Online Counseling in California
Secure video counseling for professionals anywhere in California
Get secure video counseling with a California-licensed counselor, from Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Jose to San Francisco, Sacramento, Fresno, Bakersfield, and the small towns in between. You’ll get steady, practical support for anxiety, burnout, perfectionism, and people-pleasing… without adding another drive to your week.
We’ll focus on what is actually happening in your days, build skills you can use between sessions, and gently work on the deeper patterns that keep you stuck, so calm becomes something you can return to instead of something you chase.
Hi, I’m Katharine. I help capable, busy people feel calmer and steadier on the inside.
Why Video Counseling Works So Well in California
California is a big state with famously long drives. Good counseling shouldn’t depend on your zip code or how long you’re willing to sit on the freeway after work.
The distances are real
If you live in Eureka, Crescent City, Alturas, Bishop, or on a farm in the Central Valley, the nearest counselor with an opening might be hours away. Even in the big metros, a weekly appointment can mean an hour each way on the 405, the 101, or Interstate 5, arriving more stressed than when you left. Video counseling takes the drive out of the equation, so the time you set aside actually goes to you.
Access for rural California
Large parts of rural California, from the North Coast to the eastern Sierra, have very few counselors, and the ones nearby may have long waitlists. In a small town, the counselor down the road may also coach your kid’s team, attend your church, or stand behind you at the grocery store. Online counseling lets you choose someone based on fit and specialty rather than proximity, whether you live in the Inland Empire, the Central Coast, Gold Country, the Imperial Valley, or off a farm road with one stoplight in town.
Built around busy schedules
The people I work with are often stretched thin: long workdays, travel for work, shift schedules, long commutes, kids’ practices, and caring for aging parents. With video sessions there’s no leaving work early, finding parking, or rushing back across town. You can meet from a home office, a quiet bedroom, or a parked car on your lunch break, then step right back into your day.
Privacy and discretion
Sessions take place on a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform. There’s no waiting room and no chance of running into a coworker, client, or neighbor in the lobby. For professionals in smaller communities, or anyone who simply values discretion, that kind of privacy makes it easier to be honest about what’s really going on.
No commute, more room to reflect
Without a drive on either end, you can take a few quiet minutes after a session to jot down what stood out, take a walk, or just breathe before your next commitment. Those minutes are often when the work starts to sink in.
The same real counseling
Video sessions are still counseling, with the same structure, the same practical tools, and the same focus on your goals. Many people find it easier to open up from their own space, with their own coffee, and their dog asleep at their feet. All you need is a private spot, a reliable internet connection, and a phone, tablet, or computer. You’ll just need to be located in California at the time of each session.
Online Counseling for What High-Functioning Californians Carry
You can be successful, capable, and still feel like you’re barely holding it together. These are the areas I focus on with clients across California.
Anxiety
Racing thoughts, a tight chest before meetings, lying awake replaying conversations or planning for every worst case. We’ll work on calming your body, quieting the mental loops, and responding to worry instead of obeying it. Learn more about anxiety counseling across California.
Burnout
When you’re exhausted, short on patience, and dreading work you used to care about, pushing harder stops working. We’ll look at what is draining you, set boundaries that hold, and rebuild energy in a way that lasts. Read more about burnout counseling for California professionals.
Career stress
A difficult boss, a big promotion, a career change, or the nagging sense that you’re in the wrong field. Counseling gives you space to sort out what you want and the confidence to act on it. See career counseling for California professionals.
Perfectionism and people-pleasing
If you hold yourself to impossible standards, have trouble saying no, or feel responsible for everyone’s comfort, you’re likely exhausted from the inside out. We’ll work on self-trust, realistic standards, and boundaries that let you show up fully without disappearing.
How Getting Started Works
My intake is handled through a short questionnaire so we start with the right fit.
Click Start Here. Any Start Here button on this page opens my short screening form.
Complete the questionnaire. Share a little about what’s bringing you in, where you are in California, and whether you plan to use insurance or self-pay. This lets me confirm fit and eligibility before we meet.
Schedule your first session. If we’re a good match, you’ll get what you need to book your first secure video session.
Insurance and Payment
Self-pay: $92 per session
Insurance: I’m in network with these California plans for video sessions:
Aetna
Cigna
Blue Shield of California
UnitedHealthcare (including Optum and Oxford)
Carelon Behavioral Health
L.A. Care Health Plan
Sharp Health Plan
Scripps Health Plan
Sutter Health Plan
Western Health Advantage
Don’t see your plan? Flip your card over. If the name on your insurance card isn’t on this list, flip it over. If it says Aetna, Cigna, First Health Network, or UnitedHealthcare anywhere on the back, there’s a good chance I’m in network with your plan even though the front of the card shows your employer’s name or a third-party administrator.
For details on coverage and billing, visit my insurance information page.
Other Ways to Work With Me
Text Coaching: 1:1 unlimited messaging, answered daily
Groundwork: 12-week written coaching program, no live sessions, good for introverts
The Intensive: concierge 1:1 coaching, $1,500/month founding rate, $2,000/month thereafter, limited spots
Comprehensive diagnostic assessments (CDAs): $350, delivered as a PDF
Ready to Feel Steadier?
In-network with major California insurance plans for video sessions, or self-pay at $92 per session. Start below to check eligibility.
Questions About Online Counseling in California?
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Yes. I’m in network with major California plans for video sessions, including Aetna, Cigna, Blue Shield of California, UnitedHealthcare (including Optum and Oxford), Carelon Behavioral Health, L.A. Care Health Plan, Sharp Health Plan, Scripps Health Plan, Sutter Health Plan, and Western Health Advantage. If you’d rather not use insurance, self-pay is $92 per session. See the insurance page for details.
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All of California. Because sessions are online, I work with clients in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, Fresno, Bakersfield, Riverside, Redding, and every small town in between, from the North Coast to the Imperial Valley.
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We meet on a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform. You join from a private space using your phone, tablet, or computer, and we work together just as we would in person.
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Yes. My California license covers clients who are physically located in California at the time of each session. If you’ll be traveling out of state, let me know ahead of time so we can plan around it.
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We’ll talk about what brought you in, what’s been happening, and what you want to feel different. I’ll ask questions to understand the bigger picture, and you’re welcome to ask me anything too. You’ll leave with a clearer sense of next steps and how we’ll work together.
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A private space, a reliable internet connection, and a phone, tablet, or computer with a camera. Headphones help with privacy if others are home. Many people join from a home office, a quiet bedroom, or a parked car on a lunch break.
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Yes. Sessions take place on a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform, with the same confidentiality as in-person counseling. There’s no waiting room, so you never have to worry about running into a coworker, client, or neighbor.
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Online counseling is not an emergency service. If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, call 911, or go to your nearest emergency room.