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Hope for the Holidays
“Together we can change the world, one small act of kindness at a time.” - Ron Hall The holidays for our families can be especially difficult. Our families come from all different backgrounds and face complicated hardships. The Adopt-A-Family program helps change...
Annual Client Holiday Party
The first week of December at The Guidance Center is a magical time. Staff take on the role of Santa’s elves and transform our Long Beach headquarters into a winter wonderland for our Annual Client Holiday Party. A fresh tree was delivered and delightfully trimmed...
Holiday Tips for Parents with Children who have Mental Illness
This post was also published by Long Beach Post on Dec. 18, 2018. The holidays can be a difficult time of year for those struggling with a mental illness. It is very likely that you may know someone who may be facing an emotional or behavioral health issue such as...
Adopt-a-Family Donor Spotlight: Heather Stangle-Smith and Nate Smith
This article was originally published in Grunion Gazette on Nov. 28, 2018. When Heather Stangle-Smith and Nate Smith moved to Long Beach three years ago, they were looking to build community. They had heard great things about the city from friends who had grown up...
Happy Thanksgiving + Thank You Food Finders!
We’re heading out to celebrate Thanksgiving incredibly grateful because you provided… Mental health support for a child, who struggles with the loss of a loved one, that helped him cope and experience healing Play therapy tools that encouraged and allowed a young...
Thomas’ Adopt-A-Family Story
When we think of the holiday season, many of us smile at the thought of spending time with family and friends, eating big meals, exchanging gifts, continuing family traditions and making new memories. For many of the families at The Guidance Center, the holidays can...
Video Games: How They Impact Your Child’s Mental Health
If you are a parent in 2018, chances are your child has played Fortnite, has a PlayStation Plus account, or has downloaded apps online to play on their tablet and/or mobile device. Although allowing your child to play video-games may seem like a simple way to keep...
It’s About T.I.M.E. Year Three Update, Pt. 2
This blog post is continued from It’s About T.I.M.E. Year Three Update Pt. 1. To read part one, click here. We’re thrilled to announce the expansion of our It’s About T.I.M.E. program to new schools and the addition of new team members. Read on to learn about the...
It’s About T.I.M.E. Year Three Update, Pt. 1
I love my job! “Job” doesn’t even feel like the appropriate word to use here. More accurately, I’d say that I have the privilege of experiencing a mutual caring connection between so many different people every day that I come to work. Beach High School After two...
Roll Call Mental Health Training Launch
This past year, The Guidance Center embarked on another exciting film project - this time partnering with Long Beach (LBPD) and Los Angeles Police (LAPD) Departments and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) to develop a series of web-based trainings on...
It’s Time to Amplify Survivors’ Voices
It could be happening to your neighbor or coworker, the person standing behind you in line to get coffee, or even the child playing next to yours on the playground. Domestic violence doesn’t discriminate against age, gender, sexual orientation, economic status, race,...
Sunset Sip 2018: Be the Hero of Your Own Story
We put a call out to all local superheroes for Sunset Sip 2018, and what an incredible showing of superpowers we received last Saturday. We’re so incredibly grateful! More than 200 superheroes flocked to Hotel Maya, raised more than $170,000, exceeding funds raised in...
Be the Hero of Your Own Story Explained, Pt. 4
Be the hero of your own story. Unleash your superpowers. That’s what Sunset Sip 2018 is all about. But, how do superheroes and superpowers connect to our mission at The Guidance Center? Last week, Patricia Costales, LCSW shared her perspective as a community mental...
Be the Hero of Your Own Story Explained, Pt. 3
Be the hero of your own story. Unleash your superpowers. That’s what Sunset Sip 2018 is all about. But, how do superheroes and superpowers connect to our mission at The Guidance Center? Last week, Luis Maimoni, LMFT, provided insight into our theme from a board...
Be the Hero of Your Own Story Explained Pt. 2
Be the hero of your own story. Unleash your superpowers. That’s what Sunset Sip 2018 is all about. But, how do superheroes and superpowers connect to our mission at The Guidance Center? Last week, San Pedro Clinical Therapist and Supervisor, Steven Frausto, LCSW,...
Be the Hero of Your Own Story Explained Pt. 1
Be the hero of your own story. Unleash your superpowers. That’s what Sunset Sip 2018 is all about. But, how do superheroes and superpowers connect to our mission at The Guidance Center? To help answer that question, we enlisted the help of Steven Frausto,...
Back to School Tips for Teens
Para mirar el articulo en Español favor de continuar mas abajo de la pajina.It seemed like just yesterday, Annabelle was anxiously awaiting the final school bell to ring for summer vacation. Annabelle loves summer. She especially enjoys the break from school, having...
Back To School Tips for Parents and Caregivers
...32 days 5 hours and 42 minutes! Are you counting down? Maybe counting down the days, hours and minutes until the chaos ends and you have your house back! Or are you counting down the hours until you have to give up the lazy days of summer, have to navigate the wake...
It’s About T.I.M.E. Spreads with Help from CSULB Social Work Students
The following comes from Teri Gartner, a recent Master of Social Work (MSW) graduate from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), after she and her student group trained with Nathan Swaringen, LCSW, clinical therapist and developer and lead of our It's About...
Minority Mental Health Month
One in 5 children ages 13-18 have or will have a serious mental health condition, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). New data shows that depression has surpassed asthma as the number one health issue for U.S. youth. Unmet mental health needs...