到跟練習適合您的情緒穩定方法，強大您的心理能量。 我的治療取向採整合式方法，並依據每位個案獨特的處境、需求與生命經驗量身調整。我常運用的治療模式包括接納與承諾治療（Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, ACT）、認知行為治療（Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, CBT）、悲傷與失落治療、正念取向介入，以及心理動力治療（Psychodynamic Therapy）。我相信有意義的改變建立於治療關係中的平等關係，因此我會與個案密切合作，確保治療方向符合其目標、價值觀與需求。我也特別著重找回每個來談者的自我共情（self-compassion），這也是更能療癒自己的方法之一。 我來自台灣，所以能夠流利的用英文及國語跟您合作。但我也在其他不同國家生活及移民過，所以我體會過在不同文化環境跟關係中適應和尋找自我的過程。我會考量到每位個案所處的人生階段及困擾，並尊重其獨特的生命經驗。如果我們有緣合作，我將陪伴在您身旁，協助您建立心理韌性、深化自我理解，並找到實用的，以促進持續的成長與療癒。我歡迎所有正面臨人生挑戰的人，並願意陪伴您踏出療癒旅程的第一步。

I utilize techniques to help alleviate symptoms, keep you grounded in the present, challenge unhelpful thoughts and work on plans for a more hopeful future. I work with adults. I offer a BIPOC & safe place. My therapeutic approach is strength-based, building on self-care and mindfulness. My focus is treatment for the whole person; integrating practices in Cognitive Behavior Therapy, EMDR, mindfulness, and strengthening your innate resilience. I am a therapist at Octave, a behavioral health practice creating a new standard for mental health care that’s both high-quality and accessible. To learn more about my availability, please reach out to our Client Experience team by emailing or calling.

Are feeling overwhelmed or stressed from school, work, extracurriculars, finances, and everything else? I’m a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California, and I specialize in helping college women manage stress and heal from trauma with compassionate, evidence-based care. With a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from Azusa Pacific University, I bring experience from residential treatment centers, school-based programs, and nonprofit organizations. I provide therapy for trauma, anxiety, depression, and life transitions, always with a trauma-informed and culturally responsive approach. I incorporate evidence-based therapies such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, and Faith-Based Therapy for clients seeking a spiritual lens. I’m also trained in EMDR therapy for clients looking to process and heal from traumatic experiences.

I do this work because I am committed to liberation for all people. I believe that none of us are free until ALL of us are free. I am a queer and nonbinary therapist who brings a queer and intersectional lens to my work. I specialize in holding space for life transitions and know how to act as a guide to your personal revelations. I prioritize trauma informed care, and I have been told that I know how to hold a strong container for clients to discover their own inner wisdom and knowing. As survivor of trauma and Intimate Partner Violence, I specialize in helping clients find and trust their own intuition. I have lived experience as a queer and nonbinary person who came out later in life. I am trained in Internal Family Systems (Level 1) and EMDR. I've been doing my own IFS work for 4 years and firmly believe that at the core of every human being is the desire to heal. Fat-friendly, kink and polyamory informed. You already know the way! You have innate wisdom born out of your experiences and intuition. I'm here to help you learn to trust yourself and to be a compassionate witness to your self-discovery. However you show up in session is ok: you don't have to mask or sit still. I meet clients where they are with warmth and curiosity.

Since I could remember, I knew that I wanted to be in a field that would give me the opportunity to help others. I chose to be a psychology major for many reasons but one of them is because I found psychology very interesting and fascinating. I also discover that being genuinely interested in people, wanting to help and having the ability to easily connect with others were strengths that would help me in my journey of being able to help others. I have a passion for helping clients enhance their personal strengths, develop coping skills for them to thrive during difficult times, life transitions and needed change. One of the most important thing for me as a therapist is on providing a safe environment to my clients. I do it by being genuine, empathetic and compassionate. I also use actively listening to really understand the client’s perspective on their situations, and also what they want out of treatment. One question that I found important is to ask my client about their previous experiences in therapy and what was something that they did not like or liked in order to understand more what they might need from out therapeutic relationship. I like working collaboratively with my clients to build healthier relationships with themselves and others. I truly believe that people are the experts of their lives. Using compassion, active listening, kindness and a collaborative approach has helped my clients feel safer in our sessions while working together. When leaving our sessions, clients will have a roadmap for their healing and personal development journey. Through out our work together, clients will feel empower, motivate and hopeful that they can improve and achieve their treatment goals.

As a bicultural clinician, I welcome all variations of cultural expression and enjoy working with members of both the BIPOC community and the LGBTQ community. In this therapy journey, you will find me as a friendly, accepting guide who will work with you to find healing and hope. I believe firmly in the importance of a relationship and connection with your therapist as a vehicle for healing and lasting change. As we walk together, I will take care to employ a trauma-informed lens since I believe our pasts have a profound impact on our present and our future. Using this trauma-informed lens, I will be mindful of your current triggers, taking care to move at a pace that feels right to you while also empowering you to take steps toward your future goals. While Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) inform my core approach, I also frequently incorporate practices for mindfulness and self-compassion and techniques from art therapy and Sandtray play therapy into treatment. I am an EMDR-certified therapist through EMDRIA. I am a therapist at Octave, a behavioral health practice creating a new standard for mental health care that’s both high-quality and accessible. To learn more about my availability, please reach out to our Client Experience team by emailing or calling.

As a licensed psychologist with over ten years of clinical training and experience, I have had the great fortune of supporting individuals from all walks of life who are working to make peace with their past, to connect with their present, and to build hope about their future. I work with adults of all backgrounds and orientations. My Approach… I strive to provide tailored support for my clients as they address issues like anxiety, depression, addiction, past trauma, communication issues, anger management, symptoms of serious mental illness, adjustment and decision-making issues, and relationship problems. Using an individualized, nonjudgmental approach, I will work with you collaboratively on building support, creating healthy independence, developing self-compassion and self-acceptance, clarifying values, and identifying goals for improving coping, fulfillment, and self-concept.

I work with college students navigating life’s many transitions, offering a supportive space to process challenges and build resilience. Whether you’re adjusting to college life, managing academic stress, or facing uncertainty about your next steps, I provide a warm, collaborative approach tailored to your needs. I also specialize in supporting women through a range of experiences, including identity shifts, relationships, fertility journeys, pregnancy, and postpartum adjustment. My goal is to help you feel understood, empowered, and better equipped to move forward with confidence.

Using a compassionate and client-centered approach, I support each person in working toward their goals at a pace that feels right for them. I prioritize understanding what you want to get out of therapy and I work with you to develop a plan to get there. Insight is an important part of therapy, and I balance this with helping you find ways to actually see changes in your life and relationships. Working with me will feel like we are actually "getting somewhere". I describe my style as open-minded, warm and empowering. I also like therapy to feel like a natural conversation and my personality is naturally grounded and down to earth. Clients often share with me that I'm able to accurately capture and reflect how they are feeling, and they also appreciate my willingness to challenge their stuck points. My approach is all about supporting you in gaining a deeper understanding of yourself, while also finding the courage to change old patterns that are no longer serving you.

I work with my clients to create an open, trusting and safe environment where anything can be shared. My approach to therapy is to work collaboratively with clients to build a strong therapeutic alliance. In my practice, I use different therapeutic approaches depending on what works best for the client, including client-centered therapy (being congruent with the client, providing unconditional positive regard, and empathic understanding), a biopsychosocial approach, and/or Solution Focused Therapy. I believe that clients want to change, are the experts in their own desires and goals, and have the resources and inner strengths to overcome their mental health issues. My goal is to assist clients to move towards a future that they want by successfully addressing any issues that they might be facing or having difficulty resolving. I'm a therapist with Octave and Evernorth Behavioral Care Group. Octave is a mental health practice providing high-quality care covered by multiple insurances. Evernorth Behavioral Care Group is a behavioral health provider group in-network with Cigna Healthcare and Evernorth. For my availability, please reach out to Octave’s team by emailing or calling.

As we all know, life brings us different experiences and stressors. Such stressors can affect how we function at work, school, within our relationships and self-esteem. Allow me to work with you during this time of difficulty. I’ve had the privilege of working in this field for the past 5.5 years and have found it very rewarding. My therapeutic style is tailored to the individual and their strengths while using the following approaches: strength based, solution focus, mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy. I truly believe with the right coaching, exploring, processing and guidance, we are able to overcome many of our life stressors. I'm a therapist with Octave and Evernorth Behavioral Care Group. Octave is a mental health practice providing high-quality care covered by multiple insurances. Evernorth Behavioral Care Group is a behavioral health provider group in-network with Cigna Healthcare and Evernorth. For my availability, please reach out to Octave’s team by emailing or calling.

I strive to be somewhat directive, engaging, and informative. I see my therapy style as being a catalyst for change, but the patient/client is doing the hard work to bring about desired changes in their life. I'm a therapist with Octave and Evernorth Behavioral Care Group. Octave is a mental health practice providing high-quality care covered by multiple insurances. Evernorth Behavioral Care Group is a behavioral health provider group in-network with Cigna Healthcare and Evernorth. For my availability, please reach out to Octave’s team by emailing or calling.

The backbone of my work is relational – meaning, the relationship between us is at the core of therapy. My training and experience have led me to believe that therapy is not "one size fits all", nor is it one therapist fits all. I will approach your situation, open to discovering what kind of therapeutic relationship will work for you at this time. I have training and experience in the following methods: CBT, Trauma Focused CBT, PCIT, and Narrative Therapy. After a thorough assessment, I typically like to collaborate with clients on the method that would work best considering the symptoms. In a typical session, clients can expect to feel heard and validated while tackling goals towards a happier life.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

When people are challenged with changes that affect the ability to manage stressors, there comes a time for positive change and support. I am passionate about focusing on the healing process, whether it involves the challenges of exploring maladaptive behaviors or the triggers of trauma. I help my clients, who include children, adults, and families to find healthy coping mechanisms and self-autonomy which will lead to positive perceptions. This, in turn, creates personal identification and self-worth, thus creating healthy relationships. I have been in the field of social services for the past 26 years and practicing therapy for the past 10 years with extensive and diverse work with children and adults. There is not one single approach for each individual, so I have trained in different modalities to tailor to the needs of those seeking help. This includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution-focused therapy, Narrative Therapy, background with trauma focused approach, Seeking Safety (modality for trauma and substance abuse) training, anger management, and play therapy for children. The therapeutic relationship is essential in the beginning stages of sessions because my purpose is to assist the individual in therapy to change his or her life for the better. This involves developing trust, respect, and congruence with empathy and genuineness. I'm a therapist with Octave and Evernorth Behavioral Care Group. Octave is a mental health practice providing high-quality care covered by multiple insurances. Evernorth Behavioral Care Group is a behavioral health provider group in-network with Cigna Healthcare and Evernorth. For my availability, please reach out to Octave’s team by emailing or calling.

I was inspired to work in mental health care by my father. My father raised me and we were very close. He would always pick me up from school and take me out for ice cream. It was our quality time together where he would encourage me to talk about my day at school. This was the first example of what it was to experience talk therapy. I learned at a young age the importance of self-expression and having someone there to listen to you and validate you. As I got older, I valued my connections that could be built between people when they have friendly conversation or engage in deep conversations. By high school, I knew I wanted to work in the mental health field. When I engage in therapy with you, I will make you feel valued and heard by allowing you to discuss your needs and wants throughout the entire process. You are the Pilot and I am your co-pilot. This is your time, space and therapy session. We will engage in treatment planning together. Our first session will look like me getting an opportunity to know you and what brings you to therapy. I want to know all the things that are going right in your life and what are some of your favorite hobbies and activities you like to engage in. We will work together every step of the way when engaging in treatment planning and what your main focus needs will be. I am also very humorous and feel laughter is the best type of medicine so at times you will find entertainment, but I will be very informative as well. I am also vulnerable, so you will see I will be able to hold space for your tears if needed.

Who I am I am a dual board-certified nurse practitioner in psychiatric mental health and family medicine primary care. I am deeply committed to helping individuals facing complex mental health challenges. I provide medication management for adults and children. I prioritize creating a safe, non-judgmental environment for personalized, patient-centered care. My goal is to be your trusted partner on the journey to mental well-being, providing support, understanding, and guidance for a fulfilling life. I am committed to being your trusted partner on this transformative journey. Our First Session Our initial session will be a collaborative discussion. We'll begin by getting to know each other and exploring the specific mental health concerns you're currently experiencing. This will allow us to develop a personalized treatment plan to address your unique needs. My greatest strengths As a dual-certified Psychiatric and Family Nurse Practitioner, I offer comprehensive mental health care for a wide range of conditions, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and addiction. With experience working with diverse populations, I understand the unique challenges faced by individuals from various backgrounds. I'm committed to providing evidence-based treatment tailored to your specific needs, and I'm passionate about helping you achieve optimal mental health and well-being. Frequently Asked Questions What is your approach to care? *Trust and collaboration are central to treatment. I work with you to create a personalized, evidence-based plan that considers your symptoms, medical history, goals, and preferences. Care is structured, thoughtful, and focused on long-term stability and functional improvement. What conditions do you treat? *Telehealth psychiatric services are provided for: ADHD; Anxiety disorders; Depression; Bipolar disorder; Trauma-related conditions (including PTSD);Sleep concerns; Mood regulation difficulties All care follows current clinical guidelines and best practices. What medications do you prescribe? *Non-controlled psychiatric medications may be prescribed when clinically appropriate. Treatment is individualized and monitored closely for safety and effectiveness. Do you prescribe stimulants or benzodiazepines? *No. Controlled substances are not prescribed, including: ADHD stimulants (e.g., Adderall, Vyvanse, Ritalin), Benzodiazepines (e.g., Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin) This policy aligns with federal and state telehealth prescribing regulations. What services are not provided? *This practice does not provide documentation or evaluations for: Disability, FMLA, SSI, Work or school accommodations, Court or legal matters, Emotional Support Animal (ESA) letters, DMV, FAA, or capacity evaluations, Fit-for-duty or surgical clearance, Workers’ compensation, Military or travel clearance Services are limited to psychiatric evaluation and medication management. How does telehealth work? *You will receive a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation followed by structured follow-up visits to monitor progress, adjust treatment, and ensure safe, evidence-based care.

* I'm licensed in Louisiana and California and would love to work with you virtually by FaceTime, Zoom, or phone. Reach out at 504-261-4443 (text) * I am in-network for many health plans for students from California through Headway Therapy. You only pay your copay through the portal. Start here: https://headway.co/providers/lisa-tahir-3?utm_source=pem&utm_medium=direct_link&utm_campaign=63753 * I am a Tulane Alum and teach in the Glass Art Department. * Check out my podcast, "All Things Therapy" on Spotify and iTunes * I've written a book on self-forgiveness and empathy endorsed by His Holiness The Dalai Lama, "The Chiron Effect: Healing Our Core Wounds through Astrology, Empathy, and Self-Forgiveness." Give me a text to 504-261-4443 to start your healing journey!

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

My ideal client is someone who is ready for self-exploration and personal growth, whether they are struggling with depression, anxiety, ADHD, self-esteem issues, or trauma. They seek a safe, supportive space to better understand themselves, overcome challenges, and develop healthier coping strategies. They aspire to improve their mental well-being, gain deeper self-awareness, and make lasting, positive changes in their life. Together, we’ll work toward helping them unlock their full potential and create a more fulfilling, balanced life. I can help by providing a supportive space to explore and address your challenges. Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, and Psychoanalytic Therapy, I’ll help you uncover the root causes of your struggles, shift unhelpful thought patterns, and develop strategies to improve your emotional well-being and create lasting change. I know reaching out for support can feel like a tough step, but you don’t have to face it alone. I provide a straightforward, supportive space where we can tackle your challenges head-on and make real, lasting changes. If you're ready to take control of your journey and level up, I invite you to take that first step with me.