Individual Therapy for Adults

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Adult life comes with no shortage of pressure. Whether you’re managing a demanding career, navigating relationship challenges, caring for a family, or simply trying to keep up with the pace of life in Silicon Valley, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, anxious, or stuck.

Therapy gives you a dedicated space to slow down, work through what’s weighing on you, and build a path toward feeling genuinely better.

Therapy can help if you are experiencing:

Anxiety, stress, and feeling constantly on edge
Depression, low mood, or a persistent sense of emptiness
OCD, panic attacks, or intrusive thoughts
Relationship difficulties and communication challenges
Work burnout and career-related stress
Life transitions such as divorce, loss, or major change
Low self-esteem, perfectionism, and self-doubt
Trauma and PTSD

Benefits of Therapy

Many of our adult clients come to us during a difficult period — a job loss, the end of a relationship, a health scare, or simply a gradual feeling that something isn’t right. Others have been managing anxiety or depression for years and are ready to finally address it in a focused, structured way. Whatever brings you here, therapy at Palo Alto Therapy is designed to meet you where you are and move you forward.

At Palo Alto Therapy, therapy is collaborative and results-oriented. Your therapist will take time in the first session to understand your background, your current concerns, and what you want to get out of treatment. From there, you’ll work together to build a personalized plan with clear goals and a realistic timeline. We don’t believe in therapy that goes on indefinitely without purpose — our aim is to help you feel better and stay better.

Our Approach to Therapy

At Palo Alto Therapy, we use evidence-based methods that are tailored to each individual’s needs, goals, and personal circumstances. Our therapists are highly trained and stay current with the latest research to ensure you’re receiving the most effective care available.

The cornerstone of our work is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), one of the most thoroughly researched and effective forms of therapy for anxiety, depression, OCD, stress, and a wide range of other concerns. CBT helps you identify the thought patterns and behaviors that are keeping you stuck, and replace them with healthier, more constructive ways of thinking and responding.

Many clients notice meaningful improvement within just a few weeks of starting. Where appropriate, our therapists also draw on mindfulness-based techniques to help you manage difficult emotions, reduce stress, and develop a greater sense of calm and self-awareness. For those dealing with trauma, we offer evidence-based trauma-focused approaches in a safe and carefully paced environment.

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You don’t have to struggle and wonder if it will pass on its own. Compassionate, evidence-based support is available now in Palo Alto, San Jose, and Menlo Park — and online throughout California. Lifes too short for ineffective therapy.

Other therapeutic approaches may also be incorporated based on individual needs, including:

Evidence-Based CBT

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the foundation of our work with adults. We help you identify and reframe the unhelpful thought patterns driving anxiety, depression, and stress, and replace them with practical tools you can use every day. CBT is structured, goal-focused, and has a strong track record of producing real, lasting results.

Personalized Treatment Plans

Every adult who walks through our door brings a unique set of circumstances, history, and goals. We take the time to understand yours before building a treatment plan around them. Whether you’re working through a specific challenge or navigating a broader sense of being stuck, therapy is tailored to what matters most to you right now.

Flexible In-Person & Telehealth Options

We offer therapy at our Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and San Jose offices, as well as secure video sessions for those who prefer to meet remotely. With evening and Saturday appointments available, we make it easy to prioritize your mental health without disrupting your work or family schedule.

Weekday, Evening, & Saturday Appointments Available

With convenient office locations in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and San Jose, we proudly serve the entire Silicon Valley community – from Stanford University and the Peninsula to the South Bay, offering easy access for tech professionals, students, and families.

Frequently Asked Questions About Therapy for Adults

If you’ve been feeling persistently anxious, low, overwhelmed, or stuck — and it’s affecting your work, your relationships, or your quality of life — therapy is worth exploring. You don’t need to be in crisis to benefit. Many adults come to therapy simply because they want to feel better and function more fully, and that’s a completely valid reason to reach out.

Your first session is longer than a typical appointment and gives your therapist a chance to really get to know you. You’ll talk through your background, what’s been going on, what you’d like to work on, and any questions you have about the process. By the end of the session, you and your therapist will have a clear sense of the plan and next steps.

That depends on what you’re working on and what your goals are. Many adults make meaningful progress within 12 to 20 sessions, while others choose to continue for longer depending on their needs. We’ll give you an honest assessment early on and regularly review your progress together so the plan always reflects where you are.

Therapy has two goals — feeling better and staying better. Once you’ve achieved what you came in for, and you have the tools to manage on your own, you won’t need to keep coming. Before wrapping up, your therapist will walk through relapse prevention strategies with you so you feel confident maintaining your progress. And if you ever want a tune-up session down the road, you’re always welcome back.

Yes. Our therapists specialize in a wide range of conditions including anxiety disorders, depression, OCD, panic, PTSD, social anxiety, ADHD, and stress. We use the most current evidence-based treatments for each condition, including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD and trauma-focused approaches for PTSD.

Yes. We offer secure video sessions alongside in-person appointments at all three of our locations. Whether you’re in the Bay Area or elsewhere in California, we can find a format and schedule that works for you — including evenings and Saturdays.

We have three convenient offices across the Bay Area. Our Palo Alto location is ideal for those near downtown or Stanford. Menlo Park is a great fit if you’re closer to Sand Hill Road or the Meta campus. And our San Jose office serves residents throughout the South Bay. All locations offer free parking and are easily accessible from major highways and Caltrain.

Call (650) 461-9026

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Recognizing Good Therapy

Evidence-Based

Specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, we provide effective & caring counseling. Our therapists are passionate in delivering high-quality therapy & enhance their skills through the latest trainings.

Strong Relationships

Our relationship with you is valued & of highest importance. We are compassionate, respectful, & honest. Our professional counseling includes working side by side with you towards YOUR goals.

Short-Term & Focused

Our active therapists use tailored homework exercises to help you find relief in a timely manner. By keeping our meetings on track & targeting specific concerns we help you enjoy life again, usually in a matter of months not years.

Client Convenience

Appointments after 5pm & Saturdays, friendly administrative staff, & three locations: Palo Alto, Menlo Park, & San Jose. We help children, teens & adults, couples, & families. Video therapy available!

What Our Clients Are Saying…

Palo Alto Therapy does not just provide talk therapy, but focuses on teaching skills to maintain therapy. You have a genuine interest in the client’s well-being and you offered a new way of thinking about or means of addressing my issues.

What Our Clients Are Saying…

I liked the emphasis on doing concrete things to get results-writing down negative thoughts, trying to say things to counter those thoughts…Thank you for helping me make my life better.

What Our Clients Are Saying…

I found the homework exercises to be very helpful to me. I’ve been able to use techniques I have learned from those exercises to slow down my thoughts when problems arise and work through whatever the issue may be, OCD or otherwise.