Find a therapist in Santa Cruz, CA — covered by insurance
Top therapists in Santa Cruz, CA accepting new patients
Headway serves Santa Cruz across all neighborhoods, connecting you with 8,653 warm and solution-oriented providers. Get started with a free intake call, find availability as soon as tomorrow, and benefit from insurance coverage that can reduce your session costs significantly.
I’m Meghan Smith, LCSW, and I specialize in trauma, PTSD, anxiety, grief, and acute stress. I use EMDR, CBT, ACT, and DBT within a trauma-informed framework — tailoring every treatment plan to you. Therapy with me is collaborative, grounded, and at a pace that feels safe. I’m here to walk alongside you, not push you.
I have been a licensed MFT for 17 years and have worked in many settings including but not limited to: non-profit, community college, outpatient drug and alcohol treatment, group home and private practice. I got my Masters at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology and I’d definitely describe my orientation as eclectic and I honestly taylor my work to each client.
Please note that although I enjoy working with couples, I will no longer be able to offer couples therapy due to insurance reimbursement issues.
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC II) with over 25 years of experience supporting individuals, couples, and families as they navigate life and the concerns that arise. I specialize in addiction, trauma, and co-occurring mental health challenges. I bring a deep commitment to meeting people where they are in their process. In my practice, I offer a warm, collaborative, and trauma-informed space where clients feel seen, heard, and supported. I believe meaningful change happens when we honor each person’s lived experience and work together toward self-identified goals at a pace that feels safe and manageable. I meet clients where they are, whether they are just beginning to explore change or looking to deepen their healing and personal growth.
My therapy style is compassionate and supportive. Clients find me engaging, warm and friendly. I've been a licensed psychotherapist since 1987 and I have experience with a variety of clients from differing age groups, ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. During my career I've helped clients with relationship challenges, the expression and management of emotion, and improving their quality of life.
I'm an open minded individual and welcome any topics in treatment
Brian Wainwright , Monterey Peninsula Center For Narrative Therapy www.mpcnt.com
Therapist
Virtual & in-person • 25 mi away • Pacific Grove, CA
I've been told I'm an anti-therapist. Done in good humor I suppose, this moniker was given to me as a gesture of appreciation. It's my unyielding commitment to find interesting, and novel ways to support my clients. No two problems are alike and I hope to join you in addressing the unique circumstances of your life in a manner that honors your best hope for finding a way forward.
Dr. Arce is a licensed clinical psychologist, experienced in working with multicultural individuals, and catering treatment to patient's needs. She has worked in multiple settings including: university counseling, hospitals, medical school, and community mental health agencies. Dr. Arce specializes in ADHD assessment, couples pre-marital counseling, life transitions, anxiety disorders, depression, heath-related difficulties, relationships, and spiritual development. Communication of needs and progress are reviewed regularly to ensure that each patient finds value in the time spent in treatment.
Thomas E. Kiatta, is a CA licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 30 years of experience working with individuals, couples, and families. He holds Master's degrees in Marriage and Family Therapy and Vocational Rehabilitation, and spent three decades with the California Department of Rehab.
Tom helps individuals, couples and families navigate challenges related to communication, conflict, relationships, anxiety, depression and life transitions.
I'm Deidre, and for over two decades I've helped people move through some of life's most painful and disorienting transitions — loss, illness, divorce, relationship struggles, aging, and the quiet fears that come with facing mortality. My clients often tell me that what they needed most wasn't advice — it was someone who truly listened, who could help them make sense of what they were feeling and find a path forward. That's what I'm here to do!
Pamela Hughes received her Undergraduate Degree in Psychology and her Masters Degree
in Clinical Psychology from Vanguard University, Costa Mesa, California.
Pamela has worked with individuals, couples and families improving their relationships
using the Collaborative Communication Skills as an Instructor. Pamela specializes in Addictions, ADHD, Family Systems and Hoarding.
I’m a licensed therapist in San Francisco with over 15 years in private practice. I specialize in Eating disorders, body image and trauma and work primarily with adults who are exhausted by the cycle of restriction, compulsive eating, shame and self criticism and are ready for something to genuinely shift. My training includes, IFS, Somatic therapy, EMDR, CBT and Expressive Arts therapy, which means we will not only engage in supportive talk therapy, but also have real tools to work with. My clients often express that not only do they heal and find peace with food, disordered eating and body image, but they also become more able to feel and tolerate emotions and regulate moods, while building trust in their bodies and discover true hungers, desires and enhance creativity and vitality. This can lead to more ease and comfort in your own skin, with the potential of more meaningful work and healthy relationships.
Are you in life transition or coping with anxiety and stress ? Are you searching for deeper meaning to feel more joy and peace? Are you going through life’s uncertainty due to factors of life transition, illness, aging, identity crisis, retirement, loss of loved ones, financial stress, women’s hormonal changes? Do you want more Meaningful positive experiences and becoming your Best Authentic Self?
I am here to provide you with compassionate care, kindness and psychological and emotional support. You deserve to experience peace of mind and wellness. Life invites growth through transitions which require us to change and make tough decisions. am here to support you to THRIVE in times of change.
About Me:
I am guided by my values of Compassion, Wisdom, Healing and Empowerment. My focus is helping people THRIVE in healthy lifestyle and wellbeing.
I practice Ayurveda, a holistic lifestyle system from India that promotes balance of mind, body, and spirit through daily habits, nutrition, and self-care.
About our therapists located within 20 miles of Santa Cruz, CA
- 95%Anxiety
- 90%Stress management
- 80%Depression
- 80%Family issues
- 75%Grief or loss
- 95%Aetna
- 70%Anthem Blue Cross California
- 55%Cigna
- 55%Blue Shield of California
- 55%Carelon Behavioral Health
- 100%English
- 5%Spanish
- 90%In-person or online
- 10%In-person only
- 55%Woman
- 45%Man
- 65%Licensed Marriage/Family Therapist
- 30%Licensed Clinical Social Worker
- 5%Clinical Psychologist
- 100%Individual therapy
- 25%Child or adolescent therapy
- 15%Family therapy
- 5%Couples therapy
Frequently asked questions
Find the right therapist for you
Headway makes it easy to find support for your mental health — from finding the right provider, to understanding costs, to scheduling with ease.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Therapist in Santa Cruz
Searching for therapists in Santa Cruz starts with finding someone whose experience matches what you want support with. Therapists may focus on concerns such as anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship challenges, grief, ADHD, or life transitions. As you compare options, look for training and specialties that fit your needs, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy, couples counseling, family therapy, or work with a licensed marriage and family therapist. A therapist’s bio can help you understand their approach, communication style, and what sessions may look like.
In a smaller city like Santa Cruz, local in-person therapy options may be more limited by office location, commute, and appointment times. Virtual therapy can expand your choices while still connecting you with a therapist licensed in California. Some people prefer meeting in a physical office, while others choose virtual sessions for scheduling flexibility. To narrow your search, review whether a therapist is accepting new patients, has appointment times that fit your calendar, offers a free phone consultation, and works with the type of support you’re seeking, including couples counseling, marriage counseling, or family therapy.
Therapy in Santa Cruz can be a significant investment without insurance. Using in-network insurance is one of the most reliable ways to reduce session costs and see your estimated cost before you book. Headway helps you compare therapists who are accepting new patients, review detailed profiles, check insurance coverage, and book directly when you’re ready. This makes it easier to find a Santa Cruz therapist who matches your needs, accepts your plan, and offers care in a format that works for you.
If you're experiencing or worried about violence, threats, or coercion in your relationship, couples therapy isn't usually the right starting point — individual support is safer. The National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788\) can help you think through next steps.
If anyone in your family is experiencing or worried about abuse, threats, or coercion, joint family or couples therapy usually isn't the right starting point — individual support is safer. The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-422-4453) and National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788\) can help you think through next steps.
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