--- title: "Individual Therapy in Santa Monica, CA | Online Sessions with Fanshen" description: "Online individual therapy for Santa Monica residents. Weekly 45-minute sessions. Cancellation policy 24 hours. 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You'll receive a link before each session and join from a private space at home — no app downloads or special equipment beyond a device with a camera and a stable internet connection." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do I need a special app or platform?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "No. The video platform runs in your browser. I'll send a link a few minutes before our session — you click, and we begin." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is this covered by insurance?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "I'm an out-of-network provider. I can provide a superbill you can submit to your insurance for potential out-of-network reimbursement. I'd encourage you to call your insurance and ask about your out-of-network mental health benefits." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How long does it take to see results?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Most people begin to feel something shift within the first several weeks — a little more clarity, a little less alone in it. Real, lasting change is a longer arc, often months of consistent weekly work. I'll be honest with you about what I see along the way." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is your cancellation policy?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "My cancellation policy is 24 hours. Sessions canceled with less than 24 hours' notice are charged in full." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can you see clients in Santa Monica?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. I see clients in Santa Monica and across California via secure video sessions. There's no need to come to an office — sessions happen from wherever you're comfortable in Santa Monica." } } ] } ] --- [![Fanshen Thompson, LCSW](/assets/logo-mark-DCWEUPFA.png)Fanshen Thompson LCSW ](/) [Home](/)[About](/about) Services Specialties [Approach](/approach/gottman-method)[Notes](/blog)[FAQ](/faq)[Resources](/resources) [Book a Free 20-Minute Consultation](/contact) 1. [Home](/)› 2. [Services](/services)› 3. [Individual Therapy](/services/individual-therapy/berkeley)› 4. Santa Monica ONLINE THERAPY · SERVING SANTA MONICA, CA # Individual Therapy in _Santa Monica_ Therapy for the person you've been carrying — and the one you're becoming. Weekly 45-minute sessions · Secure video sessions · Serving Santa Monica residents and clients across California [Book a Free 20-Minute Consultation](/contact)[Learn more about my approach →](/about) THERAPY FOR SANTA MONICA INDIVIDUALS ## Individual therapy for the rhythms of life in Santa Monica. Santa Monica looks like SoCal at its most idyllic — ocean, light, and a Westside professional class running tech, entertainment, wellness, and creative firms out of the same few square miles. From inside, it's a high-performance city. Long hours at Snap, Hulu, and the surrounding studios, dual-career partnerships, and the particular pressure of living a life that's supposed to look as good as it does on Instagram all show up in relationships in real ways. The gap between the postcard and the inside of the house is exactly the territory of this work. Westside traffic alone is a reason couples and individuals drop out of in-person therapy. A 50-minute session becomes a two-hour ordeal between Bundy, the 10, and parking off Wilshire. Online therapy keeps the work from being undermined by logistics — sessions from your place in Ocean Park, Sunset Park, north of Montana, or your office near Colorado. ## About Individual Therapy Individual therapy for adults navigating anxiety, relationship patterns, identity, intimacy, life transitions, and the quiet weight of carrying it all. My approach is relational, depth-oriented, and grounded — we work together to understand what's underneath, not just manage what's on the surface. Living somewhere this beautiful can make it strangely hard to admit you're struggling — Santa Monica's sunny, high-performing, wellness-forward culture leaves little room to say things aren't fine. Online individual therapy gives you a private hour, without crossing paths with anyone you know in a small city where that happens more than you'd think. ### What to expect - Weekly 45-minute sessions, consistent rhythm - A relational, exploratory approach — we go where the material leads - Equal attention to present-day life and the patterns underneath - Real conversation, not a script or a worksheet - Your goals guide the work — I follow your lead ### Common reasons people come in - — Anxiety, overthinking, and the sense of always being 'on' - — Recurring patterns in relationships - — Identity, sexuality, and self-understanding - — Life transitions — career changes, breakups, loss, parenthood - — Burnout and the feeling of running on empty - — Family-of-origin material that keeps surfacing SESSIONS Weekly 45-minute sessions - All sessions held online via secure HIPAA-compliant video - Cancellation policy: 24 hours - Currently accepting new Santa Monica clients [Book a Free 20-Minute Consultation →](/contact) ### Why online sessions are a good fit for Santa Monica Santa Monica is only 8.3 square miles, and it lives even smaller than that. With around 91,000 residents, running into a coworker at the Wednesday farmers market or a neighbor in the waiting room of a Montana Avenue practice is a genuine possibility — and for many people, that's reason enough to want therapy that doesn't happen down the street. Online sessions offer that layer of privacy, along with something Silicon Beach schedules rarely allow: a session that doesn't require leaving mid-afternoon. Tech and creative work makes up roughly a third of the city's jobs, and the days run long even when the office is close. Add the reality that most Santa Monica households rent — often at a real cost — and the pressure under the postcard becomes easier to name. Whether you're in Ocean Park, Sunset Park, the Pico neighborhood, or north of Montana, therapy happens over secure video, from wherever you actually are. Fanshen is licensed throughout California and works entirely online. - No travel time across Ocean Park, Sunset Park, North of Montana - Sessions fit into work-from-home schedules - Privacy and discretion — sessions from your own home - Available evenings and select weekend hours ABOUT FANSHEN ## A relational, depth-oriented therapist serving California. I'm Fanshen Thompson, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in California. I work with couples, individuals, and partnerships navigating intimacy, identity, and the slower work of becoming. I am a certified Gottman trained couples therapist and draw from Emotionally Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems, attachment theory, and somatic practices. But more than any single modality, I bring myself: a real human who has done — and continues to do — this work. My practice is online and serves clients across California. The work is honest, grounded, and paced to what you can actually carry. [Read more about Fanshen →](/about) ## Frequently asked questions ### How do online sessions work? We meet over a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform. You'll receive a link before each session and join from a private space at home — no app downloads or special equipment beyond a device with a camera and a stable internet connection. ### Do I need a special app or platform? No. The video platform runs in your browser. I'll send a link a few minutes before our session — you click, and we begin. ### Is this covered by insurance? I'm an out-of-network provider. I can provide a superbill you can submit to your insurance for potential out-of-network reimbursement. I'd encourage you to call your insurance and ask about your out-of-network mental health benefits. ### How long does it take to see results? Most people begin to feel something shift within the first several weeks — a little more clarity, a little less alone in it. Real, lasting change is a longer arc, often months of consistent weekly work. I'll be honest with you about what I see along the way. ### What is your cancellation policy? My cancellation policy is 24 hours. Sessions canceled with less than 24 hours' notice are charged in full. ### Can you see clients in Santa Monica? Yes. I see clients in Santa Monica and across California via secure video sessions. There's no need to come to an office — sessions happen from wherever you're comfortable in Santa Monica. OTHER SERVICES FOR SANTA MONICA RESIDENTS [ Couples Therapy in Santa Monica Online sessions for Santa Monica residents. ](/services/couples-therapy/santa-monica)[ Sex Therapy in Santa Monica Online sessions for Santa Monica residents. ](/services/sex-therapy/santa-monica) INDIVIDUAL THERAPY IN NEARBY CITIES [ Individual Therapy in Los Angeles Online sessions for Los Angeles residents. ](/services/individual-therapy/los-angeles)[ Individual Therapy in Pasadena Online sessions for Pasadena residents. ](/services/individual-therapy/pasadena)[ Individual Therapy in Newport Beach Online sessions for Newport Beach residents. ](/services/individual-therapy/newport-beach) Begin ## Ready to start? Let's talk. Book a free 20-minute consultation. We'll talk about what's going on and whether working together feels right. No pressure, no commitment. [Book a Free Consultation →](/contact) ![Fanshen Thompson, LCSW logo](/assets/logo-mark-DCWEUPFA.png) Relationship therapy for people who are ready for real change. Licensed Clinical Social Worker · LCSW #25004 [](https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/971893) Affiliations ![Gesher Community Care affiliate provider](/__l5e/assets-v1/7e4684e6-648d-48d4-892e-5c8678e89c88/gesher-community-care.png) Online Therapy Sessions held via secure video for clients across California. Hours Tue–Fri, 9am–6pm PT Contact [fanshen@fanshenthompson.com](mailto:fanshen@fanshenthompson.com)[Book a Free 20-Minute Consultation](/contact) [](https://www.linkedin.com/in/fanshen-thompson-lcsw-672425216/)[](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086164215212)[](https://pin.it/5enxDfD) Explore - [About](/about) - [Therapy](/therapy) - [Therapy for Couples](/therapy/couples) - [Therapy for Individuals](/therapy/individuals) - [Sex Therapy](/therapy/sex-therapy) - [Coaching](/coaching) - [Notes](/blog) - [FAQ](/faq) - [Resources](/resources) - [Relationship Therapy in Berkeley](/relationship-therapy-berkeley) - [Find an Online Sex Therapist](/how-to-find-an-online-sex-therapist) - [Contact](/contact) Specialties - [Infidelity & Affair Recovery](/specialties/infidelity-affair-recovery) - [Desire Discrepancy](/specialties/desire-discrepancy) - [Sexual Shame](/specialties/sexual-shame) - [Communication Breakdown](/specialties/communication-breakdown) - [Anxious Attachment](/specialties/anxious-attachment-couples) - [Parenting Conflict](/specialties/parenting-conflict) In crisis? If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call or text [988](tel:988) (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or call [911](tel:911). This site is not a substitute for emergency care. [Privacy](/privacy.html)[Terms](/terms.html)[Cookies](/cookie.html)[Disclosures](/disclaimers.html)[Good Faith Estimate](/good-faith-estimate.html)[Accessibility](/accessibility)[Cookie Settings](/cookie.html) Contacting this practice does not establish a therapist–client relationship. Individual outcomes vary. Nothing on this site guarantees a specific clinical result. © 2026 Fanshen Thompson, LCSW. All rights reserved. Photography by Allison Busch Website by [Automaus.ai](https://automaus.ai) Your privacy matters Functional cookies are required. Analytics and marketing cookies are off by default — you choose. 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