Therapy For College Students
with Patrick Cleveland, LMFT
Are you feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or unsure about your direction in college?
College can be exciting—and intense. If you’re juggling heavy coursework, social pressure, family expectations, or uncertainty about what you “should” be doing, it’s easy to feel anxious, burned out, or stuck. Therapy gives you a private space to slow down, make sense of what’s happening, and get support without judgment.
Together we’ll clarify what’s driving the stress, strengthen coping tools, and work on confidence, boundaries, relationships, and direction so you can feel more grounded and connected while you’re here. You don’t have to wait until it gets worse to get help.
Some changes feel exciting and natural, while others can leave you feeling overwhelmed, uncertain, or unsteady.
College can be one of the most transformative periods of your life, but it can also feel isolating, stressful, and uncertain. You may be navigating academic pressure, changing friendships, family expectations, financial concerns, or questions about who you are and what you want. Even students who appear confident and capable often struggle privately.
Therapy provides a consistent, confidential space to process these challenges and gain perspective. Together, we can work on managing anxiety, improving mood, building healthier relationships, setting boundaries, and developing a clearer sense of direction. The goal isn’t just to “get through” college, but to help you feel more grounded, resilient, and confident as you move forward. Together, we can work on managing stress, strengthening confidence, improving relationships, and helping you feel more grounded and secure as you move through this stage of life.
“Becoming isn’t always graceful,
but it’s always brave.”
Life’s transitions don’t come with a map.
I work with students and young adults navigating changes that bring uncertainty, stress, grief, or questions about identity and direction.
Therapy can help you move through transitions such as:
Starting college or adjusting to a new environment
Academic pressure, burnout, or loss of motivation
Relationship changes, loneliness, or social challenges
Choosing a major, career path, or next steps after graduation
Discover tools that we’ll develop together.
When everything feels uncertain, therapy provides something steady to rely on. My work combines insight, practical structure, and emotional support to help you move forward with greater clarity, confidence, and balance.
Skills You’ll Gain:
Managing stress, anxiety, and academic or career pressure
Regulating emotions and calming your nervous system
Building confidence, boundaries, and self-trust
Improving communication, and implementing healthy boundaries in relationships
Clarifying goals, values, and next steps
How we’ll work together in therapy
There are many methods that we can use to work together to reach your goals.
Here are some methodologies that I’ll use:
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Helps you understand the deeper roots of your feelings and patterns — including past experiences and relationships — so reactions feel less confusing and more manageable.
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Builds skills for emotion regulation, mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness and distress tolerance. These are especially helpful when you feel like your reactions are “too much.”
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Helps resolve inner conflicts and helps you understand why part of you pushes hard while another part feels exhausted, stuck, or discouraged.
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Item Helps you understand the emotional patterns that keep you stuck in conflict and rebuild a stronger sense of safety, closeness, and trust. Helps partners move from blame and defensiveness to understanding, empathy, and deeper connection.
What Therapy With Me Is Like
Therapy with me is thoughtful, collaborative, and paced to your needs. I provide a calm, confidential space where you can speak openly without feeling judged, rushed, or analyzed. Many clients are used to handling things on their own, so part of our work is learning how to slow down, reflect, and understand what’s happening beneath the surface.
Sessions balance insight with practical support. We explore patterns in thoughts, emotions, and relationships while also developing tools you can use in everyday life. You don’t need to have everything figured out before you begin — uncertainty, ambivalence, or not knowing where to start are all welcome here.
Over time, clients often report feeling more grounded, self-aware, and confident in their decisions. The goal isn’t to change who you are, but to help you feel more like yourself — clearer, steadier, and better able to move forward.
About Me
As a long time college student who studied internationally, a former psychology professor, and now a full time business owner, I get it.
I understand firsthand how demanding academic and professional environments can be. The pressure to perform, uncertainty about the future, and balancing multiple responsibilities can take a real emotional toll.
My approach is grounded, thoughtful, and practical. I aim to create a space where you can step back from constant expectations, make sense of what you’re experiencing, and reconnect with what matters most to you. Whether you’re navigating stress, self-doubt, major life decisions, or the lingering impact of earlier experiences, therapy can help you move forward with greater clarity and confidence.
I bring both clinical expertise and real-world perspective to our work together, helping you not only cope, but grow in ways that feel authentic and sustainable.
Education:
M.A. Philosophy As A Way of Life
University of Liverpool ( Liverpool, United Kingdom )M.A. Integral Counseling Psychology
California Institute of Integral Studies (San Francisco, CA )B.A. Psychology & B.A. Philosophy
California State University, Fullerton (Fullerton, CA)License:
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #80907Certificates:
Certificate of Leadership Excellence
Harvard University, Cambridge, MAAdditional Training:
- Ecole Freudienne Du Quebec, Canada (G.I.F.R.I.C.) Trainied in Lacanian Psychoanalysis with training psychoanalysts Willy Appollon, Danielle Bergeron, & Lucie Cantin for 7 years - New Center for Psychoanalysis, (NCP) Los Angeles - Ongoing training in subjects relevant to the practice of psychotherapy - Los Angeles Institute and Society for Psychoanalysis (LAISPS)- Newport Psychoanalytic Institute (NPI)
Education & Credentials
Get Started in 3 Steps
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Call 909-291-9641 and my practice manager will set up you up with an appointment, or reach out using the contact form. Share a bit about what’s bringing you to therapy- no need to overthink it. We’ll get back to you with next steps.
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If we decide to work together, in our first full session, we’ll dive into what’s been feeling stuck or painful. I’ll help you both slow things down, name what’s not working, and begin mapping a path forward.
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We’ll work together weekly to build stronger communication, heal past wounds, and create more connections. Every step is tailored to you.
You don’t have to figure everything out on your own. Reaching out for support can feel daunting, but it’s also a meaningful step toward feeling better and moving forward. Therapy is not about “fixing” you — it’s about working together to understand what’s happening, build on your strengths, and create real, sustainable change.
If you’re ready to invest in your well-being, we can take this process one step at a time. My role is to provide guidance, perspective, and a steady presence while you develop the clarity and confidence to navigate whatever comes next.