Find a therapist in San Luis Obispo, CA — covered by insurance
Top therapists in San Luis Obispo, CA accepting new patients
Mental health support in San Luis Obispo is accessible through Headway's network of 8,156 licensed providers offering virtual and in-person sessions. With over 70+ insurance plans accepted nationally and copays estimated between $0-50 per session, care in neighborhoods like Downtown, Foothill, and Laguna Lake is affordable and flexible. Providers specialize in talk therapy and medication management across conditions including anxiety, depression, and more.
Hello, I’m Andrea Arias and I specialize in working with high-functioning adults and professionals navigating life transitions, anxiety, relationship challenges, and trauma.
I earned my Master’s degree from the University of Maryland and have lived half my life there, the other half in Los Angeles, with my early years in Guatemala. These experiences give me a broad perspective and inform the way I connect with people. Beyond the therapy room, I am also an athlete, and I combine my background in fitness and wellness with my clinical expertise.
My name is David Marquez and I am a Licensed Clinicial Social Worker (LCSW) in California. I have been a social worker for over 10 years and graduated from San Francisco State University. As a Latino therapist, I’m especially passionate about serving LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities. I offer therapy in English and Spanish, and I bring cultural awareness, warmth, and real conversation into the room. Your identity, experiences, and personality aren’t side notes here — they’re part of the story we honor. Therapy with me is collaborative, affirming, and occasionally sprinkled with humor — because sometimes the most healing moments come right after we say, “Ohhh... that makes sense.”
As a licensed therapist with over three decades of experience, I am dedicated to making a difference in the well being of my clients' lives. Over the years my clients have included individuals, couples, and Family from diverse backgrounds, spanning various ages, and life stages. My areas of expertise include: depression, anxiety, life transitions, grief, life and work stress, parenting issues, conflict management, and issues relating to family life. I approach therapy from a humanistic and interpersonal perspective, as well as use strategies from cognitive behavioral theory. I am compassionate, strive to be a supportive person in my clients' lives. I approach every client feeling eager to get to know them so we can address what they need from their therapy experience .
I am Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist. I have been practicing therapy since November 2015 and licensed since January 2023. The modality I mainly use is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), but also pull from other modalities as one modality may not fit all clientele. I have had experience with self-esteem, couples, anxiety (mild to moderate levels), depression (mild levels), grief/loss and end of life. I have work with prior law enforcement experience, substitute teacher (Elementary thru High School), and various other vocational experience. NOTE: I am not a psychiatrist, so I do NOT prescribe medication.
Since 2010, I have worked with children to older adults from many different backgrounds, cultures, lifestyles and careers. Before dedicating my life to psychology, I worked in medicine and multiple other professions. Along with my California Doctoral education, I was also educated in England, Austria, France, Switzerland and New Zealand. I am originally from Wisconsin.
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 San Luis Obispo
Finding the right therapist in San Luis Obispo starts with getting clear on what you're looking for. Consider the concerns you want to address — whether that's anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, trauma, or a life transition — and look for a licensed provider with experience in that area. Common license types include LMFT, LCSW, LMHC, and psychologist, each with different training backgrounds. Reading a provider's bio can help you understand their approach and decide if they're a good match before you commit.
San Luis Obispo and the surrounding Central Coast have a range of mental health providers, but availability can be limited, especially for in-person sessions. Expanding your search to include virtual appointments gives you access to more providers across California, many of whom can see you from wherever you are in the state. Practical factors like scheduling flexibility, session format, and location all matter when choosing someone you'll see regularly.
Therapy in California can be expensive without coverage — but using in-network insurance is one of the most reliable ways to lower what you pay. On Headway, you can enter your insurance details to see estimated session costs before you book. Nationally, Headway partners with over 100 insurance plans, and many patients pay as low as $0 per visit. Every provider listed is accepting new patients, so you can move from searching to booking without the back-and-forth.
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