Â鶹ӰÊÓ

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Personal/Mental Health Counseling Sessions

Free and confidential Counseling and Mental Health Services are available in person, via Zoom or by Phone to currently enrolled students who are physically in the state of California. Please fill out the contact form on our Health Services main page to request an appointment or call the: 

• Oceanside Health Center at 760.795.6675
• San Elijo Health Center at 760.757.2121 x7747. 

Sessions are 50 minutes, one time per week for up to six consecutive weeks. One-time drop-in crisis sessions of up to 50 minutes are also available. Sessions may be used for individual, relationship, or family counseling. Some common reasons to seek mental health counseling are:

• Generally overwhelmed with life 
• Difficulties at school or work
• Stress and anxiety
• Depression
• Grief
• Difficulty with sleep
• Relationship challenges
• Substance abuse
• Concerns about eating
• Sexuality
• Gender identity
• Traumatic life experiences
• Pressure/trauma related to marginalization

Groups: Spring 2026

• Recovery Support Group
  Wednesdays starting 3/4/2026, 12pm, in person at OC 14114 and on Zoom. Please email tammah.watts@miracosta.edu for link.
• Connecting with Nature: A Mindful Exploration
  Please email tammah.watts@miracosta.edu or jmendezcarbajal@miracosta.edu for more information.
• Social Connections: Autism Space
  Please email vlevy@miracosta.edu for more information.
• Queer Time
  Please email vlevy@miracosta.edu for more information.
• Cultivating Wellbeing for Undocumented & Mixed Status Students
  Please email nramirezibarra@miracosta.edu for more information.

Our Team

The Mental Health Counseling Team is comprised of a diverse group of professionals and includes Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors, and pre-licensed counselors and associates. 

We have been trained to look at the world from a systemic, humanistic, social justice, and equity-minded perspective. We consider the whole person in our work with students. This includes focusing on past and current experiences, including the impact the larger system has on lived experiences. We therefore consider the impact of social injustices and systemic inequities on individuals, including acknowledging and examining systems, policies, and practices of oppression that students have experienced.

As clinicians, we are in solidarity for social justice and equity, both here at MiraCosta and in the larger community. We are here for all students and as an additional source of support for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and LGBTQIA+ students in the MiraCosta community, both through individual counseling and through scheduled group sessions.

Faculty Coordinator

The mental health counseling team is under the leadership of our full-time mental health faculty coordinator, Dr. Ghada Osman, Ph.D., Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), 83472. She is in charge of program oversight with limited availability for direct practice with students.

Ghada Osman (she), Ph.D., LMFT 83472, C-IAYT 
Faculty Coordinator/Mental Health
Deeply trained in client-centered, trauma-informed work that is multicultural in perspective and LGBTQPIA+ affirming, Ghada approaches her work with a cultural humility that centers social justice and equity. She is a Brainspotting Consultant, certified in EMDR and Yoga Therapies, and also incorporates in her work elements of Cognitive, Narrative, and Internal Family Systems Therapies. Ghada is passionate about the community college mission, having herself started her educational career as a community college student. After receiving her Ph.D. from Harvard University and working as a Professor for 10 years, Ghada returned to school and earned her M.A. in Psychology with an emphasis on Marriage & Family Therapy from Chapman University. In addition to her clinical work, Ghada serves as an examination reviewer for the Board of Behavioral Sciences and as a committee chair for the statewide California Association of Marriage & Family Therapists. She leads workshops and trainings on a range of mental health topics. Her most recent book is Mental and Emotional Healing through Yoga: A Guiding Framework for Therapists and their Clients.

Counselors/Therapists

Abigail (Abby) Burd (she/ella), MSW, LCSW 26867, PMH-C 
Full-Time Facult/Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Abby is a bilingual (English/Spanish) clinical social worker with over 20 years experience in mental health. Before joining Â鶹ӰÊÓ in 2020, she served the unique mental health needs of community college students at San Diego City College for 13 years. There, she was proud to help create innovative programming to reduce mental health stigma, particularly for disproportionately impacted student groups. Abby is trained as a trainer in creating LGBTQIA+ safe zones, suicide prevention gatekeeping, and mindfulness. Abby has been a clinical supervisor on campuses and through her private practice since 2008, guiding the next generation of pre-licensed social workers, marriage and family therapists and clinical counselors. She is a culturally-humble, integrative clinician, drawing upon Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Motivational Interviewing, Solutions-Focused Therapy, mindfulness, and trauma-informed approaches. Abby is certified in Perinatal Mental Health and educated at San Diego State University (Master of Social Work) and Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT (BA in Psychology-Sociology). Her first book, The Postpartum Depression Workbook, was published in 2020.

Anjou Parekh (she/ella), LPCC 7945 
Associate Faculty/Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Anjou is a licensed psychotherapist who supports individuals with a wide range of issues, including anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma and PTSD, grief and loss, and other life transitions. Anjou offers talk therapy as well as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). She is also a certified yoga instructor and blends elements of yoga and mindfulness-based approaches into her sessions as appropriate. Anjou’s client-centered, solution-focused approach allows her to use a variety of research-based therapeutic practices to support clients in their treatment goals. She provides a confidential, warm, and nonjudgmental environment in which clients can explore their thoughts and feelings as they move forward in their life journeys. Her perspective is trauma-informed, multicultural, and LGBTQIA+ affirming. In Anjou’s prior public health career, she spent over fifteen years managing healthcare programs for women, children, and families, both domestically and internationally. Though she was born in Canada and raised there and in the USA, Anjou has had the privilege of working and living in a variety of countries in both Asia and Latin America, including India, Japan, China, Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. She also speaks several languages, including Spanish and Gujarati.

Arianna Escobar (she), LPCC 13931
Associate Faculty/Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Arianna is an Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC). She received her M.S. in multicultural community counseling and social justice education from SDSU (CBB) program. Arianna has worked with diverse populations including adults, adolescents, system-involved youth and families. Her clinical experience includes supporting clients in eating disorder recovery, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, self-harm, substance use and trauma. In addition to utilizing an eclectic therapeutic model, Arianna has experience integrating CBT, DBT and EFT interventions to empower her patients and meet their therapeutic needs in a variety of therapeutic settings such as group homes, residential treatment centers, community college and high schools. Arianna’s commitment to addressing cultural factors, social injustices, systemic issues and familial dynamics has influenced her therapeutic work. She is passionate about strengthening clients’ relationships with themselves and increasing their sense of self-compassion and authenticity in order to live a more fulfilling life.

Arneson Sambile (he)
Mental Health Counselor, under the supervision of Ghada Osman LMFT 83472
Arneson is a graduate student at San Diego State University (SDSU), pursuing his Master's in Multicultural Counseling through the Community-Based Block (CBB) Program. He was born in the Washington metropolitan area and raised in San Diego, California. He is a product of and a firm believer of the community college system. He received his Associate's from San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) and later transferred to San Francisco State University (SFSU) where he obtained a dual bachelor degree in Sociology and Asian American Studies. His passion in working in mental health is rooted in the understanding of the need for culturally competent counselors. From working alongside city council officials to students in inner-city public schools, having a background in community organizing and working in academia has allowed him to see the disparities experienced in our communities and the need for mental health services. Both his lived experiences and professional achievements contribute to his work as a counselor. His approach to mental health is done through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Emotion Focused Therapy, and the use of Mindfulness. Arneson's purpose is rooted in serving the community by providing an authentic, safe, and supportive environment for students to heal and explore their mental health. 

Dianna Lopez (she)
Mental Health Counselor, under the supervision of Ghada Osman LMFT 83472
My name is Dianna Lopez, and I am a native of San Diego. I grew up in Vista surrounded by my family, celebrating life’s big and little moments. I earned my B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Business from UCSD, and I am currently pursuing my M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at USD. I am a first-generation college student who stems from a low-income household, and I have struggled with many life transitions, such as pursuing higher education, living on my own, and transitioning into the workforce. My goal is to help others who share these struggles, among other stressors that life may bring. I grew up knowing little to nothing about mental health and what therapy could provide, so I want to create a welcoming environment where anyone can come in and feel heard. I am focusing on a client-centered approach along with using cognitive behavioral interventions to build a collaborative space and target any unhelpful thoughts. I am passionate about spreading awareness of mental health services as a necessary resource for all individuals, along with breaking down the stigma surrounding therapy, especially in minority cultures. I am excited about celebrating big and little moments with the MiraCosta community

Ilan Navah (he)
Mental Health Counselor, under the supervision of Ghada Osman LMFT 83472
Ilan Navah is a graduate student at Bastyr University, pursuing a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Holistic Nursing from California State Polytechnic University and brings over 13 years of diverse nursing experience including emergency medicine, public health, hospice, and integrative medicine. Guided by a belief in the mind–body–spirit connection, Ilan takes a holistic, integrative approach to care, supporting individuals in cultivating wholeness and well-being. A Los Angeles native, Ilan has worked extensively both abroad in East and West Africa, the South Pacific, and throughout the Western United States. Beyond his work in healthcare, he is an avid musician and finds joy in the outdoors, cultural exchange, and travel.

Jacob Maldonado (he/they/é±ô/±ð±ô±ô±ð)
Mental Health Counselor, under the supervision of Ghada Osman LMFT 83472
Jacob received his Masters in Multicultural Counseling and Social Justice Education from SDSU, where he also received his Bachelors in Psychology minoring in LGBTQ+ studies, Counseling, and Social Change. He is concurrently enrolled in SDSU’s Graduate Certificate for LGBTQ+ studies, and COLEF’s Graduate Certificate for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support for Migrants (SMAPS). Born and raised in San Diego, he is interested in community mental health, collective healing, and restorative justice reflected by his clinical orientation. During his free time, Jacob likes to run for fun and spend time with his family pugs: Cookie, Beanz, and Boba. Community membership serves as his pillars of support, while using his biliterate, bicultural, and binationality as tools for navigating and expanding access of mental health services to those he serves. 

Jesus D. Mendez Carbajal (³ó±ð/é±ô), APCC 8347 
Associate Faculty/Mental Health Counselor, under the supervision of Ghada Osman LMFT 83472
Jesus is a bilingual (Spanish/English) Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC). Jesus was born on Nahua land in Mexico and raised locally in San Diego on Kumeyaay land. After high school, Jesus attended San Diego Mesa College, transferred to San Diego State University (SDSU) and received a B.A. in Chicana/o Studies with a minor in Women’s Studies in 2016. In 2020, Jesus received a M.S. in Counseling from SDSU’s Community Based Block (CBB) Multicultural Community Counseling and Social Justice Education Program. Jesus understands that while the issues people face are personally experienced, they’re also connected to systems of power, privilege and oppression and their impact extends beyond the self. Working with Jesus means experiencing attentive support and expansive curiosity. Overall, Jesus is a passionate life-long student of healing, plant knowledge, astrology, emotional wellness, mental health, and spirituality.

Julie Choi Trepkau (she), AMFT 147728 
Associate Faculty/Mental Health Counselor, under the supervision of Ghada Osman LMFT 83472
Julie is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) who holds Master's in Counseling from National University, and is dedicated to supporting individuals from diverse populations as they navigate life’s challenges, including anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, and relationship concerns.  Julie’s background is in yoga and education, having taught yoga internationally for over two decades as well as elementary school in Encinitas.  After receiving a BA from Barnard College and an MSc from The London School of Economics and Political Science, she lived abroad for 15 years in the U.K, Hong Kong, and Germany.  During this time, took extended trips to India where she experienced firsthand the profound connection between movement, breath, and emotional well-being.  Julie strives to create a compassionate space where healing and personal growth can flourish. She integrates evidence-based practices, including trauma-informed care and mindfulness techniques to empower clients to cultivate self-awareness, foster resilience, and develop tools to achieve sustainable mental health and meaningful transformation in their lives.

Natasha Jackson (she), LMFT 127257 
Associate Faculty/Licensed Mental Health Counselor
My name is Natasha Jackson, and I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist from San Diego, CA. I obtained my Bachelor's Degree from SDSU, and completed my Graduate program at Argosy University. I am grateful to offer individuals a space to gain awareness and develop strategies that put them in the driver’s seat of their life’s challenges. I always knew that I wanted to be in the helping profession and I am lucky and honored to be able to do this work. As a Black Therapist, I see the value of representation in the mental health field and find unique opportunities to support my clients who can often feel misunderstood by therapists who may not share this aspect of their identity. Furthermore, I am passionate about working with members of the following communities: body positivity, LGBTQ+, racial justice, military spouses, and single mothers. I am an English-speaking Therapist who has worked in the mental health field for the last ten years, with experience in both residential and outpatient settings, treating adolescents, adults, families, and couples. I am confident in treating a wide array of diagnoses and needs including depression, anxiety, life transitions, perinatal and postpartum difficulties, self-harm and behavioral issues, academic and employment challenges, grief, and trauma. My therapeutic approach is collaborative, direct, and compassionate using evidence-based practices that support those in improving their life and situation most quickly and effectively.

Nidya Ramirez Ibarra (she/ella), LMFT117868
Associate Faculty/Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Nidya Ramirez Ibarra is a bilingual (English/Spanish) Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who grew up in Escondido, CA. As an immigrant and past community organizer, she entered the mental health field aware of how social and systemic factors shape the emotional, physical, relational, and psychological wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities. Nidya received her Master's degree in Counseling with a concentration in Marriage and Family Therapy from San Diego State University. Foundational to Nidya’s practice is Narrative Therapy with a trauma-informed, collaborative, and client centered approach. Nidya also integrates somatic experiencing, EMDR, motivational interviewing, and solution focused modalities. Nidya is looking forward to working with students and utilizing her knowledge and years of experience as a therapist to co-create a space to initiate change, gain insight, build skills, and establish support. Prior to joining the mental health team at Â鶹ӰÊÓ Nidya was part of the Mobile Crisis Response Team and supported individuals in the community experiencing a behavioral health crisis’ such as suicidal ideation, grave disability, and increased symptoms of depression, psychosis, mania, or substance use. Also, for 8 years Nidya worked at a local non-profit with families, individuals, and children struggling with trauma due to intimate partner violence and sexual abuse.  Currently Nidya enjoys continuing to be involved in the community by facilitating support groups, giving presentations, and providing clinical supervision.

Nikki Gee (she), LPCC 22461
Associate Faculty/Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Nikki is an Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC) and has been passionate about working with and learning from students for over 25 years. She received her BSE in Special Education and master's degrees in Higher Education Administration and Multicultural Counseling and Social Justice. She is a first-generation graduate who has navigated the college experience as a person of color and a non-traditional student. Her challenges in finding a therapist of color for herself led to a late career change into counseling. Nikki’s experience in administration and counseling provides a unique insight into the challenges students face and the chance to celebrate their success. She is passionate about challenging the stigma and beliefs attached to mental health, especially for students of color. Her approach is trauma informed, LGBTQIA+ Affirming, solution and client centered. She draws from multicultural, systems, mindfulness and motivational interviewing theories when working with students.

Rachel Benson (she),  LMFT 150952 
Associate Faculty/Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Rachel is a licensed Marrriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). She received her Masters's Degree in Counseling Psychology and specialized in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) with Distinction. She is originally from Hong Kong, and she speaks several languages, including Cantonese and Mandarin. Rachel believes every person is unique, and she also understands how difficult it is for clients to deal with emotional issues such as separation, divorce, and death. Rachel has worked in various school districts with diverse populations. Rachel enjoys working with individuals and their families through different challenges of life. Rachel is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), sand tray therapy, Gottman Couple Therapy, and Play Therapy with young children. She leans toward Solution Focused Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, sand tray/sand play therapy, Art and Music Therapy, and Play Therapy. She was fortunate to learn about sand tray therapy from the World Association of Sand Therapy professionals. She believes that using an integrated therapy approach and evidenced-based interventions can help her clients reach their highest potential and achieve their goals

Tammah Watts (she), LMFT 111562 
Associate Faculty/Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Hi, I’m Tammah and thanks for your time. I consider it a privilege to be a Mental Health Counselor here at Â鶹ӰÊÓ. Foremost for me is to meet the client where they are in life with genuine regard and understanding in support of their self-actualization. That is to say, I holistically support that you know yourself best and I honor your unique journey towards optimal healing. I, therefore, incorporate an eclectic therapeutic approach and find that Solution-Focused Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Motivational Therapy among others are effective when supported by a foundational stance of acknowledgement for one’s identity and their inherent right to equitable and just expectations. My background includes a life devoted to serving people and communities. For over 25 years, I served as a Program Manager for a private, nonprofit Child Abuse Prevention Agency in San Diego County and was responsible for the establishment and operation of residential treatment facilities, school-based programs, mental health outpatient clinics and innovative family services. My specializations in Child, Youth, and Student Services, Foster Care and Intensive Wraparound Family Support Services, Mental Health Treatment, Cultural Diversity, Innovative Delivery System Modalities for Person-Centered Care, and Direct Clinical and Substance Abuse Recovery Practices help to further inform my volunteerism and community engagement. I am passionate about nature and conservation and currently am the Southern California Chapter Representative on Audubon California, Board of Directors and Buena Vista Audubon Society (Oceanside) Board of Directors. I am certified as a SMART Recovery Facilitator, Domestic Violence Advocate, Mindfulness-Based Meditation, Cultural Diversity, and a Clinical Trauma Professional. My education is a mix of attendance at community colleges, 4-year universities and ultimately earning my Masters in Counseling Psychology from National University. I am a Licensed marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). My first book, Keep Looking Up: Your Guide to the Powerful Healing of Bird watching, with Hay House Publishing, will be out April, 2022.

Van Ethan Levy (they/elle), LMFT 118131, LPCC 8269 
Associate Faculty/Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Van is a queer, non-binary, trans, AFAB (Assigned Female at Birth), nBPOC (not Black Person of Color), dually licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist and a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. Van is passionate about holding space for all intersections of one’s identity(ies). Van is dedicated to social justice & believes it is vital to cultivate an awareness of our own internal strengths, specifically our resilience as we continue to grow and discover ourselves. Van believes it is important to trust and validate our experience(s) and journey(s). Van aims to use a trauma informed lens and hopes to help you learn ways to support yourself in the best way possible. Van also provides trainings on trans and non-binary identities and is author of the interactive book Exploring My Identity(ies) (2020).

NOTICE TO CLIENTS: The Board of Behavioral Sciences receives and responds to complaints regarding services provided within the scope of practice of marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, and professional clinical counselors. You may contact the board online at www.bbs.ca.gov, or by calling (916) 574-7830.