La Mesa, California Therapists

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

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Debbie Cherry
LMFT, MS
Teletherapy for Clients In:

Florida, California

After working with hundreds of clients for over 20 years as a therapist, master coach, and entrepreneur... I can tell you that trusting yourself is the key to success. Clients see improvements quickly by implementing strategies based on modern...
Dr. Kaggie
Ph.D., Psy.D.
Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

K-Psych is a group practice with experienced clinicians focused on providing the best counseling experience for our clients. Our experience enables us to offer effective outpatient, individualized, psychological care. We treat a number of mental...
Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

Hi! I am so happy you are here and I am even more excited to work with you. Our agency offers affordable telehealth therapy. We are dedicated to decreasing depression, anxiety, self esteem, trauma, and relationship issues while increasing happiness,...
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...
Janee Young
LMFT, LMFT-Supervisor
Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

Hey there! I'm Janee Young, a licensed marriage and family therapist at Confidence and Clarity. I'm here to help you rock your confidence and discover the inner clarity you've been searching for. With a quirky and compassionate approach, my toolkit...
Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

Are you unsatisfied with one or more areas of your life? I partner with my clients to empower them to make the changes necessary to bring their realities in line with the lives they truly want. In this way, I collaborate with each individual,...
Teletherapy for Clients In:

California, Idaho

Therapy can be uncomfortable for some, but I am committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all my patients. Some of my areas of expertise include: Individuals: I can help you work through issues of anger, anxiety, depression and...
Aeron Hart
LMFT, MA
In-Person Sessions:

Santa Barbara, California

Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

I tend to work well with individuals that feel deeply, are highly sensitive to their environment, empathic, and who struggle to connect with themselves and their own needs, often putting others first. Someone interested in re-routing some of their...
Teletherapy for Clients In:

California, Washington, D.C.

Tired of feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or stuck in life? Are you going through your days on autopilot, with no clear direction on where you’re going? Or even if you do know what you want, are you feeling helpless or hopeless about things getting...
Aleksandra Drecun
Psy.D., MA
In-Person Sessions:

San Diego, California

Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

Dr. Aleksandra Drecun, Psy.D., is the founder of Association for Compassionate Transformation. She is a licensed psychologist who has a profound passion and derives immense gratitude from assisting individuals, couples and families in realizing...
Catherine Ferrari
LMFT, LPCC
In-Person Sessions:

Corona, California

I specialize in individual, couples, family, and child therapy. I manage a private practice in Corona, California. I am able to help with a variety of issues that include trauma resolution, cancer support, parenting concerns, ADHD, behavioral...
In-Person Sessions:

Berkeley, California

Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

I realized early on that the world isn’t “made” for any one of us. We each have to create our own way of thinking and getting things done. And it is with pride and joy that I have helped countless clients do just that for well over two...
In-Person Sessions:

San Diego, California

At the beginning of my work, I practiced what is called the ‘eclectic approach’, which uses different techniques depending on the client. Meanwhile, over the last 20 years I discovered cognitive therapy consistently resulted in more effective...
Suzanne Riedel
LMFT, EMDR
In-Person Sessions:

Orange, California

Sometimes, self-acceptance comes with some obstacles. Trauma, secrets, life stressors and messages we’ve received throughout life leave us feeling inadequate or lost. As an individual, couple or family, it takes courage to begin a journey toward...
In-Person Sessions:

Los Angeles, California

I  am a licensed psychotherapist in private practice. My practice is built around a strong belief in human resilience and intrinsic capacity to overcome challenges. Without this belief I would not be able to impact lives of so many. I feel...
Jennifer Rickard
LMFT, LMFT-Supervisor, MS
In-Person Sessions:

San Diego, California

Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

Are you seeking support in moving through a life or relational challenge? Sometimes we all need support in finding creative solutions or building strong relationships. I would enjoy supporting you in taking steps to achieve your goals. I will help...
Tessa Magill
MS, LMFT
In-Person Sessions:

Ventura, California

My name is Tessa Magill, and I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist practicing in Ojai and Ventura, Ca. I work with individuals who are experiencing stress, are in a life transition or are struggling to manage their current set of...
In-Person Sessions:

Brentwood, California

Kristin M. Palmer is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in Emotionally Focused Therapy for individuals, couples and familys.  As a graduate of Phillips Graduate Institute, and with over 15 years experience, she...
Marci Reiss
LCSW, DSW
In-Person Sessions:

Los Angeles, California

There are so many therapists out there, so how do you find the therapist that is right for you? It starts with expertise – who has the expertise to treat the conditions you find the most challenging? Most therapists can treat anxiety and...
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...
In-Person Sessions:

Sierra Madre, California

Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

Rubina is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Registered Play Therapist. She has a private practice at Sync Counseling Center in Sierra Madre. She received her Masters of Arts in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Clinical...
Teletherapy for Clients In:

California

I am a marriage and family therapist from Southern California with 10 years of experience working in private practice. Throughout my career, I've worked in different settings with many populations, including providing treatment to clients with...
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

Welcome to Meridian Counseling! My name is Sandra Kushnir and I am Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I always knew my purpose in life was to one day create a program that helps others, de-stigmatizes mental health, and guides others towards...

An Overview of Mental Health in La Mesa, California

La Mesa, California is a suburb of San Diego centrally located in San Diego County.  The city is the Jewel of the Hills. With an almost perfect climate, fun trolleys, and public stairways, citizens enjoy walking the tree-lined streets. A quaint downtown village of commercial shops and restaurants makes La Mesa one of San Diego’s top-ten suburbs.

The Spanish name, La Mesa, refers to a plateau; however, along with the other towns and cities in the San Diego area, mental health services have fallen below previous plateaus. La Mesa has recently mounted an aggressive program to reduce obesity in its community. Its proximity to the city of San Diego may provide some of La Mesa’s mental health care needs for those who have insurance.

La Mesa Demographics

La Mesa’s population is 60,021 and represents the ethnic diversity found in California. The largest racial percentage is White at 75.5 percent, followed by Hispanic at 10.9 percent, Black at 9.0 percent, Asian at 7.8 percent, and Mixed at 6.4 percent. Those who identify as Other were at 1.3 percent. About 76.0 percent of La Mesa residents speak English, while 1.43 percent speak Spanish, followed by Asian languages at 4.5 percent, Indo-European languages at 4.0 percent, and Mixed at 1.2 percent.

Native Americans represent the largest number of divorced and separated individuals at 22.3 percent and 8.4 percent. Those with the least number of divorced individuals are Hawaiian at 6.0 percent. The poverty rate in La Mesa overall is 12.63 percent.

Challenges in Acquiring Psychiatric Treatment Facilities

San Diego County received a large influx of Medi-Cal patients when the Affordable Care Act added mental care as a mandatory insurance rider. Although increasing mental health service access is laudable, the reality is a shortage of psychiatric long-term treatment facility placement that has increased with the new demand. Providers are also in short supply.

Two mental health facilities closed, adding to the shortage of beds. State law does not allow psychiatric hospitals to bill Medi-Cal directly for charges; thus, the incentive to build psychiatric hospitals has been low. Medicaid has moved to allow stand-alone psychiatric hospitals to receive direct reimbursements. Medi-Cal is the same as Medicaid; California uses a different name for the program. People on Medi-Cal who need long-term mental health treatment should see improvements coming soon in access to psychiatric beds.

Senior Mental Health Issues

As the population ages, older adults live alone. They may develop mental conditions needing treatment because of loneliness, the death of a spouse, and paranoia or exacerbation of a pre-existing mental condition as they struggle to deal by themselves with poverty, physical deconditioning, disease processes, and the inability to access help.

People in the community want to assist desperate elders, but family members or neighbors can feel overwhelmed. They do not have the qualifications to offer the type of help needed by these fragile elders.

San Diego County’s Health & Human Services Agency is addressing issues for seniors who need specialized mental health care. The agency created a Senior Mental Health Team for people 60 years of age or older who need crisis assessment for mental health problems.

For those who are concerned about an isolated family member or neighbor, social workers, and nurses on the Senior Mental Health Team create a care plan to keep a vulnerable elder safe and allow the person to remain independent. The team provides education to seniors and those who are interested in helping.

The team preserves confidentiality for clients and those who contact them about people of concern. Indications that an older person may need help include:

  • Depression or anxiety, including panic states
  • Wishing to die or making a suicide plan
  • Substance abuse through prescription medication or alcohol
  • Marked change in behavior
  • Inability to function in daily tasks
  • Wandering away from home and needing help to find the way back
  • Expressing fearful thoughts or seeing things/hearing noises that are not thee
  • Rapid onset of memory loss and confusion
  • Changes in speech (unrecognizable) from mental or physical illness
  • Bruises or other signs of frequent falls