Shannon Franklin, PsyD (Hillcrest)

(She/Her/Hers) Licensed psychologist specializing in college-age mental health, LGBTQ+ concerns, and gender identity.

Dr. Franklin is a licensed psychologist specializing in college-age mental health, LGBTQ+ concerns, and gender identity. Dr. Franklin has worked with undergraduate and graduate students in a variety of contexts including the counseling centers at California State University, Northridge and San Bernardino, the University of California San Diego and currently as a staff psychologist at the University of San Diego. This has given her a breadth of experience in treating various mental health concerns including depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, relationship issues, family concerns, sexuality, academic/career concerns, substance use, and identity development issues.

Dr. Franklin aims to work collaboratively with clients, empowering them in various capacities, including individual therapy work and group therapy. Dr. Franklin’s theoretical approach integrates psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and interpersonal therapy, tailoring her style to fit the need of the client and their treatment goals. She focuses on developing a strong therapeutic relationship, so that clients can feel safe to explore their inner world in a unique way. Her goal is to aid clients in developing new insights, identifying unhelpful interpersonal and behavioral patterns, and creating meaningful change.

In addition, Dr. Franklin is deeply committed to serving historically marginalized communities and has extensive experience providing mental health services to marginalized populations including ethnic minorities, the LGBTQ population and those who identify as transgender and/or gender non-conforming. She believes a person’s identities has a profound impact on the way they interpret and experience the world. Dr. Franklin has found that the exploration of social structures, power dynamics, and how these issues relate to and influence relationships can be very beneficial in therapy work. She welcomes the chance to learn about your unique identity and will do so with compassion, openness, and skill.

I am an in-network therapist for Cigna, MHN, Lyra and Aetna.