news
National Suicide Prevention Month
Suicide. Hearing or even just thinking the word brings a rush of emotions. It can be painful if you’ve experienced suicidal thoughts yourself, know someone who has, or if you lost a loved one to suicide. It is difficult to understand and even harder to talk about.It’s...
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Take the Stress Out of Going Back to School
As summer vacation comes to an end, it’s typical for children – and parents – to feel anxious about transitioning back into the school routine. Advanced preparation can reduce some of those negative feelings and actually make going back to school fun!Empower your...
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Navigating the IEP Process, Pt 1: Let’s Get This Party Started
When I am getting to know a family for the first time, I will invariably ask the question “does your child have an IEP?” and they will almost always give me one of two answers: “What’s an IEP?” or “Ugh, yes. Yes they do.” I can identify with both these answers,...
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Meet our New Chief Clinical Officer
Meet Alyssa Bray, MA, LMFT. She joins The Guidance Center as the newly appointed Chief Clinical Officer. We’re thrilled to have Alyssa on our executive team. Her passion for helping children and their families and her experience in doing just that throughout her more...
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Client Success Story: A Successful Family Outing
During the summer months when school is out of session, clinical staff who regularly meet with their clients on school campuses instead meet with them at their homes, local parks, libraries or coffee shops to ensure that all clients continue to receive the help and...
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Minority Mental Health Awareness Month + Upcoming Community Events
In honor of July being Minority Mental Health Month, we’re standing with organizations like Mental Health America and proclaiming that mental illness is #NotACharacterFlaw.Mental health stigma is unfortunately prevalent throughout the world....
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5 Senses of Summer: Tips to Help Parents & Kids Stress Less
In talking with parents lately, I’ve noticed that the reference of “here comes the summer” can either bring a calming sensation with the relief of non-strict school bell and drop off schedules, or it can bring an overwhelming stress of how to keep their children safe,...
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Meet our Donors: Children’s Benefit League
There’s a sisterhood in Long Beach dedicated to helping medically needy children and supporting their families who are struggling. Since 1946, they have raised over $1.7 million. And in just last year alone, they collectively raised $76,000. All with the purpose to...
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Stand Up for Mental Health, and Save a Life
When I was a kid, people would whisper the word “cancer.” Now, professional football players are wearing pink cleats on national television in support of finding a cure. We all know someone who has been affected by cancer. We cry with them, walk for a cure and share...
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6th Annual Client Art Exhibit – Celebrating Diversity Through Art
“A messenger between the conscious and the unconscious, art reaches the silence of our hearts when words fail. It is an agent of transformation, a medium for healing.” – Ana Zuanic, MFT Intern at The Guidance CenterLast Wednesday, we kicked off Mental Health Month...
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Documentary Screening + May Mental Health Month
This past Wednesday, April 26, we hosted the first public screening of our original documentary film, The Bridge: Pathways to a Trauma-Informed Community. And what an inspiring evening it was!More than 175 community members filled the Art Theatre in Long Beach to...
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Meet Our Donors: Cherese Mari Laulhere Foundation
Chris and Larry Laulhere of The Cherese Mari Laulhere Foundation are longtime Guidance Center supporters who have made a tremendous impact for our children. The proof is on the door of one of our Play Therapy Rooms named for their late daughter, Cherese. The...
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It’s About T.I.M.E. Program Update
There’s a movement underway at Beach High School, and it has resulted in increased attendance and decreased suspensions during the first semester of the 2016-2017 academic year.What’s driving the movement is Beach’s team of compassionate, committed staff and the...
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How to: Incorporate Sensory Play into Your Child’s Every Day
We all have them, but every one’s is different. A tight hug from a loved one might comfort you in an anxious moment or guiding colored pencils across paper might help calm your mind. Maybe it’s lighting a candle with your favorite scent or cranking up music and...
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Meet our Donors: Tim Sailor – Continuing a Legacy of Community Service
Growing up, Tim Sailor was guided by the compassionate example of his parents who were always active in the community.His father, Dan, was on the Board of Directors of the Teenage Resource Center, a nonprofit in Orange County that provided support and counseling for...
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National Eating Disorders Awareness Week + Upcoming Community Events
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week was this past week (February 28 - March 4). It’s important to raise awareness of eating disorders because like other mental health conditions, there are many myths, misconceptions and stigmas associated with eating disorders....
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How to Identify & Help Students with Mental Health Conditions
Kayla Caceres (left), Marriage and Family Therapist Intern in Intensive Services; Bernice Contreras (right), Marriage and Family Therapist Intern in Intensive Services; and Enrique Martinez (not pictured), Associate Clinical Social Worker in Long Beach Outpatient...
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In Honor of Black History Month
In recognition of Black History Month, The Guidance Center wishes to acknowledge leaders who serve as catalysts for mental health awareness, and the need for improved culturally competent care, while acknowledging that historically, communities of color, including...
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Monkey Business: A Trauma-Informed Movement in Education Success Story
Helping a school become trauma-informed requires more than training school staff about the neuroscience of trauma or providing a prescription of techniques. The heart of trauma-informed care, and our It’s About T.I.M.E. (Trauma-Informed Movement in Education)...
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Client Success Story: The Mental Health Advocate Trio
Read the story of the mother and daughter featured in our 70th Anniversary video and how they’re now leading healthy, happy lives and advocating for mental health in their community… To say that Mia and her mom, Araceli, are now thriving would be an...
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