Next Steps Neuropsychology

08/08/2025

Finding your next steps after brain injury starts with the right support.

At Next Steps Neuropsychology, we offer detailed neuropsychological evaluations to help you understand changes in thinking, memory, and mood, and create a personalized recovery plan.

Here are trusted resources to guide your journey:

Coastline College Acquired Brain Injury Program – Structured cognitive retraining for adults with brain injury.

Brain Injury Association of America – National advocacy, education, and a helpline for survivors and families.

Over My Head by Claudia L. Osborn – A powerful memoir about life, loss, and resilience after brain injury.

💙 You don’t have to navigate recovery alone.
📞 Call 510-485-0008 or visit nextstepsnp.com to learn more.

06/04/2025

Happy Pride!! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈
Here are some affirming reads for enby folks, genderq***r readers, and allies!

Everyone deserves to feel seen in the stories they read. These books center q***r and trans voices with honesty, depth, and care.

All titles are available for free with your Oakland Public Library card via the Libby app 💖📲

💫 Featured Reads:

Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H
Part memoir, part manifesto — a deeply resonant exploration of q***rness, Islam, and chosen family.

Pageboy by Elliot Page
A brave memoir of truth-telling, embodiment, and reclaiming identity.

Gender Q***r by Maia Kobabe
A groundbreaking graphic memoir that beautifully illustrates the nonbinary and asexual experience.

Nobody Passes: Rejecting the Rules of Gender and Conformity
Edited by Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore
A fierce, uncompromising anthology that questions the very concept of “passing” and centers voices that resist erasure.

💬 Got a favorite that changed your life? Drop it in the comments.
🌈 Let’s build shelves that feel like home.

***rVoices ***r

04/29/2025

We are excited to attend this Gender Health Training Institute webinar this Thursday!

Attention Medical + Mental Health Professionals! 📢✨

Ready to deepen your clinical skills in gender-affirming care?

Join us for our upcoming training, Pathways to Affirming Care: A Clinical Overview of WPATH SOC8 — designed for providers committed to delivering ethical, flexible, and patient-centered care.

🗓️ Date: May 1st, 2025
🕜 Time: 1:30–4:30pm PST
🎓 3 CE Credits available!
🔗 Register here: https://bit.ly/pathways-gender-care

This training provides an in-depth overview of the WPATH Standards of Care Version 8 (SOC8) with a focus on clinical application for mental health and medical providers.

We’ll cover:
✅ Key updates from SOC7 to SOC8
✅ Affirming care guidelines for adults & adolescents
✅ Medically necessary interventions beyond hormones & surgery
✅ Practical tools from SOC8 appendices for everyday practice

🎙️ About the Presenters:
Jen Hastings, MD is a board-certified family physician specializing in transgender healthcare, reproductive health, and opioid safety. She is a consultant with Ibis Reproductive Health, an abortion provider with Aria Medical Group, and an educator focused on increasing medical access and understanding. Based in Santa Cruz, she also works on behavioral health integration, trauma-informed care, and mindfulness in medicine.

Shawn V. Giammattei, PhD is a clinical psychologist specializing in transgender youth and family therapy. A WPATH-certified mentor and international speaker, he is the founder of the Gender Health Training Institute & TransFamily Alliance. He also teaches graduate-level courses in LGBTQ psychology and has authored multiple publications on gender, sexuality, and family systems.

Juliette Greenham, MBA is a Mexican writer, DEI expert, and former strategy director at international organizations. She works with the Gender Health Training Institute, coaching organizations in Latin America on trans inclusivity and supporting families through the Gender Journey to navigate cultural challenges with understanding and ease.

Don’t miss this opportunity to bridge theory and practice with insights from providers with lived experience. 🏳️‍⚧️🩺

04/24/2025

🌟 Therapist Spotlight 🌟
Meet Kate Dunn, M.Ed., MA, AMFT (she/they)

We’re thrilled to welcome Kate to the team at Next Steps Neuropsychology (NSNP)!

Kate offers warm, q***r-affirming, and neurodivergent-informed care for adults navigating identity, life transitions, and mental health challenges. She brings a relational and collaborative approach to therapy grounded in compassion and curiosity. She holds a Master’s in Education and a Master’s in Counseling Psychology and is registered as an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist.

At NSNP, we believe in care that is non-pathologizing, client-centered, and affirming of all identities. Kate embodies that spirit beautifully, and we’re so glad to have her on board.

📍 Availability:
📅 Telehealth only through May 20
🏡 In-Person (Oakland) begins May 21
🧠 Supervised by K Wortman, PhD

✨ Kate is now accepting new clients! Learn more at www.NextStepsNP.com

⸻

Image Description:
Image of Kate Dunn, AMFT, smiling outdoors in front of trees and sky. Text reads: Therapist Spotlight. Q***r + Neurodivergent Affirming. Telehealth: Mon/Tue. In-Person: Wed/Thu.

⸻

***rTherapist

04/16/2025

As we settle into our new (and bigger!) office space, we’re taking time to reflect on the work that continues to shape the care we offer.

🎥 In the background this week: How therapy can traumatize autistic people — a powerful and necessary conversation with Steph Jones on this podcast by Yo Samdy Sam
👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL_s6dKitH0

📖 And if you’re as moved as we were, we highly recommend The Autistic Survival Guide to Therapy by Steph Jones.
👉 https://uk.jkp.com/products/the-autistic-survival-guide-to-therapy

This episode and book offer essential insights—not only for autistic people, but for all neurodivergent clients and those committed to building more accessible, affirming mental health care.

As a clinic that provides both therapy and neuropsychological assessment, we are committed to continuing to learn from autistic voices and to grounding our work in lived experience and disability justice.

01/28/2025

An excellent resource for parents. Dr. Zhou is empathic and knowledgeable.

📢 Hear From an Expert! 🌈💡

Caring for Neurodivergent Gender Diverse Youth: Tips for Parents, Caregivers, and Family Members

Join Dr. A. Ning Zhou (he/him/他), a renowned psychiatrist specializing in neurodiversity and gender diversity, for an insightful session designed to support neurodivergent and gender-diverse youth.

🗓️ When: Feb 7, 2025
⏰ Time: 12:00 PM PT

🔗 Register: https://bit.ly/neuro-gender-youth

✨ What You’ll Learn:

🌟 Understand neurodiversity from an affirming perspective
🌟 Explore the connection between neurodivergence and gender diversity
🌟 Identify challenges in standard screening tools for autistic trans and nonbinary youth
🌟 Manage co-occurring mental health conditions
🌟 Practical tips for navigating the gender-affirmation process

🎓 About Dr. Zhou:
Dr. Zhou serves q***r and trans youth at the SF Department of Public Health, teaches at UCSF, and is a global leader in LGBTQ+ mental health and neurodiversity education.

Don’t miss this empowering session! 🎉

11/06/2024

Join Us in Standing with the Trans Community!

In light of recent events, we are committed to fostering resilience, support, and hope for trans individuals. We’re committing to a monthly donation to , a vital organization that provides direct emotional and financial assistance to trans people in crisis.

We invite you to join us by making a donation to Trans Lifeline. Together, we can create a powerful impact and show the trans community that they are not alone. Our business is pledging a monthly contribution, and we hope you'll consider adding your support, whether through a one-time donation or a monthly commitment. Every bit helps strengthen lives and futures.

Let’s rise together for trans lives. 💙

https://give.translifeline.org/NextSteps4Trans

11/06/2024

Join Us in Standing with the Trans Community!

In light of recent events, we are committed to fostering resilience, support, and hope for trans individuals. We’re committing to a monthly donation to Trans Lifeline, a vital organization that provides direct emotional and financial assistance to trans people in crisis.

We invite you to join us by making a donation to Trans Lifeline. Together, we can create a powerful impact and show the trans community that they are not alone. Our business is pledging a monthly contribution, and we hope you'll consider adding your support, whether through a one-time donation or a monthly commitment. Every bit helps strengthen lives and futures.

Let’s rise together for trans lives. 💙

SupportingTogether for Trans Support: Standing Strong with Trans Lifeline

02/20/2024

NSNP is hiring! We are a community-focused clinic serving our community, providing services for those using their Medicare and MediCAL benefits. We urgently need licensed therapists to help our team offer more services. We love working with neurodiverse and gender-diverse folks. Newly masters-level, licensed folks are paid $55/hour for all work (clinical, admin, meetings, etc) and more for experienced candidates. You can learn more on our website. ***rhealthmatters ***rmentalhealth