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LGBT therapists in Santa Maria, CA


Top LGBT-friendly therapists and psychiatrists in Santa Maria, CA
Find open-minded, affirming therapy in Santa Maria tailored to LGBTQIA experiences and identity. Headway's 2,458 providers deliver evidence-based care through flexible virtual or in-person sessions, with average savings of 75% on therapy costs through insurance.
I'm a licensed clinical neuropsychologist and board-certified behavior analyst with specialized training in neuropsychology and neurodiversity-affirming care. I work with children, adolescents, and adults across a wide range of presenting concerns, including ADHD, autism, trauma, anxiety, and complex relational patterns.
My background includes extensive experience in psychological and neuropsychological assessment, helping clients better understand how their brains work and how to adapt with insight and clarity. I also work with high-achieving and twice-exceptional individuals navigating emotional depth, perfectionism, and identity.
Beyond credentials, I bring curiosity, honesty, and a strong sense of ethics into the room. Therapy with me often feels both structured and deeply personal, we're not just managing symptoms; we're making meaning.
Looking for one-stop shopping? Meds and therapy together - I do both. Guaranteed intake appointment within 2 days! Evening and weekend hours available. A provider you can reach directly, by text. Personal responses to all messages within 24 - 48 hours, always.
Thanks for reading this. I am a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner who works with clients ages 6 to 86 struggling with depression, anxiety, ADHD, borderline personality disorder, substance abuse and other issues. For some clients, I provide both therapy and medication management; for other clients, I work closely with their therapists to optimize their medication experience. I help clients to find stability and reduce suffering. LGBTQ-allied, polyamory-informed. All lifestyles welcome.
Depression and anxiety can be logical responses to difficult life events. Many adults who experienced losses and traumas in childhood have never processed these events and continue to suffer their impacts.
Therapy should help you identify the ways you hold yourself back from greater peace and success. We all pick up dysfunctional patterns along the way and need help to identify and change them. I would like to help you in this process.
I'm Candice Jeffers, a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with an unusual background—I spent nearly a decade in cardiovascular critical care before dedicating myself to mental health. That ICU experience taught me something crucial: psychiatric crises deserve the same urgency, expertise, and unwavering support as any cardiac emergency.
For nine years at Ascension Seton Medical Center's Cardiovascular ICU, I supervised teams through impossible situations. I learned to stay steady when everything felt uncertain, to read the subtle signs others might miss, and to offer hope when families needed it most. Those years shaped how I practice psychiatry today—with precision, presence, and profound respect for what you're facing.
I completed my Master of Science in Nursing at University of South Alabama in 2024, immersing myself in over 600 clinical hours spanning outpatient clinics, inpatient psychiatry, and crisis intervention. My pediatric nursing background adds another layer—I understand how early experiences shape us and how differently mental health shows up across ages.
My practice centers on thorough psychiatric evaluations, personalized medication management, and crisis intervention for all ages. I specialize in suicide risk assessment, trauma-informed approaches, and evidence-based treatments that actually fit into real lives. I'm MOUD-trained and licensed for telehealth in Texas, California, Arizona, and Florida.
Here's what matters most: I approach mental health as someone who's held space for both miracles and heartbreak. I know seeking help requires tremendous courage. I know healing rarely follows a straight line. And I know you need a provider who won't flinch, no matter what you share. My work blends critical care decisiveness with deep compassion—because you deserve both.
Thank you for reading this. Having a background in grassroots and non-profit work as well as teaching, I am fiercely passionate about equity, social justice and liberation for all people. The therapeutic relationship is unique and radical --- your words have exquisite power and we get to think together about what they mean.
I’m Kali, and I have been licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist in California since 2007. I want to help you have the relationships you want with yourself and with others. I have an MA in Applied Behavioral Science, with a concentration in Systems Counseling. What this means for you, practically speaking, is that as I work with you, I am also thinking about all of the other people, family and friends, co-workers and acquaintances, who are a part of and influential in your life, and you in theirs. I’m also thinking about the relationship you have with yourself, and how all of the parts of you, past, present and future interplay with each other and the world around you. Which is a long-winded way of saying I want to help you have the relationship you want with yourself and with others. I want you to find happiness, joy and health. I'd like to help you identify and meet your goals, and I am a warm, supportive presence whether or not you have any idea as to what your goals might be.
I’m grateful to have a career that allows me to be authentically myself and spend my days talking deeply about things that matter. I love working with motivated, bright people who know they have a lot to offer, but feel a bit blocked. I find great joy in helping people unblock to find ease and authenticity in their own lives.
I truly believe we are all connected in some way. Systemically, there are many ways to improve the way we relate to our own self, and with others. My philosophy is when I improve, everyone else around me improves. My own experiences have informed the way I approach problems and seek solutions, with the goal of being happier and performing better. Throughout my life, I’ve been in the service of others. I am a US Army Veteran and have many years experience training/development of others.
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