Affirming Psychological Services

09/19/2025

Meet Myrna

Myrna is a warm, trauma-informed therapist at Affirming Psychological Services who creates a supportive, affirming space for children, teens, adults, and families navigating anxiety, trauma, identity, and life transitions. She is especially passionate about working with LGBTQ+ youth, multicultural and immigrant families, and neurodivergent clients, including those with Autism and ADHD.

As an Arab American and proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, Myrna brings both lived experience and clinical insight into her work. Her approach blends CBT, TF-CBT, and creative interventions like art therapy, mindfulness tools, and play-based techniques to help clients express emotions, build coping skills, and strengthen emotional regulation.

Myrna offers virtual therapy across California, accepts insurance, and provides a sliding scale starting at $40 to make inclusive, evidence-based care more accessible.

If you’re seeking a trauma-informed therapist who understands the intersections of identity and healing, Myrna is here to support you.

09/16/2025

Ever wonder why you shut down, panic, or overthink when stressed? That’s your nervous system working hard to keep you safe.

There are four main stress responses:
⚡ Fight → Stand your ground or push back
🏃 Flight → Avoid or escape
🤝 Fawn → Please others in order to stay safe
❄️ Freeze → Shut down or disconnect

These are natural, automatic reactions, not flaws. In therapy, you can learn to recognize your patterns and build tools that help you feel grounded and in control.

09/12/2025

Meet Eleni

Eleni is a q***r, nonbinary therapist at Affirming Psychological Services who offers a warm, collaborative, and identity-affirming space for adolescents, young adults, and adults navigating trauma, anxiety, identity development, and life transitions. They are especially passionate about supporting LGBTQ+ clients and individuals impacted by complex trauma, disconnection, or marginalization.

Eleni’s approach blends person-centered care with trauma-informed CBT, DBT, and motivational interviewing, while providing practical tools for healing, emotional regulation, and self-acceptance. They offer both in-person sessions in Irvine and virtual therapy across California, accept insurance, and provide a sliding scale starting at $40 to make care more accessible.

If you’re seeking an affirming, trauma-informed therapist who will meet you with compassion and integrity, Eleni is here to support you.

09/08/2025

***Why Therapy Isn’t Just for a “Crisis”***

Many people believe therapy is something you seek only when things feel overwhelming or “bad enough.” But the truth is, therapy can be helpful at any stage of life, even when nothing feels “wrong.”

Therapy can help you:
- Understand your patterns and triggers
- Improve communication in relationships
- Process past experiences and trauma
- Explore identity and life transitions
- Build coping strategies for everyday stress

Seeking support doesn’t mean something is “wrong” with you. It means you’re choosing to care for yourself, create space for growth, and invest in your well-being.

Remember: you don’t have to wait for a crisis to start healing.

09/05/2025

Meet Lex

Lex is a q***r, genderq***r therapist at Affirming Psychological Services who creates an affirming, collaborative space for teens, young adults, and LGBTQIA+ individuals navigating anxiety, trauma, identity exploration, and relationship challenges. They approach therapy with warmth, curiosity, and respect, ensuring clients feel safe to be themselves and set the pace of their own healing.

Lex offers in-person sessions in Irvine and virtual therapy across California. Insurance is accepted, and their sliding scale starts at just $40, making affirming care more accessible.

If you’re seeking an LGBTQIA+ affirming therapist who will meet you with authenticity and care, Lex is here to support you.

09/03/2025

Celebrating World Beard Day… with a twist

While today is meant to celebrate impressive facial hair, we want to talk about another kind of “beard" - a slang term that originated in the LGBTQIA+ community.

Historically, a beard refers to someone (often of a different gender) who appears to be a person’s romantic partner to hide that person’s q***r identity. This often happened when being openly LGBTQIA+ could result in discrimination, job loss, family rejection, or even danger to personal safety.

For many, having a “beard” wasn’t about deception but survival in a world shaped by compulsory heterosexuality and systemic oppression. While times have changed, understanding this term gives us a glimpse into the challenges LGBTQIA+ people have faced, and sometimes still face today.

At Affirming Psychological Services, we believe in creating safe spaces where everyone can show up authentically, without fear. By honoring this history, we take one more step toward understanding, compassion, and inclusion.

💬 Have you heard the term “beard” before? Tell us below. We’d love to know what this word has meant to you or your community.

08/29/2025

Meet Kaela

Looking for a therapist who truly understands you? Kaela is a warm, empathetic clinician at Affirming Psychological Services who creates a safe, judgment-free space for adults navigating anxiety, depression, self-doubt, and life transitions. As a therapist of Black descent, she brings cultural awareness, authenticity, and compassion into every session, helping you slow down, reconnect with yourself, and begin healing at your own pace.

She offers virtual therapy across California and in-person sessions in Irvine. Insurance is accepted, and her sliding scale starts at just $40, making quality care more accessible.

Your story matters. Your healing matters. And Kaela is here to support you.

https://affirmingpsychologicalservices.com/kaela-norris

07/27/2025

Feeling burnt out from giving too much? Your self-care won't last without strong boundaries to protect it. In our latest blog, we unpack how to hold the line without guilt and why boundary-setting is a radical, sustainable act of self-preservation. Your well-being deserves protection. Start here.

🟢 Read now: https://affirmingpsychologicalservices.com/blog/f/boundaries-that-make-self-care-sustainable

By, Dr. Katie Moore, PsyD

07/24/2025

New on the Blog: Sustainable Self-Care That Works in Real Life

For International Self-Care Day, we're shifting the conversation.

If you're feeling burned out, overwhelmed, or like self-care just isn't made for people like you—this post is for you.

We’re breaking down what sustainable self-care actually looks like when you’re exhausted, overcommitted, and out of capacity. No wellness trends. No guilt. Just real strategies that meet you where you are.

Read the full blog here:
https://affirmingpsychologicalservices.com/f/sustainable-self-care-how-to-show-up-when-you%E2%80%99re-burned-out

If you're looking for permission to do less—and a reminder that you still deserve care—start here.

By, Dr. Katie Moore, PsyD

07/22/2025

What if self-care wasn’t just about bubble baths and boundaries—but about staying connected to your values when the world feels heavy?

For those who care deeply, give generously, and fight for change, burnout can feel inevitable. But caring for yourself isn’t a distraction from justice—it’s part of it.
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We’re redefining self-care as a practice of sustainability, resistance, and renewal.
Because the work you’re doing matters—and so do you.

Read the full post at https://affirmingpsychologicalservices.com/f/redefining-self-care-as-a-justice-practice

By, Dr. Katie Moore, PsyD

07/20/2025

Advocating, protesting, educating, surviving. It’s a lot to hold. And it’s okay if you’re feeling worn out.
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With International Self-Care Day coming up on July 24th, we’re taking a deeper look at what real self-care means, especially for those doing the heavy emotional lifting.

💜 You deserve rest that restores, not just rest that keeps you going.
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🧠 Self-Care for Activists: A Mental Health Survival Guide is now live on the blog. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, heavy, or soul-tired, this one’s for you.
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🌿 Read it now at https://affirmingpsychologicalservices.com/f/self-care-for-activists-a-mental-health-survival-guide

By Dr. Katie Moore, PsyD

07/16/2025

Thinking about therapy, but unsure where to start?
We’ve got answers.

You don’t need to be in crisis to seek support. You don’t need a diagnosis (but your insurance may require one if they will be paying for your services). And you’re allowed to switch therapists if something doesn’t feel right.

At Affirming Psychological Services, we make mental health care accessible, inclusive, and affirming. Our virtual therapy services are available throughout California, and we’re here to walk with you—wherever you are in your journey.

✨ Swipe through to learn more about starting therapy—and reach out when you’re ready.
We’re here for you. 💚