California Therapy Finder

Therapists licensed in California, available online across the state

Depression Therapists Licensed in California

This page is for people in California looking for online therapists who treat depression. Use it to compare clinicians by approach, experience with depression, licensing type, and what kinds of therapy they offer. A California license covers the whole state, so city or ZIP code within California does not limit who you can see. Look for therapists who match your needs on factors like treatment orientation, work with co-occurring issues (anxiety, trauma, substance use), language, and whether they offer brief or longer-term care.

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.

  1. 1. Sheryl Cook, CA Psychologist

    36 years in practice · English · Female

    California psychologist for stress and life changes

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Sleeping · Self esteem · Depression · Coping with life changes

    Continue with Sheryl Online sessions

  2. 2. Jennifer Stocker, LMFT

    8 years in practice · English, Spanish · Female

    Bilingual LMFT focused on healing and resilience

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Family · Self esteem · Depression

    Continue with Jennifer Online sessions

  3. 3. Deborah Perez, LMFT

    7 years in practice · English · Female

    Compassionate California LMFT for stress and relationships

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Addictions · Self esteem · Depression · ADHD

    Approaches Client-Centered Therapy

    Continue with Deborah Online sessions

  4. 4. Christopher Lum, LCSW

    15 years in practice · English · Male

    Works with Addictions · Grief · Depression · Coping with life changes · Compassion fatigue

    Continue with Christopher Online sessions

  5. 5. Christine Piddington, LCSW

    11 years in practice · English · Female

    Support for grief, stress, and life transitions

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Family · Trauma and abuse · Grief · Depression

    Approaches Existential Therapy · Solution-Focused Therapy

    Continue with Christine Online sessions

  6. 6. Nancy Montes, LCSW

    22 years in practice · English · Female

    California LCSW supporting healing and resilience

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Self esteem · Depression · Coping with life changes · Grief

    Approaches Client-Centered Therapy · Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) · Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)

    Continue with Nancy Online sessions

  7. 7. William Money, LMFT

    8 years in practice · English · Male

    Strengths-based therapy for stress and relationships

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Trauma and abuse · Self esteem · Depression

    Continue with William Online sessions

  8. 8. Mark Saverino, LCSW

    35 years in practice · English · Male

    Experienced California LCSW helping with stress and grief

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Grief · Anger · Self esteem · Depression

    Continue with Mark Online sessions

  9. 9. Gian Sarabia, LMFT

    6 years in practice · English, Spanish · Male

    California LMFT offering thoughtful, individualized therapy

    Works with Trauma and abuse · Intimacy-related issues · Bipolar · Depression · Stress, Anxiety

    Approaches Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) · Attachment-Based Therapy · Client-Centered Therapy

    Continue with Gian Online sessions

  10. 10. Melissa Fletcher, LCSW, CSW

    12 years in practice · English · Female

    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)

    Continue with Melissa Online sessions

  11. 11. Nicole Valadao, LCSW

    10 years in practice · English · Female

    California LCSW focused on stress and LGBTQ+ care

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · LGBT · Career · Depression · Compassion fatigue

    Approaches Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) · Mindfulness Therapy · Motivational Interviewing

    Continue with Nicole Online sessions

  12. 12. Elena Balashova-Shamis, CA Psychologist

    23 years in practice · English, Russian · Female

    California psychologist with integrative expertise

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Trauma and abuse · Grief · Depression

    Continue with Elena Online sessions

  13. 13. Claudia Smith, LCSW

    40 years in practice · English · Female

    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

    Continue with Claudia Online sessions

  14. 14. Abbe Goodman, LMFT

    40 years in practice · English · Female

    Experienced California LMFT for stress and relationships

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Eating · Self esteem · Depression

    Continue with Abbe Online sessions

  15. 15. Katherine Eldean, LMFT

    20 years in practice · English · Female

    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

    Continue with Katherine Online sessions

About depression therapy in California

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 outside a major metro 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.

Common questions

How do I choose a therapist who specialises in depression?

Look for therapists who list depression or mood disorders in their specialties. Check their treatment approaches (CBT, interpersonal therapy, behavioural activation, etc.), training with depression, and experience with your age group or life stage. Consider whether you prefer work focused on symptom reduction, underlying causes, or coping strategies. Read therapist profiles for fit and approach.

Can online therapy help with severe or chronic depression?

Online therapy can be part of care for many people with severe or chronic depression, but it may not be sufficient alone. Therapists will assess risk, safety, and whether additional supports or higher-intensity services are needed. Ask about how a therapist coordinates with psychiatric care, crisis resources, or local supports when symptoms are severe.

What practical differences should I compare between therapists on this page?

Compare therapy modalities, years of experience with depression, licensure type (LCSW, LPCC, LMFT, PsyD/PhD), languages spoken, and whether they note experience with specific populations (teens, older adults, LGBTQ+). Also check session formats they offer and how they describe their therapeutic focus to find a match.

Depression therapists by city

Other focus areas