Therapy for First-Generation College Students

Blackburn Clinical Services offers one-on-one therapy in West Los Angeles for first-generation college students, the first in their families to go to a four-year college, and for the parents and families who are proud of them and not always sure how to help. Being first can mean carrying a family’s hopes, translating a system nobody at home has used, working while studying and feeling like you do not fully belong in either place. Therapy is a private place to sort that out. Call (888) 870 7405 or email info@blackburnclinical.com.

At a glance

Who we see: first-generation students at universities, state universities and community colleges, students home on a break or a leave, recent graduates, and their parents and family members.
What we help with: anxiety, depression, academic pressure, guilt and family obligations, belonging, money stress, burnout and substance use.
Where: Therapy takes place in our office at 12326 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066, in Mar Vista near Culver City, Venice and Santa Monica, or by secure video for clients located in California.
Psychiatry: Psychiatric evaluation and medication management are provided by our board certified psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners. When you call, we explain how psychiatry appointments are arranged.
Privacy: one-on-one care. Anything we share with anyone outside your care team happens only with your written permission.
Fees: We are an out-of-network practice and provide superbills. See Fees and Insurance.
First step: call (888) 870 7405 or email info@blackburnclinical.com to schedule an assessment.

First-generation students are a large part of California’s campuses

The University of California has reported that about 42 percent of its undergraduates are first-generation college students (University of California, 2017), and the California State University says more than one-quarter of its undergraduates are the first in their families to attend college (California State University). In Los Angeles, that means a first-generation student is rarely alone, even when it feels that way.

What the research says

A national study of more than 192,000 students in the Healthy Minds Study from 2018 to 2021 found that first-generation students had depression and anxiety at rates similar to their classmates. The difference was in getting help: among students with symptoms, 45.5 percent of first-generation students received any treatment, compared with 55.1 percent of continuing-generation students, and 32.8 percent received counseling or therapy, compared with 42.8 percent (Lipson and colleagues, 2023).

Researchers have also described family achievement guilt: discomfort with your own college success when parents or siblings did not have the same chance. In a study of 255 college students, more of this guilt went with more depressive symptoms, and the link was stronger for first-generation students (Covarrubias, Romero and Trivelli, 2015). It is a common feeling, not a character flaw, and it is something therapy can help with.

What first-generation students often bring to therapy

Pressure to not let anyone down. When the whole family is invested, a bad grade or a changed major can feel like a betrayal.
Two worlds. Feeling out of place on campus and changed at home, and not knowing how to talk about either.
Obligations at home. Sending money, caring for siblings or a parent, translating, or being called home in a crisis while trying to keep up with classes.
Not asking for help. Not knowing office hours, accommodations or a leave are options, or feeling that using them means you do not belong.
Burnout from working and studying. Long commutes, jobs and full course loads with little room for sleep.
After graduation. Debt, career uncertainty and the gap between what the degree was supposed to fix and what life feels like now.

For parents and families

You do not need to know how college works to help your student. Ask how they are sleeping and how they are feeling, not only how grades are. Say out loud that their health matters more than any one semester. If your student is struggling, see help for parents of a struggling college student and therapy for college students home for winter break. Families can also get support for themselves through our family services.

Adult students decide what is shared. Anything we share with a parent or anyone outside the care team happens only with the student’s written permission.

How care works here

Care starts with an assessment and continues one-on-one with a licensed therapist in our office or by secure video for clients located in California. If anxiety, depression or attention problems need medication, our psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners can evaluate the student. We are an out-of-network practice, which matters for many first-generation families, so please call and ask about fees before you start; see Fees and Insurance. Campus counseling centers and Los Angeles County resources are also good options, and we can talk with you about them.

For help with the practical side, such as planning a semester, using campus resources and keeping up with deadlines, Blackburn Mentoring, a sister organization, offers mentoring for first-generation college students.

Questions

Is it normal to feel guilty about being in college when my family is struggling?

Yes. Researchers call it family achievement guilt, and it is common among first-generation students. It can be linked with low mood, and therapy can help you hold both your goals and your family.

Do first-generation students have more mental health problems?

A large national study found depression and anxiety rates were similar to other students, but first-generation students with symptoms were less likely to get treatment or therapy. Getting help early matters.

Can my parents make the first call?

Yes. A parent can call to ask questions. An adult student decides whether to start care, and what we share with family happens only with the student’s written permission.

Do you see community college students?

Yes. We see students at community colleges, state universities and universities, as well as students on a break or a leave.

Do you take insurance?

We are an out-of-network practice. We do not take or bill insurance, and we provide superbills for out-of-network reimbursement. Please call to talk about fees before you start.

Get started

Call (888) 870 7405 (Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM), email info@blackburnclinical.com or contact us. Blackburn Clinical Services is at 12326 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066.

If you or someone you love is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or call 911 in an emergency.

Therapy for First-Generation College Students and Their Families