Find Therapists, Counselors and Psychologists in Palo Alto, California
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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Disclaimer:
The information presented on this page has been compiled by our editorial team as well as via data feeds provided to us by partners. Although we make every effort to keep it up-to-date, misrepresentations and inaccuracies in the data are possible. We recommend that you contact the providers listed below directly to verify any information that may be of interest to you. Some of the therapists listed here pay referral fees to this website, which helps us fund the considerable work involved in collecting and maintaining all this data. This information is subject to change at any time and we take no responsibility for its accuracy.
I am a marriage & family therapist licensed in California with over 25 years of experience working primarily with adult men and women of various cultures. I have worked with clients that have experienced a wide range of challenges including depression, anxiety, relationship issues, addiction, and trauma. (including multi-generational trauma). My style is warm and collaborative and I utilize humor when it is appropriate to do so. I integrate the body, mind &... Read More
I am a marriage & family therapist licensed in California with over 25 years of experience working primarily with adult men and women of various cultures. I have worked with clients that have experienced a wide range of... Read More
Hi, I am a licensed family therapist with the state of California. I have six years of experience. I am also a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional which means I am trained to help those who have experienced trauma, grief and/or loss. Along with trauma, I have experience with anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, self-esteem problems and those road bumps in life we all face. Sometimes we feel stuck, not sure which direction we should... Read More
Hi, I am a licensed family therapist with the state of California. I have six years of experience. I am also a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional which means I am trained to help those who have experienced trauma,... Read More
My name is Jack Gershfeld, and I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I have over 6 years of experience in the field of mental health and currently operate a private counseling practice in Fullerton, California. I work with individuals and couples who experience relationship distress and are yearning to find a way to re-connect and feel close to each other again. I teach in Pepperdine University, Chapman University and am... Read More
My name is Jack Gershfeld, and I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I have over 6 years of experience in the field of mental health and currently operate a private counseling practice in Fullerton, California. I work... Read More
Throughout our lives, we are faced with many challenges and counseling can help provide the tools needed to overcome these life obstacles in a healthy way. It is vitally important to the therapeutic process to find a therapist with whom you feel comfortable and trust. I hope to be this person for you. I believe that therapy is a collaboration and together we can focus on issues that may be negatively impacting your healthy development... Read More
Throughout our lives, we are faced with many challenges and counseling can help provide the tools needed to overcome these life obstacles in a healthy way. It is vitally important to the therapeutic process to find a therapist with whom... Read More
Hello, I am a licensed marriage and family therapist, inviting you to take a journey looking deeply inside of yourself. I have been licensed since 1989 , and obtained my masters degree in clinical psychology in 1985. Since then I have worked in a variety of settings, including inpatient and outpatient mental treatment, and with different populations. I currently mostly work with adults suffering from anxiety and affective disorders. I attended the University of... Read More
Hello, I am a licensed marriage and family therapist, inviting you to take a journey looking deeply inside of yourself. I have been licensed since 1989 , and obtained my masters degree in clinical psychology in 1985. Since then... Read More
WHY DO I DO WHAT I DO?... I understand how hard it is to face crisis and conflict. I felt, from my own experience, a unique support and empowerment, which helped me realize my own passion for learning about individual experiences and helping others through everyday struggles. HOW DID I GET HERE?... I started my journey late. I didn’t realize where my dream was taking me until after I had children. I was a stay at home mom... Read More
WHY DO I DO WHAT I DO?... I understand how hard it is to face crisis and conflict. I felt, from my own experience, a unique support and empowerment, which helped me realize my own passion for learning about individual experiences... Read More
My goal as a therapist is to help clients navigate through some of the darker, more difficult times we experience as humans. I help provide clarity on murky situations and provide a non-biased sounding board to clients who are struggling. A lot of my techniques and tools as a therapist come from a Cognitive Behavioral (CBT) framework and solution-focused. I utilize a narrative approach, which is the belief that people are the... Read More
My goal as a therapist is to help clients navigate through some of the darker, more difficult times we experience as humans. I help provide clarity on murky situations and provide a non-biased sounding board to clients who are... Read More
Hello, and welcome! I am a licensed clinical psychologist/neuropsychologist in California (PSY#31004). I am experienced in providing short-term and long-term psychotherapy in a variety of settings, including community mental health, university clinics, inpatient psychiatric settings, general hospitals, and outpatient clinics. I combine my extensive training in evidence-based modalities - including cognitive-behavioral, dialectical-behavioral, acceptance-based, and mindfulness-based approaches - with warmth and empathy to develop a plan and provide care tailored to your unique background, presentation, and... Read More
Hello, and welcome! I am a licensed clinical psychologist/neuropsychologist in California (PSY#31004). I am experienced in providing short-term and long-term psychotherapy in a variety of settings, including community mental health, university clinics, inpatient psychiatric settings, general hospitals, and outpatient clinics.... Read More
Hello and welcome to BetterHelp! My name is Shallymar Bender and I have been working as a therapist for 5 years. I earned my Masters in Social Work in California in 2013 and have practiced in California since. I have experience in working with children ages 0-21 in individual and group settings, as well as working with parents to provide parenting skills and techniques to help achieve the child's goals. I have worked with... Read More
Hello and welcome to BetterHelp! My name is Shallymar Bender and I have been working as a therapist for 5 years. I earned my Masters in Social Work in California in 2013 and have practiced in California since. I... Read More
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.
