Find a therapist in San Diego, CA — covered by insurance

Hello, and welcome! I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker based in San Diego, CA. I specialize in helping individuals overcome the lasting effects of childhood experiences, as well as present traumas they may be facing. I have worked with adults, children and families in a variety of settings. I have provided space for people during the toughest of life transitions while teaching them tools to cope with the overwhelming emotions of grief and trauma. I’d like to be there for you too!

Hi! My name is Kary and I am a Chinese-American transnational adoptee living in San Francisco, CA. I grew up in San Francisco, but spent a decade living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest (Oregon & Washington) where I completed a Masters in Social Work at the University of Washington and worked with unhoused young adults and young girls of color in various non-profit settings. I returned to San Francisco seven years ago and have been working as a community-based therapist for children, youth, and families, as well as supervising a team of therapists in a Dialectical Behavioral Therapy clinic.

Feeling overwhelmed, stuck or needing to focus? I enjoy partnering with my clients on their journeys to improved wellness. In our time together, we will celebrate your strengths and develop goals to maximize your wellness, together. While we can't change our past, we can work together to process our story’s strengths and struggles. We can talk through your current challenges and quiet the noise around you. We can explore the barriers that may get in the way of enjoying life to the fullest. We can identify ways to find joy again. I look forward to meeting with you to plan how to achieve your goals.

Taking the first step of asking for help takes a tremendous amount of courage. Whether you are feeling anxious, depressed, or overwhelmed; you are not alone in these feelings. I am a Marriage and Family Therapist and School Psychologist. Therefore, I am familiar with how academic struggles can impact mental health and how mental health can impact academic success. I am fluent in English and Spanish and enjoy working with individuals between the ages of 13 and 18.

I grew up a carpenter’s son and followed his example in my early adulthood. By my mid 20’s I began working with others by teaching guitar, after school sports, yoga, and meditation while continuing to work as a handyman. From 2012-2014 I was fortunate enough to be able to teach High School Psychology classes that included Adolescent Social Psychology, Intro to Psychology, and Positive Psychology. For my practicum in 2012 I spent a year at James Lick High School in East San Jose, CA working with individuals and groups. From 2013-2016 I was a community-based therapist meeting clients in their homes, at their schools, or in the community. I provided individual and family support throughout Santa Clara County. This was an invaluable training that allowed me to see what people would talk about in session, since I would be in their homes with them and often see the issues firsthand. In 2017 I worked at Brightquest Treatment Center in La Mesa, CA. This was an incredible experience. I worked in this residential facility with folks with severe psychiatric disorders that often also involved addiction. The intense nature of the treatment and regular interaction with clients provided a unique learning experience and genuine connections. I learned a great deal from the residential Milieu Therapy approach.

I also had the opportunity to work as a Military Family Life Counselor, supporting military service members and their families. I feel that I learned a lot and, since I was a Navy brat, I derived a great deal of meaning being able to give back to service members in this way.

Since 2018 I have been working in private practice helping children, teens, adults, and families in person and online. I continue to work on my professional development by studying, taking trainings, consulting with colleagues, and working to practice what I learn in a balanced way.

As a licensed therapist for over 20 yrs, I have extensive experience in depression. I work with couple and individuals.

Jamila Banks is a California-licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with over 14 years of experience working in the mental health field. She graduated from the University of Southern California(USC), with a BA in Political Science and Psychology and received her master's in psychology, Marriage & Family Therapy, from the University of LaVerne, in 2011. Jamila initially began working in the mental health field in an Addiction & Treatment crisis center in 2010, working with adults battling various addictions and mental health disorders. From there, she has worked in a variety of settings, including group homes, mental health hospitals, and inpatient/outpatient centers, providing therapy in both individual and group services. Concurrently in 2010, as a case manager for a California regional center, she worked closely with both children and adults diagnosed with intellectual disabilities such as Autism and mental health disorders such as Anxiety. She has experience working with a multidisciplinary team of parents, teachers, social workers, and other practitioners in developing a collaborative plan of care. Jamila is a wife, and mother of 4, and lives her life in service through multiple vehicles of community advocacy, impact, and philanthropy. Outside of her community work, Jamila enjoys traveling, learning, making memories, exercising (gym, yoga, hiking) reading, meditating, crystal healing work, trying out new foods, and spending quality time with friends and family.