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The Intersectionality Between Being Black & LGBTQ+
In the spirit of Minority Mental Health Month and with Pride Month just passing, I want to take a moment to speak not only to those who identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community, but also to those who identify as members of the African-American community. This...
Minority Mental Health Awareness Month 2019
Bebe Moore Campbell was a mental health advocate, teacher, journalist and author. Campbell wrote various novels and children’s books and discussed mental health with the public to help drive change, raise awareness and destigmatize mental health conditions and...
Summer Reading List for Positive Mental Health
The school year has officially ended and it’s now summer break! Resting and having fun without the school bell schedule is a great way for the whole family to reset and recharge. But how do you prevent a restful summer break from becoming a restless one? Last week,...
HOW TO: Keep Kids Busy in the Summer
Every summer there is a sense of panic for most parents which usually sounds like, “What am I going to do with my kids?!” Rather than thinking of summer as stressful, planning ahead can make summer an enjoyable time to connect as a family. The best advice I can give...
PTSD Awareness Month: Hope and a Call to Action
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that can occur in people who have experienced or witnessed (exposed to) a traumatic event or events such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war/combat, rape or other...
Let Courage Rise – Meet Ezequiel
Meet Ezequiel, a former client of our School Based Program. Ezequiel wrote and illustrated a story about his therapeutic journey and how he learned to manage his emotions and thoughts.
Let Courage Rise – Meet Kayla
Meet Kayla, a client at our Long Beach Outpatient clinic. Upon entering therapy, Kayla struggled to manage her intrusive thoughts, excessive worrying and daily stomachaches. Months later, she has learned new ways to manage her stress and endure the...
Let Courage Rise – Meet Michelle
Meet Michelle, a former client of The Whole Child Program. She’s the third of five clients we are honored to feature and celebrate her courage during May Mental Health Month. Brittany, Michelle’s therapist, reflected on Michelle’s journey, resiliency,...
Let Courage Rise – Meet Cecilia
Meet Cecilia, a former client of our San Pedro clinic. She’s the second of five clients we are honored to feature and celebrate her courage during May Mental Health Month. Priscilla, Cecilia’s therapist, reflected on Cecilia’s journey, resiliency, and...
Let Courage Rise – Meet Rafael
Meet Rafael, a former client of our Compton clinic. He’s the first of five clients that we are honored to feature and celebrate their courage during May Mental Health Month. Rafael struggled with feelings of sadness and depression – feelings he described...
Stop Stigma: Make an Impact this May for Mental Health Month
From The Guidance Center’s CEO, Patricia Costales, LCSW: We’ve come a long way to combat the stigma surrounding mental health in our communities. More often, we see brave children and their families seeking help and wanting to create change in their lives. At...
What is Autism?
No child learns or develops new skills in exactly the same way as another child. Some children walk earlier, talk later, or sleep through the night faster than others, and that is all part of being a kid! However, when a child takes a very long time to develop...
Keep Calm: Tips for Temper Tantrums
The amount of tempter tantrums that can occur in one day at any preschool is unpredictable. As a mental health therapist, the questions that I sometimes am asked are: “How do we deal with a tantrum?” “What can we do to prevent a tantrum?” “How can we stop the tantrum...
Strengthening Families Together
Parenting itself can oftentimes be an overwhelming task. Parents want the best for their children. When met with added stressors, however, a parent might not be in a state of mind to make the healthiest choices for their children and, at times, unintentionally...
The Therapeutic Power of Love – It’s About T.I.M.E. Update
This article comes from our Spring 2019 Newsletter. Click here to view the full issue! “Mr. Nathan, look at my new shoes!” “Mr. Nathan, watch how hard I can hit the tetherball!” “Mr. Nathan, are we going to drum today?” Stepping foot on any of my three It’s About...
Roll Call Mental Health Training Videos Receives Great Reviews
"I feel confident in approaching a mental health related situation" This article comes from our Spring 2019 Newsletter. Last year, The Guidance Center in partnership with Los Angeles and Long Beach Police Departments and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s...
Donor Profile: Steve Brosnac, Artist
There is a captivating acrylic painting hanging in the hallway of our Long Beach Headquarters to inspire clients and staff alike. The subject of the painting is easily recognizable – it’s the Statue of Liberty – but with a meaningful twist. Lady Liberty has...
Grant News: Weingart Foundation Awards $150,000 to The Guidance Center
“We work to advance fairness, inclusion, and opportunity for all Southern Californians, especially those communities hit hardest by persistent poverty.” – Weingart Foundation At The Guidance Center, our mission since 1946 has been to provide comprehensive...
What It Means to be a Social Worker
As social workers, I feel we serve a unique role as agents of change from micro to macro levels. We serve as a bridge, gardener and first responder, among many other roles. In these capacities, we support individuals, families and communities, collectively...
Connecting Lives: Our Partnership with the City of Long Beach’s Innovation Team
April 2, 2018 was my first day working in a jail. I walked up and down the long walkways thinking to myself, how did I end up here? I followed the detention officer down the catwalk with my head down, intentionally distracted with a custody report on my...