Online depression therapy in California
The alarm goes off and you can't move. Everything feels heavy. The things you used to enjoy don't land anymore.
Depression lies to you. It says nothing will help and nothing will change. We're two licensed therapists in California who work with you over secure video to push back against that voice and help you start feeling like yourself again.
Can online therapy help with depression?
Short version first, then the page goes deeper.
Online depression therapy can help adults in California rebuild routines, challenge depressive thought loops, and track progress with a licensed therapist over secure video.
- Treatment approach: CBT and behavioral activation
- Best fit: low mood, numbness, isolation, guilt, and low motivation
- Access: secure online sessions anywhere in California
- Cost: insurance accepted or $125 private pay per session
Depression isn't just sadness
It's canceling plans because you can't imagine being around people. It's staring at a meal you know you should eat but don't want. It's lying awake at 3am feeling nothing, or feeling everything at once.
About 21 million adults in the US had at least one major depressive episode in 2021 (NIMH). It's one of the most common mental health conditions in the country. And it responds well to treatment.
You do not need to feel motivated before you start. Depression often takes motivation first, which is why treatment starts small and builds from there.
Depression can look like
- Losing interest in things that used to feel good
- Feeling heavy, numb, guilty, or disconnected
- Sleeping too much, not sleeping enough, or waking exhausted
- Pulling away from people even when you feel lonely
How we treat depression
We use CBT to help you notice negative thought loops and build more accurate ways of responding to them. We also use behavioral activation, which helps you start moving again in small, realistic ways.
Sessions happen over secure video from anywhere in California. We accept insurance, and you'd usually pay your plan's copay. If you're not using insurance, private pay is $125 per session.
We accept Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Carelon Behavioral Health, and CIGNA. Your cost depends on your plan's copay.
What this actually looks like
- We identify the thought patterns that keep pulling you back down
- We build small actions into your week before waiting for motivation to appear
- We work on the guilt and self-criticism that often come with depression
- Every four weeks, we measure your progress with the PHQ-9 so you can see what is changing
Licensed, evidence-informed depression care
A quick skim of what matters before someone decides to reach out: license, method, access, and cost clarity.
Licensed California therapists
Sessions are provided by LMFTs licensed to work with clients located in California.
Measurement-based check-ins
The page explains how PHQ-9 check-ins can help you and your therapist track depression symptoms over time.
Secure online sessions
Care is delivered over secure video so treatment is accessible even when leaving home feels hard.
Clear cost context
The page states insurance acceptance, copay variability, and private-pay pricing.
Source notes on this page
- The page references NIMH data on major depressive episodes.
- FAQ content references online CBT research and APA guidance on CBT for depression.
- Treatment language separates CBT, behavioral activation, progress tracking, and medication coordination when relevant.
Not sure where to start?
Request a free 15-minute consultation. We'll talk about what you're dealing with and whether we're a good fit.
Request a free 15-minute consultation→No cost. No pressure. We'll reply within one business day.
How it works
Free consultation
We talk about what you're dealing with and figure out if we're a good fit. No cost, no commitment.
First session with assessment
Your therapist asks about your history, what's been going on, and what you want to change. You'll take a PHQ-9 so we have a baseline to measure against.
Weekly sessions
Each session builds on the last. We combine behavioral activation with thought pattern work. You'll try things between sessions and we'll go over what stuck.
Progress tracking
Every four weeks, you retake the PHQ-9. We look at the numbers together and adjust the plan based on what's working.
Who you'll work with
Daishea Poole
LMFT #142484
Daishea has close to a decade of clinical experience. She uses an existential-humanistic approach alongside CBT, which means she's not just working on your thought patterns but also helping you reconnect with what matters to you.
Leona Esmaeily-Aimua
LMFT #142467
Leona combines person-centered therapy with CBT. Depression is one of her primary specialties. She's good with clients who were taught to push their feelings aside and just keep going.
Depression therapy FAQ
Most people start noticing a shift within 4 to 6 sessions, especially once behavioral activation kicks in. A full course of CBT for depression usually runs 12 to 20 sessions. We use the PHQ-9 (a short questionnaire that tracks how you're feeling over time) every four weeks so you can see the change on paper.
Yes. A 2014 meta-analysis in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that online CBT is as effective as in-person therapy for depression. You're getting the same treatment from a licensed therapist. The only difference is you don't have to leave your house, which matters a lot when getting out of bed already feels like a win.
Not necessarily. The APA rates CBT as a first-line treatment for major depressive disorder, meaning it works on its own for many people. Some people do better with a combination of therapy and medication, especially for more severe symptoms. We don't prescribe medication, but if that's something you want to explore, we can coordinate with your prescriber.
That's one of the reasons we do this online. You can attend a session from your bed, your couch, wherever you are. We don't need you to have it together before you start. That's what we're here for.
You don't have to feel like this forever.
Request a free consultation to talk about what's going on and whether we're the right fit.
Request a free 15-minute consultationNo pressure. No commitment.