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How To Love Your Body – Even When You Don’t Feel Like It
“If we make self-love or body acceptance conditional, the truth is, we will never be happy with ourselves. The reality is that our bodies are constantly changing, and they will never remain exactly the same. If we base our self-worth on something as ever-changing as...
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What is Reflective Parenting?
In the digital age, inspiration and guidance can come from the most unlikely of sources. TikTok, the social media platform, has been increasingly used as a space for parents to share and gain advice from parenting experts or other relatable caregivers. Gentle...
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The Guidance Center Launches Specialized Trainings To Address Suicide in Long Beach
In the 2019 Long Beach Community Health Assessment, 14.5 percent of adult residents of Long Beach were diagnosed with depression. Suicide was the second leading cause of premature death. According to the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 8.9 percent of youth in grades...
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The Guidance Center Celebrates Disability Pride Month: A Guide For Allies
During the month of July, we observe Disability Pride Month, in honor of the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26, 1990. The ADA provides civil rights protection for the disabled and prohibits discrimination based on a disability. Roughly 26% of...
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Introducing The Guidance Center’s Parent Partner Workshops
Last Fall, The Guidance Center was awarded a $1,578,807 grant to enhance trauma-informed care services for vulnerable and under-represented youth and mental health staff in response to the COVID19 global pandemic. A key focus on this program is to increase...
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Summer Reading Recommendations from Our Guidance Center Staff
Summer is in full swing! Looking for new activities for your child? Reading is a practice that can help boost a young person’s mental health. Keep your child engaged by helping them explore a wide range of stories that will spark imagination and transport them to new...
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Minority Mental Health Month: Barriers to Receiving Mental Health Services in the Latinx Community
We invited members of our Guidance Center staff to share their thoughts on this important awareness month. Amanda Gonyer, LMFT, sheds light on the challenges faced in accessing and receiving mental healthcare in the Latinx community. It’s no secret that mental health...
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The Guidance Center Celebrates Pride: LGBTQ+ Icons Throughout History
In the month of June, we celebrate Pride Month to commemorate the activists of The Stonewall Uprising that took place on June, 28th 1969. At a time when homosexual acts remained illegal, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a New York City bar that served as a safe haven...
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Update from Educare: Returning to In-Person Learning
As many of us did this past year, Educare Los Angeles at Long Beach returned to providing in-person learning last Fall. It was a big shift for those who were engaging in online learning and at home activities. While families were nervous to come back, many children...
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Share, State & Create: Talking to Children After A Threat, Crisis or Mass Shooting
Buffalo. Santa Ana. Uvalde. Could it happen in Long Beach or in San Pedro? The reality of domestic terrorism and mass shootings breaks all of our hearts and scares our children again and again. It seems so untenable that we live our lives like this. At The Guidance...
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IT’S ABOUT T.I.M.E. Update – Part 2
The pandemic has reminded us how crucial, and fundamental relationships are for our mental, emotional, physical, and societal health. Relationships heal. A grass-roots approach to creating a “trauma-informed movement in education” has shown to be a powerful vehicle in...
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IT’S ABOUT T.I.M.E. Update – Part 1
It’s About T.I.M.E. (Trauma-Informed Movement in Education) is a training program, based on ChildTrauma Academy’s Neurosequential Model in Education, that equips educators with tools to understand and help students who are experiencing the negative impacts of trauma....
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The Guidance Center Celebrates AAPI Heritage Month
For the past two years, the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community has proven that joy in the face of adversity is an act of courage. This month, it’s important to celebrate their stories to combat discrimination and prejudice. The shared experiences of...
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Mental Health Awareness Month – Why Mental Health Matters
Mental Health Awareness Month- Why Mental Health Matters May is Mental Health Awareness Month. As we all continue to process and heal from the collective trauma from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important now than ever to speak out about mental health. A recent...
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Sunset Sip 2022: Celebrating 75 Years of Healing & Hope
After almost three years, we finally were able to celebrate our annual Sunset Sip in person! On a beautiful spring evening on April 23rd at the Hotel Maya, more than 175 guests gathered to honor The Guidance Center and celebrate our Hope Award recipient Tim Sailor....
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75 Years of Healing & Hope – Part 2: Reflections From Our Board
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in service to others.” – Mahatma Gandhi In Part two of our series celebrating The Guidance Center’s 75th anniversary, we highlight our volunteer-led board of directors. Over the decades, The Guidance Center has...
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75 Years of Healing & Hope – Part 1: Reflections From Our Staff
When The Guidance Center was founded in 1946, it was led by a small, handful of volunteers – local school teachers and counselors. Today, The Guidance Center is a major community mental health provider that employs more than 170 mental health professionals, support...
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Female Mental Health Trailblazers Throughout History!
March is Women’s History Month – a month to honor the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women globally. On today’s blog, we’d like to honor the brave women who have impacted the field of psychology, whose passion and dedication paved the way...
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Guidance Center Staff Celebrates Black History Month
We celebrate Black History Month to recognize the sacrifices, contributions, and achievements of African Americans to the United States and the world. During this month of national reflection, we are spotlighting some external and internal campaigns that commemorate...
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Step Towards Positive Change: TGC Collaborates with LBUSD to Help Increase Support for Students Experiencing Mental Health Crises
A global pandemic, grief and loss, a divided nation, and ongoing racial injustices have been major contributors to a nationwide mental health crises in the last couple of years. Many of us had to work remotely, and as a consequence we were given the gift of time and...
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