Affirming Psychological Services

Affirming Psychological Services Affirming Psychological Services is a therapy practice based in Irvine, CA.

We kicked off the year by coming together as a team. Good food, meaningful connection, a lot of laughter, and yes, Pazoo...
01/12/2026

We kicked off the year by coming together as a team. Good food, meaningful connection, a lot of laughter, and yes, Pazookies were absolutely involved.

At Affirming Psychological Services, we believe that caring for ourselves and supporting one another is not extra, it is essential. When clinicians are resourced, connected, and supported, we have the capacity to show up fully and thoughtfully for the people we serve.

I am incredibly proud of this team and grateful for the chance to pause, celebrate, and strengthen our community together. It matters to us that our clients know their therapists are not only skilled and compassionate, but also supported and cared for within a healthy professional environment.

- Dr. Katie Moore, PsyD (PSY # 32941)

Polyamory is not a phase, a loophole, or a failure to commit.For many people, it is a genuine and meaningful way of lovi...
12/17/2025

Polyamory is not a phase, a loophole, or a failure to commit.

For many people, it is a genuine and meaningful way of loving, connecting, and building relationship.

You deserve support that respects your values, your structure, and your emotional world.

Your relationships are real.
Your love is real.
Your experiences deserve care.

Trauma changes how the nervous system responds, not who you are capable of becoming.It can show up as overthinking, shut...
12/08/2025

Trauma changes how the nervous system responds, not who you are capable of becoming.

It can show up as overthinking, shutting down, people-pleasing, anger, numbness, hypervigilance, dissociation, or exhaustion. These are not flaws. They are protective patterns your body learned when something felt dangerous.

Healing is not about becoming someone else.

It is about creating safety where there once wasn't enough.

Progress might not look the way you thought it would.

It might be slower, quieter, or messier than expected.

Every bit of progress is a real victory.

Every bit of progress still counts.

If your body responds in ways you don't always understand, you're not failing. You're responding to something that matters and something that once felt unsafe.

Please join us in welcoming Emily Mandelstam, AMFT, to Affirming Psychological Services.Emily specializes in couples and...
12/04/2025

Please join us in welcoming Emily Mandelstam, AMFT, to Affirming Psychological Services.

Emily specializes in couples and relationship therapy and brings a grounded, DBT-informed approach that blends practical skills with real relational insight. She works with individuals, adolescents, and couples across all relationship structures and is affirming of LGBTQ+, ENM, and kink communities.

Emily is supervised by Fae Feliciano, LCSW #103952, and is currently accepting clients for both in-person sessions and telehealth.

We’re grateful to welcome such a thoughtful, skilled clinician to our team.

World AIDS Day is not only about remembrance.It is about truth.ACT UP, the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, changed the ...
12/01/2025

World AIDS Day is not only about remembrance.
It is about truth.

ACT UP, the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, changed the course of the HIV/AIDS epidemic through direct action, public grief, and relentless demand for medical justice when governments and institutions refused to respond.

They forced public attention when silence was deadly.
They disrupted systems that were letting people die.
They demanded research, treatment access, and dignity for people the world had decided were disposable.

The life-saving treatments that exist today did not arrive through goodwill alone.
They arrived because people refused to be quiet about death.

We honor ACT UP not just as history, but as a reminder: progress is not given.
It is fought for.

Today, HIV is no longer the automatic death sentence we once thought it once was. Testing, treatment, and support save lives. Knowing your status matters. And no one should have to carry fear, diagnosis, or grief alone.

On World AIDS Day, we remember lives lost, communities devastated, and the people who would not allow indifference to be the final answer.



Coping is not about becoming more “palatable.” It is about becoming safer inside your own body.For neurodivergent folks,...
12/01/2025

Coping is not about becoming more “palatable.” It is about becoming safer inside your own body.

For neurodivergent folks, coping is not about forcing calm, masking harder, or pushing through discomfort. It is about listening to your sensory needs, honoring your limits, and using what actually helps instead of what looks “normal.”

Coping can look like movement instead of stillness.

Quiet instead of conversation.

Stimming instead of suppressing.

Rest instead of productivity.

Isolation when connection feels like too much.

There is no right way to regulate your nervous system.

There is only what works for you.

Boundaries are not about punishment.They are about protection.During the holidays, many people feel pressure to show up,...
11/27/2025

Boundaries are not about punishment.

They are about protection.

During the holidays, many people feel pressure to show up, explain themselves, or stay in spaces that feel unsafe or overwhelming. You get to choose your nervous system over expectations. You get to protect your energy. You get to leave early, skip the gathering, change the subject, or say no without defending your decision.

Boundaries are not selfish.

They are how you stay intact.

What a great afternoon with an amazing group of therapists, psychologists, and nurse practitioners. Thank you to everyon...
11/24/2025

What a great afternoon with an amazing group of therapists, psychologists, and nurse practitioners. Thank you to everyone who joined us for our open house and networking event. Building community matters in this field, and it was encouraging to see so many providers come together to support competent and compassionate client care. We loved having you in our space and hope to see you again soon.

We are excited to welcome Ru Chaudhary, MA, to the Affirming Psychological Services team. Ru is a DBT trained doctoral p...
11/22/2025

We are excited to welcome Ru Chaudhary, MA, to the Affirming Psychological Services team. Ru is a DBT trained doctoral practicum clinician who brings a calm, thoughtful presence and a strong commitment to serving diverse communities with care and cultural awareness. She works with adolescents and adults, helping clients build skills, understand their emotions, and navigate the challenges that come with real life stress. We are grateful to have her with us and look forward to the impact she will make in our community.

Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance. Each year on November 20, we pause to honor the lives of trans people who have ...
11/20/2025

Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance. Each year on November 20, we pause to honor the lives of trans people who have been taken by anti trans violence. This is not a symbolic moment. It is a reflection of the ongoing reality that trans people, especially Black trans women and trans women of color, continue to face disproportionate risk in their own communities, workplaces, and homes.

Rita Hester’s death in 1998 sparked a wave of community response that ultimately led Gwendolyn Ann Smith to create the first Transgender Day of Remembrance. This day exists because people refused to accept silence and pushed the world to confront the violence impacting trans lives. Their work continues to shape how we talk about safety, visibility, and the responsibility we all share to protect trans people.

As we name those lost in 2025, we hold space for grief, for anger, and for the truth that remembrance must be paired with action. This includes advocating for gender affirming healthcare, challenging transphobic policies, amplifying trans voices, and supporting safety and wellbeing for trans people across all intersections of identity.

Affirming Psychological Services remains committed to providing a safe, respectful, and gender affirming space for every trans and gender diverse person who walks through our doors or meets with us online.

To everyone in the trans community, including those who are mourning, resisting, or simply trying to get through today, we see you. We honor your strength, your history, and your right to live openly and safely.

Meet Macy Reyes, MA, our new doctoral practicum clinician. Macy brings strong DBT training, a calm and grounded presence...
11/18/2025

Meet Macy Reyes, MA, our new doctoral practicum clinician. Macy brings strong DBT training, a calm and grounded presence, and a deep commitment to supporting both adolescents and adults as they navigate emotions, relationships, identity, and life stress. Her work is informed by her Vietnamese American background and Buddhist values, and she approaches therapy with steadiness, cultural awareness, and real skill. We are grateful to have her on the Affirming Psychological Services team and excited for our community to get to know her.

***raffirmingtherapy

APS turns four today. What began with one psychologist subleasing a single office has grown into a team of 14 clinicians...
11/15/2025

APS turns four today. What began with one psychologist subleasing a single office has grown into a team of 14 clinicians, 4 administrative staff, and 4 supervisors who show up every day with skill, compassion, and real dedication to the people we serve.

We have supported more than a thousand Californians through trauma, identity exploration, transitions, relationships, and a wide range of mental health challenges. During that time we have expanded our services, grown our team, trained new clinicians, and continued building a space where q***r, trans, neurodivergent, and marginalized communities can feel understood and respected.

As we step into year five, you can expect continued growth, new programs, and more ways to access affirming care throughout California. We are excited for what is ahead, and we are grateful for every clinician, partner, trainee, and community member who has been part of this journey.

If you have collaborated with APS, trained with us, referred to us, or worked alongside our team, you are welcome to share your experience in the comments. Your voices help show what this community has built together.

Here is to another year of healing, growth, and community.

***raffirmingtherapy

Address

19712 MacArthur Boulevard, Ste 110
Irvine, CA
92612

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 8pm
Tuesday 10am - 8pm
Wednesday 8am - 8pm
Thursday 8am - 3pm
Friday 8am - 8pm
Sunday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+19494383344

Website

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