Palo Alto, California Therapists

Find a therapist in Palo Alto, California that meets your needs. Browse our comprehensive list of affordable and licensed therapists in Palo Alto to find a professional specializing in counseling people with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, grief and more.

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Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

My name is Angela Grau and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. My practice is centered around the idea that the most important relationship we have is with ourselves. It is crucial that we explore this relationship with authenticity, curiosity...
Annia Raysberg
BA Psych, MA Psych, LMFT
In-Person Sessions:

Oakland, California

Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

I am a licensed Psychotherapist (MFC 52922) in the state of California.  I work with individuals who are 18 and over in a private practice setting.  I provide therapy over video for those who are unable to meet me at my office, on a case-by-case...
Tomilu Stuart
LMFT, MA
In-Person Sessions:

San Jose, California

Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

My experience in education and training is in Nursing and Psychology. I started working as a psychotherapist in 2007 as an intern. I attended JFKU and graduated in 2009. Before graduation, while still an intern I took training from the EMDR...
Dr. Angela Krumm
PhD, Psychologist
Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

Are you interested in setting specific goals and learning tools to improve your life? I am trained in a model of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) developed by David Burns, M.D. My counseling style is compassionate, but also directive and active. I...
In-Person Sessions:

San Jose, California

Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

I have had a private practice located in the South Bay Area since 1997, where I see individuals, couples and families. Over the years I worked with hundreds of kids and families in various communities of the San Jose area. My work began with highly...
Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

I am a licensed Clinical Social Worker in California. I have over 20 years of experience working within Child Welfare, Adoptions, and Mental Health.
Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

Asya is a mindfulness-based therapist specializing in guiding individuals and families through the ups and downs of parenting, the challenges of relationships, and life transitions. Asya's approach to psychotherapy is based on kindness, compassion,...
Iris Cohen
MFT, EFT
In-Person Sessions:

Los Altos, California

Coming from another country, I am very aware of sensitive issues related to cultural differences. Therefore, I incorporate an open-minded approach when working with couples, parents and children's relationship issues, low self-esteem, anxiety, and...
Leslie Baker
LMFT, MA
In-Person Sessions:

Pleasanton, California

Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

Licensed since 1991, Leslie as a family counselor has over twenty years of experience in the field of psychotherapy. She graduated Magna cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Child Development/Family Studies from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo....
Dorothy Kaufmann
LMFT, Ph.D
In-Person Sessions:

Oakland, California

I am an older therapist engaged in my second career. In my previous life in higher education (PhD, Columbia University), I taught and wrote in the humanities, which I see as informing my present vocation. I grew up in Queens, New York in a family of...
In-Person Sessions:

Oakland, California

Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

Are you ready to embody your life fully and fulfill your Soul potential? Independently of where are you in your life and how you got here, my purpose is to support you in your unique development and personal growth. For access to a more complete...
Marcella Cox
LMFT, MS
Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

Marcella Cox is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in treating eating disorders in the San Francisco Bay Area and is the Founder and Clinical Director of Kindful Body. Kindful Body provides in-person and online counseling in...
In-Person Sessions:

San Francisco, California

Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a practice in downtown San Francisco. I have a warm, relational approach. I help individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, relationship concerns, career questions, and family of origin issues. I...
Jacob Donnelly
LCSW, MSW
In-Person Sessions:

Berkeley, California

Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

Whether you want to get support around new changes in your life that are causing you pain and worry, or work through problems that have been with you for years, my goal is to help you feel relief, feel empowered, and adjust to the things that are...
In-Person Sessions:

San Francisco, California

You know something’s not right and may be ready to make some changes or at least begin exploring what those might be. Whether is through substances, food, relationships with others, self sabotaging your dreams, you are trying to deal with your...
In-Person Sessions:

Oakland, California

Hello! I am a queer artist, activist and therapist. I believe deeply in healing, and my practice as a therapist is one way I use my own healing journey to inform and create space for others to explore theirs. Therapy with me will focus on continuing...
Susan Cohn
LMFC, LCSW
In-Person Sessions:

Cupertino, California

The foundation of my approach is strategic therapy, which honors the uniqueness of each individual and their particular concerns. This approach emphasizes the resolution of problems in  a manner that is both individualized and practical I have been...
In-Person Sessions:

San Jose, California

Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

Leslie Gunterson is a sought after financial expert and strategist who after her second divorce completely remade her life after changing her internal beliefs about her worth, health, relationships, career, and her beliefs about money. Leslie's...
In-Person Sessions:

San Ramon, California

Mary Ruth Cross is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 25 years experience in the mental health field. She is an National Board Certified Counselor and a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor. Mary Ruth is the CEO/Owner of Treehouse...
Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

Helping You Become Your Best Self: none of us wants to struggle but even with our best intentions & efforts we can find ourselves stuck, confused & in a position of self-doubt. We are vulnerable to blaming ourselves when things go wrong...
Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

From acceptance of the present moment, psychotherapy is a step into the unknown. For a moment, you forget what you thought you knew about yourself, life and the world, and see what emerges. The role of the therapist is that of a companion,...
Katie Flach
LMFT, MS
In-Person Sessions:

San Jose, California

Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

Finding the right therapist for you can feel daunting! You might wonder if it's possible for someone to really get you and if opening up is worth the risk. I connect well with those who feel set apart from those around them or have difficulty...
Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

My name is Meenal Chaudhari. I have completed a MA in Counseling Psychology from Holistic Studies department, JFKU. This was my second masters. Prior to that I did a MA in Clinical Psychology from India and worked as a psychotherapist in India for...
Kathleen Stutz
MA, LMFT
In-Person Sessions:

Fairfield, California

I work with a wide range of emotional and behavioral issues providing services that span from therapy for depression, anxiety, and grief counseling to parenting support, couples counseling and beyond. I provide services to individuals, families,...

An Overview of Mental Health in Palo Alto, California

Across the United States, mental illness is creating a health crisis in all types of communities. While many demographics, such as minorities and the poor, are often disproportionately affected, mental illness can affect anyone regardless of age, race, class or gender. One example of its non-discriminatory nature is the city of Palo Alto, California.

Palo Alto at a Glance

Located in Santa Clara County, Palo Alto is an affluent community with a population of approximately 67,000 residents. Palo Alto is in the middle of Silicon Valley, a capital in the tech industry. It is home to some of the largest tech and social media companies in the world. Palo Alto itself is headquarters to a variety of large companies such as Tesla and HP. The median income for residents was over $147,000 in 2017. In contrast, the median income for the state of California was just under $72,000.

Palo Alto residents have a huge rate of higher education. This isn’t surprising considering the number of high-tech employers. Almost 30 percent of adults over the age of 25 possess a bachelor’s degree, while over 50 percent have earned a graduate degree.

Mental Health in Palo Alto

As previously mentioned, there is often concern regarding disadvantaged demographics not receiving the treatment they need for mental health. This is definitely the case in many areas of the country and is an issue that needs attention. For example, the issue of homelessness is often intertwined with the problems of mental health and substance abuse. However, mental illness is not solely a problem among the poverty-stricken. In fact, the opposite is often also true.

Youth Suicide Rate

Santa Clara County was the recent subject of an emergency epidemic investigation by the CDC regarding multiple strings of youth suicides. A “suicide cluster” refers to a group of suicides occurring within a short amount of time in a small geographical area. These generally occur a few times annually throughout the US. However, Palo Alto experienced two “clusters” within a decade – a serious cause for concern.

The CDC “Epi-Aid” report stated that between 2003 and 2015, the suicide rate for individuals aged 10 to 24 years old in Palo Alto was 14.1 per 100,000. While the larger city of San Jose (also located in Santa Clara County) had a higher count of suicides in the same age group, its rate per 100,000 was only 4.6.

Why would an affluent and successful community like Palo Alto be facing a suicide epidemic? Aside from its high income and education rates, the city also has very low unemployment and poverty rates, at 2.5 percent and 6 percent, respectively. It may be easy to think that such a community and its residents must “have it all.” In reality, there are many factors that could contribute to a mental health crisis there. Students may be facing a high level of pressure to perform well in school in order to live up to the area’s educational standard. Becoming an academic over-achiever is likely expected to be able to compete in a job market that is dominated by some of the most successful employers on earth. Stressors like these can contribute to mental illness just as easily as can financial insecurity or poor job markets.

Minorities

Another factor that often comes into play with mental health is race, and it appears that Palo Alto is no exception. Almost 55 percent of the city’s population is white, 32 percent is Asian, 7 percent is Hispanic and 1 percent is black. While each group certainly faces its own issues, the large Asian population is of particular interest in this case, because 40 percent of the “suicide cluster” victims were of Asian descent. With many parents in the area being immigrants, language and cultural barriers may complicate the acknowledgment of mental health problems.

Resources in Palo Alto

No matter your background, it is not uncommon to be affected by mental illness. Fear and stigma can make it difficult to reach out for help, but know that you are not alone. There are many others facing similar issues, and there are resources available to help you cope. The City of Palo Alto website has a list of resources for residents. Another resource you can utilize is E-Counseling. E-Counseling is an online directory designed to help you locate a mental health professional in your area who meets your personal needs. You can take the first step toward a happier, healthier you today.