trans affirming therapy
Sara Stanizai
My Partner Just Told Me They’re Questioning ...

by Tiffany Hooton, LMFT.

In a previous post (which you can find here), we discussed some  common reactions a person might experience when their significant other first comes out to them as trans or gender questioning as well as ways to begin unpacking some of those more complicated tangles of emotions. This, however, only scratches the surface when it comes to navigating transition in relationships.

My Partner Just Told Me They’re Questioning Their Gender: A Practical Guide for Cis Partners (pt. 2)
anxiety, depression
Sara Stanizai
You Do Not Have to Be Good: Mary Oliver and ...

by Andrew Kravig, LMFT.

How are you enjoying the new calendar year so far? Itt has been a bit wild, hasn’t it? If you’re anything like me, it’s been filled with too much doom scrolling, almost enough protesting in the streets, buckets of cortisol racing through my system, a handful of warm moments with friends, and nowhere near enough rest. And god knows what we need right now is some good rest. If your community demographics look anything like mine, it has probably been a very scary start to 2026. It’s hard to figure out where to fit something like rest or relaxation into my schedule… I mean, how do you nap when it feels like the world is burning?

You Do Not Have to Be Good: Mary Oliver and Intentional Rest
trans affirming therapy
Sara Stanizai
My Partner Just Told Me They’re Questioning ...

by Tiffany Hooton, LMFT.

Imagine you’re standing in a parking lot, just about to head into work, when you check your phone. There’s a message from your partner: They think they might be trans. They know a text isn’t ideal. That it might feel impersonal, but the words get stuck in their throat whenever they try to muster the courage to say something. Just writing that sentence took everything.

How might you feel in that situation? How do you imagine you would respond?

There is no playbook for when a partner comes out to you, especially in those critical moments when they need you most and, for some, this news can come as a shock.

My Partner Just Told Me They’re Questioning Their Gender: A Practical Guide for Cis Partners (pt. 1)
Sara Stanizai
I’m having feelings about my feelings! What to ...

by Wanda Diep, LCSW.

 Have you felt that lingering pang of guilt after feeling upset or even pissed the hell off at someone you care about deeply? Or frustrated when you notice feeling upset after something that’s “small” or “not worth getting emotional over”?

What you notice in these moments are called meta-emotions: feelings about your feelings. There are a few examples of these meta-emotions. Here are some of the most common I come across:

  • Guilt about feeling anger

  • Shame/embarrassment about experiencing jealousy (which can be viewed as a system of emotions, but that’s a conversation for another time).

  • Frustration with feeling sad, anxious, or “emotional”

  • Anxious about feeling anxious

  • Nervous about feeling happy

Okay, now I know what meta-emotions are. Why are they important?

I’m having feelings about my feelings! What to do with meta-emotions.
depression
Sara Stanizai
So, it’s January. Again.

by Andrew Kravig, LMFT.

 

I often feel like the new year (and all of the hype around it) arrives like an overenthusiastic motivational speaker— there’s the banging of pots and pans, folks shouting about “fresh starts,” and insisting this is the year everything changes. So much noise. Meanwhile, I’m standing over here in my mismatched socks, feeling emotionally exhausted, and wondering if it’s acceptable for me to set my expectations somewhere between “survive” and “remember to drink water.”

I live with chronic depression. And living with depression has a way of muting the fireworks. No matter how big and beautiful those fireworks might be. While the calendar flips with explosions of confetti and enthusiastic countdowns, my brain tends to respond with a kind of cautious squint. Hope feels fragile. Light feels far away. And yet—annoyingly, persistently—January still shows up, asking me what I want from the new year.

So, it’s January. Again.

anxiety help

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You Do Not Have to Be Good: Mary Oliver and Intentional Rest

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You Do Not Have to Be Good: Mary Oliver and Intentional Rest

by Andrew Kravig, LMFT.

How are you enjoying the new calendar year so far? Itt has been a bit wild, hasn’t it? If you’re anything like me, it’s been filled with too much doom scrolling, almost enough protesting in the streets, buckets of cortisol racing through my system, a handful of warm moments with friends, and nowhere near enough rest. And god knows what we need right now is some good rest. If your community demographics look anything like mine, it has probably been a very scary start to 2026. It’s hard to figure out where to fit something like rest or relaxation into my schedule… I mean, how do you nap when it feels like the world is burning?

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How to Find a Therapist

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How to Find a Therapist

Even if you have the resources of time, money, and energy.

And you know what questions to ask.

And your social anxiety/depression/phone dysphoria/stress/overwhelm isn’t getting in the way — it can be really hard to find a therapist.

According to a 2018 study by Mental Health America, California ranks 24th in the nation in terms of prevalence of mental health issues and correlated access to care.

Let's say you've tried everything else. You've spoken to friends and family. You've tried making changes in your habits. You've read every book, or at least every online article about your issue. And you've decided it's time for more individualized, professional help.

You may be completely willing to give therapy a try, but there’s one pressing question: how do you find a therapist?

With so many options, it almost seems too daunting to even try to find one. Fortunately, when you break it down, you can easily find a therapist and get the help you need.

Tips for Managing Social Anxiety Before, During, and After an Event

Tips for Managing Social Anxiety Before, During, and After an Event

We’ve all been there. You agreed to make plans (showing up for a birthday party, scheduling a meeting with your supervisor, attending an extended family event) and you’re totally dreading it.

Your introverted, anxious, or depressed side is regretting your recent optimism. “WTF was I thinking?”

You look for a way to bail, but then, you don’t want to seem like a flake.

So, despite the pressure to flee building in your chest, you psych yourself up and leave the house. Then, even though things seem to be going fine, panic starts to rise in the back of your mind. 

Social anxiety is a real thing.

Even people who seem to be confident, popular, and generally have their shit together, can have anxiety in social situations. Often, it's those people who have it the worst. Acting like socializing is a breeze is often a way to overcompensate for feelings of inadequacy or insecurity. Everyone feels this way occasionally, but it can be really exhausting and overwhelming when you feel like this all the time. 

Convenient to Long Beach and Seal Beach at:

4510 E Pacific Coast Hwy, #540, Long Beach, CA 90804

contact@prospecttherapy.com | (562) 704-4736