Counseling in Palo Alto, CA. Find the Right Therapist.

Related Sites:
City of Palo Alto
California Board of Behavioral Sciences

Therapy Palo Alto California

Counseling Stanford, Menlo Park, East Palo Alto, North Fair Oaks, Redwood City

Palo Alto is located in the San Francisco Bay area. This is also where Stanford University is located, along with Hewlett Packard's headquarters and Facebook. There are around 66,000 residents that live in Palo Alto.¹ The city was established back in 1769 when Gaspar de Portola settled here. The Ohlone tribe lived there prior to anyone settling, and there are still Indian mounds around the area, along with a plaque that commemorates the area. The city was named for a tall tree called the El Palo Alto. The single tree can be seen at the banks of the San Francisquito Creek, which borders Menlo Park. A plaque was placed near the area describing the story of how a 63 man, 200 horse expedition made their way from San Diego trying to get to the mission at Monterey in 1769, but instead got to the bay, discovering it was too wide to cross, so they turned around at the El Palo Alto tree.

Mental Health in Palo Alto

Approximately one-third of adults in the Palo Alto area report having poor mental health at least once in the last thirty days, with most residents experiencing three days of poor mental health each month. Yet, only 7 percent of individuals in the Palo Alto area report actively engaging in counseling. Binge drinking is a common occurrence, with 25 percent of area residents engaging in that activity each month.² As a result, comprehensive mental health care, including substance abuse programs, are needed in Palo Alto.

The San Mateo County Health System provides individuals in Palo Alto and the surrounding communities with many resources to improve mental health. Services are available for children, adolescents, and adults. The Office of Consumer and Family affairs provides information, education and support services for those who live with mental illness or chemical dependency. The county health system also operates several crisis hotlines for people who are experiencing severe mental health issues, such as a psychiatric crisis, suicidal ideation, or substance abuse issues. Additional information about these county resources is available by calling 800-686-0101.³

Current Education

For individuals interested in serving their community as a counselor, Palo Alto University offers an online graduate program in counseling. The program focuses student learning on four core areas - assessment, psychotherapy, research, and ethics. Students can concentrate in family counseling, addiction and recovery counseling, or crisis and trauma counseling. The program is offered on a part-time or full-time basis. Graduates may be eligible for certification in their home state. For more information call 650-417-2023.⁴

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References

1. United States Census Bureau. (2017). State and County Quickfacts - Palo Alto, California. Retrieved from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0655282.html.
2. County of Santa Clara. (2010). Health Profile Report. Retrieved from http://www.sccgov.org/sites/sccphd/en-us/Partners/Data/Documents/SCC_Health_Profile_Report_online_final.pdf.
3. San Mateo County Health System. (2016). Mental Health Services. Retrieved from http://smchealth.org/mentalhealth.
4. Palo Alto University. (2017). M.A. in Counseling. Retrieved from http://www.paloaltou.edu/degree-program/ma-counseling-global-online/home.

Palo Alto is located in Santa Clara County, California. It has a land area of 23.86 square miles and a water area of 1.90 square miles.  The population of Palo Alto is 66,853 people with 26,087 households and a median annual income of $136,519. .

Therapy Affordability Meter for Palo Alto, CA

Widely Affordable

Licensed, professional counseling in Palo Alto is considered widely accessible by the majority of people who live here and budget is often not a concern for mental health treatment. Low cost counseling and affordable therapy are also sometimes offered by listed city and university level clinics, check with your local Palo Alto public health department.