(he/him)
Hi, my name is Daniel Fernandez, and I am a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor based in San Diego, California. I specialize in working with adolescents and young adults (12-30 years old), who may be struggling with depression, anxiety, self-esteem issues, career stressors, trauma, relationship conflict, and substance use. Life can sometimes feel like a whirlwind of emotions, changes, and challenges. I offer a safe, nonjudgmental space where young people can explore their thoughts and build resilience. With a blend of warmth, empathy, and practical tools, I support clients in managing anxiety, navigating relationships, and finding their unique paths in a complex world. Together, we’ll work to build confidence, cope with stress, and foster self-discovery—so they can thrive both now and in the future.
What you can expect from our first session together is that I will spend most of the time trying to understand how you have been feeling recently and what led you to therapy in the first place. My focus in our first session to help you feel heard, seen, and understood. From this, I am hoping to begin building an open and comfortable relationship with you.
Before becoming a therapist, I have years of experience in the hospitality industry. With this experience, my communication style is open and personable. My main focus in therapy is helping you feel comfortable and understood.
I graduated from San Diego State University's Multicultural Community Counseling program, where I received special training to deliver culturally competent care to BIPOC communities.
Cash - $150 per session
Aetna
Aetna - Allied Benefits
Aetna - ASR Health Benefits
Aetna - Lucent Health
Aetna - Luminare
Aetna - Moda
Aetna - WebTPA
Aetna – HealthEZ
All Savers
Amerihealth Administrators
Anthem
Arlo
AvMed
Blue Cross
Blue Shield
Carelon Behavioral Health (Commercial)
Centivo
Cigna
Cigna - HealthEZ
EAP:Cigna
EAP:Evernorth
EAP:UnitedHealthcare/Optum
Evernorth
Golden Rule
GTEB
Harvard Pilgrim/UnitedHealthcare
Health Net (Commercial)
IHSS Healthy Workers
Independence Administrators
Independence Blue Cross
L.A. Care Covered
L.A. Care Covered Direct
L.A. Care PASC-SEIU
Optum
OptumHealth Complex Medical Conditions
Oscar
Oxford
Scripps Health Plan
Sharp Health Plan
Surest (formerly Bind)
Sutter Health Plan
Tufts Health/Cigna
United Medical Resources
UnitedHealthcare Life Insurance
UnitedHealthcare Shared Services
UnitedHealthcare StudentResources
UnitedHealthcare/Optum
My main therapeutic approach is client-centered and collaborative. In the beginning, I believe it is important to focus on building trust and comfort in the therapy space. With years of experience in the hospitality industry before becoming a therapist, I am confident in building a comfortable and trusting relationship with you.
I believe our early childhood experiences have an impact on the way we see ourselves, others, and the world. Through therapy, I like to explore how these experiences have shaped you by discussing family attachment styles, coping strategies you have learned throughout your life, and beliefs you have adopted about yourself.
Lastly, I believe that our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors affect one another. In therapy, I like to help you identify how certain automatic thoughts shape the way you may see yourself or the world and help you understand that behaviors can be modified to help you feel better.