A calmer, more personal way to find help
People come to therapy to improve the quality of their lives. For some it is a relationship that has grown distant; for others it is stress and anxiety that never quite lets go, or a sadness that has settled in and stayed. Whatever brings you here, you do not have to sort it out alone. East Bay Counseling Choices is a free, confidential referral service created to help residents of the San Francisco East Bay find a qualified therapist who is a good fit for their particular concerns and circumstances.
We are not a single private practice, and we are not a directory you scroll through hoping to guess right. We are a personalized referral service, organized by a local association of marriage and family therapists, that has helped East Bay residents connect with quality care since 1986. Our role is simple: to listen, to understand what you are looking for, and to point you toward a counselor who can genuinely help. According to the American Psychological Association, psychotherapy helps people of all ages live happier, healthier and more productive lives.
Support for individuals, couples and families
The people who reach out to us are as varied as the East Bay itself — and so are the therapists we match them with.
Individuals of all ages
Seniors, working adults, young adults, children and teens.
Couples
Married, living together, premarital, same-sex, step-parenting, or navigating a separation.
Families
Traditional, blended and step-families working through change together.
Children & teens
Developmental, behavioral, school and family concerns, with parents supported too.
The range of concerns we help with
Therapy can support nearly any area of emotional life. Explore a few of the areas our East Bay network commonly works with.
Anxiety & Stress
Panic, phobias, chronic worry and the weight of stress — among the most treatable of all concerns.
Learn more →Grief & Depression
Working through loss, persistent sadness and depression to reconnect with meaning.
Learn more →Relationships
Strengthening connection, navigating separation, and finding perspective through divorce.
Learn more →Children & Teens
Support for children, adolescents and parents through behavior, school and family change.
Learn more →Trauma & PTSD
A private, safe place to heal and stop reliving painful memories at your own pace.
Learn more →Aging & Caregiving
Meeting the transitions of aging and the demands of caregiving with real support.
Learn more →Matched by a person, not an algorithm
Because the match is personal rather than alphabetical, people often find a better fit faster than they would on their own.
Reach out
Contact us through our simple form and share a little about what you’re looking for. Everything is confidential.
We listen
An experienced intake therapist considers your goals, your concerns, your location and any scheduling or payment needs.
You’re matched
We connect you with a therapist whose training, approach and specialties genuinely fit — not assigned at random.
Serving the East Bay since
No cost to the public, ever
Confidential & personal
Alameda & Contra Costa counties
Ready to take the first step?
It takes a certain quiet courage to decide to extend yourself, to heal, and to grow. When you’re ready, we’ll help you find a supportive, understanding counselor for life’s ups and downs.
Request a Free Referral