Depression Therapists Available in San Diego
This page is for people in San Diego looking for online therapists who work with depression. Use it to compare clinicians by treatment approaches, experience with depression, language and cultural competency, and whether they offer video, phone, or messaging sessions. All therapists listed hold a California licence, which covers the whole state, so a clinician’s physical location inside California is not a barrier to working with you. Read profiles for therapy style, areas of focus, and any special training related to mood disorders to find providers who match your needs and preferences.
This is a partner link. We will earn a commission if you sign up through it, at no cost to you. It does not change what you pay or the order of the listings.
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1. Katherine Eldean, LMFT
Katherine Eldean, California LMFT focused on relationships and stress
Works with Stress, Anxiety · Addictions · Relationship · Trauma and abuse · Depression
Approaches Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) · Attachment-Based Therapy · Client-Centered Therapy
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2. Eileen Maxwel, LMFT
Licensed California Marriage and Family Therapist
Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Family · Parenting · Depression
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3. Patricia Riley, LCSW
California LCSW supporting relationships and life changes
Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Family · Parenting · Depression
Approaches Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) · Motivational Interviewing
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4. Michael Ames, LCSW
California LCSW with 35 years experience
Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Family · Self esteem · Depression
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5. Kendall Jones, LCSW
Compassionate therapist guiding personal growth
Works with Stress, Anxiety · LGBT · Trauma and abuse · Grief · Depression
Approaches Client-Centered Therapy · Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) · Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
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6. Linda Alcala, LMFT
Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Trauma and abuse · Parenting · Depression
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7. Blanca Nicassio, LMFT
California LMFT for stress anxiety and relationships
Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Anger · Self esteem · Depression
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8. Hyun Joo Kim, LMFT
Compassionate LMFT for relationships and trauma
Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Trauma and abuse · Self esteem · Depression
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9. Deana Porter, LMFT
California LMFT for relationships and families
Works with Relationship · Family · Trauma and abuse · Intimacy-related issues · Self esteem
Approaches Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) · Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) · Gottman Method
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10. Melissa Fletcher, LCSW, CSW
Direct, supportive therapy focused on real-life change
Works with Stress, Anxiety · LGBT · Parenting · Depression · Coping with life changes
Approaches Client-Centered Therapy · Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) · Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
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11. Marlo Lewis, LCSW
Licensed LCSW helping clients build emotional wellbeing
Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Self esteem · Career · Coping with life changes
Approaches Client-Centered Therapy · Motivational Interviewing · Psychodynamic Therapy
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12. Claudia Smith, LCSW
California LCSW with 40 years experience
Works with Stress, Anxiety · Addictions · Self esteem · Depression · ADHD
Approaches Client-Centered Therapy · Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) · Mindfulness Therapy
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13. Elena Balashova-Shamis, CA Psychologist
California psychologist with integrative expertise
Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Trauma and abuse · Grief · Depression
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14. Karen Ann Marshalleck, LMFT
Experienced California LMFT for stress and relationships
Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Family · Depression · Coping with life changes
Approaches Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) · Solution-Focused Therapy
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15. Dr. Frederick Smoot, LMFT
Compassionate LMFT for relationships and transitions
Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Family · Depression · Compassion fatigue
Approaches Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) · Client-Centered Therapy · Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
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About depression therapy for people in San Diego
Everyone listed on this page holds a licence to practise in California and works online. That matters more than it sounds: a licence is issued by the state, not by a city, so a therapist is available to anyone in California regardless of how far away they are. Someone in San Diego can work with a therapist whose books would otherwise be out of reach.
1,997 therapists match this page, all of whom name depression among the areas they work with. Fifteen are shown above. The list changes between pages, so it is worth looking at more than one if none of these feels like a fit.
What to compare
- Credential. LMFT, LCSW and LPCC are different training routes to the same licensed practice. None outranks the others; they shape emphasis rather than quality.
- Years in practice. Shown for every therapist here. More experience is not automatically better, but it is a fair proxy for how much of a given problem someone has seen.
- What else they work with. A therapist whose other focus areas overlap with your situation is usually a better starting point than one whose listed areas stop at the single thing you searched for.
- Approach. CBT, psychodynamic, solution-focused and the rest describe how sessions tend to run. If you have tried therapy before and it did not suit you, changing approach is often more useful than changing therapist.
- Language. Shown where a therapist offers sessions in more than English.
How online sessions work
Sessions run by video or by messaging, arranged through our partner platform rather than booked directly with the therapist. There is no travel and no waiting room, which for most people is the difference between starting and not starting. Pricing is set by the platform and shown before you commit.
Therapy in San Diego
San Diego has a population of about 1,386,932. Local in-person availability varies and waiting lists are common, which is part of why state-wide online practice has grown. Nothing on this page depends on a therapist being near you.
Common questions
How do I choose a therapist for depression among the listings?
Look for descriptions of approaches proven helpful for depression, such as cognitive behavioral therapy or behavioral activation. Compare clinicians’ stated experience with mood disorders, notes on session format (video, phone, messaging), and any language or cultural experience that matters to you. Use initial contact to ask about treatment plans and what to expect in early sessions.
Can an online therapist in California treat severe or chronic depression for someone in San Diego?
Many therapists offer care for severe or chronic depression via online sessions, but suitability depends on individual needs. Profiles may note experience with complex or long-term mood disorders. Before starting, confirm with the clinician how they assess risk, coordinate care, and whether they recommend additional supports or local resources for crisis or in-person services if needed.
What practical differences should I compare when choosing among therapists who work with depression?
Compare therapy models, session formats, clinicians’ training in depression-specific methods, languages spoken, and stated areas of focus like postpartum or adolescent depression. Also note whether they mention collaborating with other providers, offering structured homework, or using outcome tracking. These practical details affect fit and how treatment is delivered.
Other reasons people in San Diego look for a therapist
- Anxiety therapists in San Diego
- Self-Esteem therapists in San Diego
- Relationship therapists in San Diego
- Life Changes therapists in San Diego
- Trauma therapists in San Diego
- Grief therapists in San Diego
- Family therapists in San Diego
- Parenting therapists in San Diego
- Anger therapists in San Diego
- Career therapists in San Diego
- Addiction therapists in San Diego
- LMFT therapists in San Diego
- LCSW therapists in San Diego
- LPCC therapists in San Diego