San Marcos · North County San Diego
Anxiety, depression, relationship strain, or something you haven't found words for yet. We don't have a San Marcos office, but our Vista office borders the city and sits about 10 minutes from most of it: doctoral-level therapists, right down the 78, plus Carlsbad and online across California.
4.9 on Google · 90+ reviews across our three offices
Serving San Marcos
Straight talk: Coastal Therapy Group does not have an office in San Marcos. We don't think you need one. Our Vista office sits right on the San Marcos line, about 10 minutes from most of the city, straight down the 78 to the Mar Vista exit, with not a single stop sign between the freeway and the parking lot.
Every clinician you'd meet holds a doctorate in psychology. That's not a line about the diplomas on the wall. It means thousands of hours of supervised clinical training, real depth in assessment and diagnosis, and treatment shaped around the person in the room, not a pre-set protocol.
And if a drive is the last thing you have time for, it doesn't have to happen. Every therapist here also works online, anywhere in California, so you can start from home and add in-person visits to Vista whenever it suits you.
From your neighborhood
San Marcos runs from the university down to the southern hills, so the drive to our Vista office changes a little depending on where you start. Rough guide, mostly on the 78:
Parking at the Vista office is free and right outside. Down in San Elijo Hills, our Encinitas office may be the closer one, and for Lake San Marcos our Carlsbad Village office is an easy alternative. Not sure which fits? Kari will sort it out with you on a free call.
Why people come
People rarely come to therapy with a tidy diagnosis in hand. They come because something isn't working. Some of what brings San Marcos clients to us:
If you see yourself somewhere on this list, or you don't and you just know something needs to change, that's enough to start. Our care coordinator will help you figure out the rest.
Students & young adults
San Marcos is a college town, and some of our favorite work is with students and twenty-somethings: the anxiety of a heavy semester, a first real heartbreak, the identity questions that hit when the structure of school falls away, and the quiet pressure of figuring out what comes next.
We also know the campus from the inside. Three of our psychologists trained at the CSU San Marcos counseling center, and both of our owners have presented to its counseling staff. We're still an independent private practice, though, not campus counseling, which means no session caps and a therapist who stays with you. Many students meet online during the semester and keep going when they head home for the summer, since we can see you anywhere in California.
Independent practice
No session caps
Private therapy at your own pace, with the same therapist, for as long as the work needs, on campus schedules or off.
What we offer
Weekly, one-on-one work with a therapist who gets to know you, not just your symptoms. Our clinicians work with kids, teens, and adults on anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, grief, identity, and the patterns that keep repeating.
Learn more →When communication has broken down or the distance has crept in, couples therapy is a place to slow down and look at what's happening underneath. We use Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and relational approaches to help partners find their way back to each other.
Learn more →San Marcos is full of young families, and kids and teens carry more than they can always name. Several of our clinicians specialize in younger clients: anxiety, school stress, big feelings, and the changes that come with growing up.
Learn more →When you need answers, not another guess. We evaluate ADHD, autism, learning differences, and personality. Full testing days happen at our Vista suite; intakes, feedback sessions, and some shorter testing days can happen in Carlsbad.
Learn more →San Marcos clients also come to us for anxiety, depression, trauma work & EMDR, child therapy, and grief. Testing covers ADHD, autism, learning & academic functioning, and personality.
Our approach
Coastal Therapy Group is a relational, psychodynamic practice. In plain terms: we take the time to truly know you, not just manage your symptoms. We're interested in the patterns underneath, where they came from, what they've been protecting, and what it would take for them to loosen their grip.
That kind of work happens in a relationship. Your therapist won't be a blank screen or a cheerleader. They'll be a real person: present, honest, and rooting for you, helping you understand yourself in a way that actually lasts. Understanding, not just coping.
Where San Marcos sits
San Marcos and Vista share a border, linked by the 78. Our Vista office is the near one, about 10 minutes from most of the city. Carlsbad sits down on the coast as a second option, handy if you're in the southern hills.
So don't pick an office first. Pick up the phone. Kari matches you with the right therapist, then the location that fits your week, whether that's Vista, Carlsbad, or online from home.
Start with the free callMeet the team
Every clinician at Coastal Therapy Group holds a doctorate in psychology. These are the therapists (and one very good dog) you'll find a short drive down the 78 at our Vista office, plus online across California.
All ages + couples
Works with kids, adults, couples, and families across the lifespan.
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Teens + adults
Director of Psychological Testing. Works with teens and adults carrying the weight of the past.
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Teens + adults + couples
Works on identity, relationships, and emotional depth; facilitates The Social Lab.
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Teens + adults + couples
Works with teens and adults on self-acceptance, resilience, and growth.
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Adults + couples
Co-owner of Coastal Therapy Group. Works with adults and couples in seasons of change and challenge.
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Postdoctoral fellow · Teens + adults
Works with teens, college students, and adults on identity, relationships, and meaning.
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Postdoctoral fellow · Kids + adults + couples
Works with kids, adults, and couples on reconnecting with who you are.
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Teens + adults + couples
Founder of Coastal Therapy Group. Works with teens, adults, and couples on lasting change.
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Questions
No, and we'd rather say so plainly. Coastal Therapy Group sees San Marcos clients at our Vista office, which borders San Marcos and is about 10 minutes from most of the city: 1800 Thibodo Road, Suite 110, just off the 78 at the Mar Vista exit. Our Carlsbad Village office is a second option, and every therapist here also sees clients online anywhere in California.
For most of San Marcos, about 10 minutes. The Vista office sits right off the 78 at the Mar Vista exit, with not a single stop sign between the freeway and the parking lot, so downtown, CSUSM, Richmar, Discovery Hills, and Twin Oaks are all a short, mostly-freeway drive. The southern hills, like San Elijo Hills, run a little longer, around 15 to 18 minutes, and for that corner our Encinitas office may actually be the closest, with Carlsbad a good option too.
Yes, and it's some of our favorite work. College and the years right after it are a huge transition, and we see a lot of students and twenty-somethings on anxiety, depression, identity, relationships, and figuring out what comes next. We know the campus well: three of our psychologists trained at the CSU San Marcos counseling center, and both of our owners have presented to its counseling staff. We're still an independent private practice, though, so this is private therapy rather than campus counseling. Many students start online during the semester and stay online when they head home for the summer, since we can see you anywhere in California.
Yes. Couples therapy and marriage counseling are common reasons San Marcos partners reach out, and several of our doctoral-level clinicians specialize in relationship work using Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and other relational approaches. You can meet in person at our Vista or Carlsbad office, or online anywhere in California.
Yes. We evaluate ADHD, autism, learning differences, and personality for kids, teens, and adults. Full testing days happen in the dedicated assessment suite at our Vista office, and intakes, feedback sessions, and some shorter testing days can happen at our Carlsbad office. We coordinate the whole process from your first call.
Yes. Every one of our therapists also sees clients via secure telehealth, anywhere in California. For a lot of San Marcos clients, especially students and busy parents, online is the easiest way to start, and many mix in-person visits to Vista with online sessions depending on the week.
Our standard fee ranges from $230 to $300 per 45-minute session, depending on the therapist. We're a private-pay, out-of-network practice: we provide detailed superbills you can submit to your insurance for potential out-of-network reimbursement, and many clients with PPO plans are reimbursed for a meaningful portion of their sessions. You can find current rates on our Cost + Info page.
Every clinician who would see you holds a doctorate in psychology: a PhD or PsyD. Most are licensed psychologists, and our team also includes doctoral-level postdoctoral fellows practicing under supervision. In every case that means thousands of hours of supervised clinical training and real depth in assessment and diagnosis. And if credentials matter to you, they matter to us too: ask Kari anything on your free consultation call.
Call or text us at (760) 334-6262, email info@coastaltherapygroup.com, or fill out the contact form on our Get Started page. Kari, our care coordinator, will learn what you're looking for, match you with a therapist, and schedule a free 15-minute consultation. Most new clients are in session within a week of that call.
Ready when you are
One free 15-minute call with Kari. She'll listen to what you're looking for, match you with the right therapist, and find the option that actually fits your life: Vista, Carlsbad, or online. No pressure, and no runaround.
4.9 on Google · 90+ reviews · Serving North County since 2018
Where we see San Marcos clients
Vista · nearest
1800 Thibodo Road, Suite 110About 10 min down the 78 · free parking outside · individual, couples, groups & full testing
Carlsbad Village
2564 State Street, Suite BA coastal option for the southern hills · free street parking
Online
Secure telehealthStart from home or campus · mix in Vista visits whenever it suits you
