Affirming Psychological Services

11/24/2025

What a great afternoon with an amazing group of therapists, psychologists, and nurse practitioners. Thank you to everyone who joined us for our open house and networking event. Building community matters in this field, and it was encouraging to see so many providers come together to support competent and compassionate client care. We loved having you in our space and hope to see you again soon.

11/22/2025

We are excited to welcome Ru Chaudhary, MA, to the Affirming Psychological Services team. Ru is a DBT trained doctoral practicum clinician who brings a calm, thoughtful presence and a strong commitment to serving diverse communities with care and cultural awareness. She works with adolescents and adults, helping clients build skills, understand their emotions, and navigate the challenges that come with real life stress. We are grateful to have her with us and look forward to the impact she will make in our community.

11/20/2025

Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance. Each year on November 20, we pause to honor the lives of trans people who have been taken by anti trans violence. This is not a symbolic moment. It is a reflection of the ongoing reality that trans people, especially Black trans women and trans women of color, continue to face disproportionate risk in their own communities, workplaces, and homes.

Rita Hester’s death in 1998 sparked a wave of community response that ultimately led Gwendolyn Ann Smith to create the first Transgender Day of Remembrance. This day exists because people refused to accept silence and pushed the world to confront the violence impacting trans lives. Their work continues to shape how we talk about safety, visibility, and the responsibility we all share to protect trans people.

As we name those lost in 2025, we hold space for grief, for anger, and for the truth that remembrance must be paired with action. This includes advocating for gender affirming healthcare, challenging transphobic policies, amplifying trans voices, and supporting safety and wellbeing for trans people across all intersections of identity.

Affirming Psychological Services remains committed to providing a safe, respectful, and gender affirming space for every trans and gender diverse person who walks through our doors or meets with us online.

To everyone in the trans community, including those who are mourning, resisting, or simply trying to get through today, we see you. We honor your strength, your history, and your right to live openly and safely.

11/18/2025

Meet Macy Reyes, MA, our new doctoral practicum clinician. Macy brings strong DBT training, a calm and grounded presence, and a deep commitment to supporting both adolescents and adults as they navigate emotions, relationships, identity, and life stress. Her work is informed by her Vietnamese American background and Buddhist values, and she approaches therapy with steadiness, cultural awareness, and real skill. We are grateful to have her on the Affirming Psychological Services team and excited for our community to get to know her.

***raffirmingtherapy

11/15/2025

APS turns four today. What began with one psychologist subleasing a single office has grown into a team of 14 clinicians, 4 administrative staff, and 4 supervisors who show up every day with skill, compassion, and real dedication to the people we serve.

We have supported more than a thousand Californians through trauma, identity exploration, transitions, relationships, and a wide range of mental health challenges. During that time we have expanded our services, grown our team, trained new clinicians, and continued building a space where q***r, trans, neurodivergent, and marginalized communities can feel understood and respected.

As we step into year five, you can expect continued growth, new programs, and more ways to access affirming care throughout California. We are excited for what is ahead, and we are grateful for every clinician, partner, trainee, and community member who has been part of this journey.

If you have collaborated with APS, trained with us, referred to us, or worked alongside our team, you are welcome to share your experience in the comments. Your voices help show what this community has built together.

Here is to another year of healing, growth, and community.

***raffirmingtherapy

11/01/2025

We are happy to welcome Dr. Liane Roberts to Affirming Psychological Services.

Dr. Roberts is a licensed clinical psychologist who works with children, teens, and young adults. Her approach is calm, collaborative, and centered on helping clients build emotional safety, self-understanding, and confidence. She supports clients navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, relationships, and identity exploration, and she integrates CBT, mindfulness, and grounding strategies into her work.

Dr. Roberts offers in-person sessions in Irvine on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, and telehealth on Wednesdays and Fridays.

If someone you know is looking for a therapist who is steady, thoughtful, and affirming, Dr. Roberts is now accepting new clients.

10/27/2025

Our founder, Dr. Moore, recently joined teen podcaster and Girl Scout Gold Award candidate Stuti, on her project Haven Within to talk about healthy relationships for teens. We discussed consent, boundaries, emotional safety, and how teens can learn to recognize when a relationship feels supportive rather than confusing or draining.

Teens benefit from hearing these topics discussed directly, without judgment, and in language that respects their autonomy. Stuti is doing meaningful work by creating space for these conversations among her peers.

If you are a teen, or if you support teens as a parent, caregiver, teacher, therapist, or mentor, this may be a helpful resource to share and talk through together.

You can watch the interview by scanning the QR code on this post, or by using this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4FNYKsULIk

10/11/2025

Every person’s journey is different, and every path deserves respect and support.

Coming out can be joyful, complicated, or even unsafe, and all of those experiences are valid. Whether you’ve already shared your truth, are thinking about it, or are still holding it close, your story matters just as it is.

In our newest blog post, we explore why there’s no “right” way or timeline to come out, and how to honor each person’s unique experience.

Read it here: https://affirmingpsychologicalservices.com/blog/f/there’s-no-one-way-to-come-out-honoring-every-journey

By the Affirming Psychological Services team

09/24/2025

Boundaries Are About Connection, Not Control

Boundaries are not walls meant to push people away. They are guidelines we set for ourselves and not rules we place on others. A boundary says, “This is how I will care for myself if this situation comes up.” It does not mean, “You have to change who you are.”

Healthy boundaries can sound like:
- “I will not be checking work emails after 6 pm.”
- “I am not available to talk about that topic right now.”
- “If you raise your voice, I will pause the conversation and come back later.”

Boundaries are an effort to protect relationships, not end them. They create clarity, safety, and mutual respect. Even if someone does not like your boundary, setting it can still be an act of kindness for both you and them because it creates honesty instead of resentment.

Therapy can help you explore where boundaries feel difficult, practice setting them in safe ways, and build skills that support healthier, more authentic connections.

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.