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

Affirming Psychological Services

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United States
Irvine, CA
Affirming Psychological Services

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

04/15/2026

Trauma-informed therapy starts with a different question.

Not “What’s wrong with you?”
But “What happened to you?”

That shift can change everything.

So many people are carrying experiences that shaped how they think, feel, and move through the world. Trauma can impact safety, trust, emotions, relationships, and even the nervous system, often in ways you can’t see from the outside.

Trauma-informed care doesn’t push people to share before they’re ready. It focuses on creating a space that feels safe, collaborative, and respectful. It also recognizes that the ways someone learned to cope made sense at the time and deserve to be honored, not judged.

There’s no one “right” way to heal. This approach meets people where they are, with curiosity and care, while helping them build stability, resilience, and a greater sense of control.

The goal isn’t to minimize what happened.
It’s to support healing in a way that actually feels safe.

If this resonates, feel free to share or check out our website to learn more.

www.AffirmingPsychologicalServices.com

04/09/2026

Autism acceptance means more than awareness.

It means understanding how environments, expectations, and systems impact autistic people, and actively working to create spaces that support, not suppress, neurodivergent ways of being.

At Affirming Psychological Services, we approach autism through a neurodiversity-affirming lens. That means reducing shame, supporting autonomy, and helping people build lives that work for them, not forcing them to fit into systems that were not designed with them in mind.

If you or someone you care about is exploring autism, support matters, and the right kind of support makes a difference.

04/06/2026

We’re so excited to welcome Kaylin Fitzgerald, AMFT (She/Her), to the Affirming Psychological Services team.

Kaylin brings empathy, curiosity, and compassion into the therapy room. She creates a warm, open, and non-judgmental space where clients feel safe exploring vulnerable parts of their lives and moving toward meaningful change at a pace that feels right for them.

Her integrative, client-centered approach draws from CBT, mindfulness, family systems, and attachment-based perspectives. She supports clients in identity exploration, strengthening self-worth, and building practical tools for emotional well-being.

Kaylin has been working in mental health since 2016 and brings experience from AOD counseling, school-based and community-based work, and private practice. We’re grateful to have her on the team. She is supervised by Dr. Katie Moore, PsyD ( #32941).

04/03/2026

Ever wondered what psychological testing actually looks like? Here's your step-by-step guide:

Whether you're seeking answers about ADHD, learning differences, autism, or something else entirely, psychological testing gives you clarity, and knowing what to expect makes the process so much less overwhelming.

Here's how it works with us:

Step 1: Connect with our team

Step 2: Complete intake forms

Step 3: Intake appointment

Step 4: Testing sessions

Step 5: Additional information gathered

Step 6: Scoring & interpretation

Step 7: Feedback session: where it all comes together

At Affirming Psychological Services, every step is handled with care, respect, and your goals in mind. Save this post so you can refer back to it, and share it with someone who's been wondering if testing might be right for them.

Ready to get started? Call us at (949) 438-3344 Or visit us at www.AffirmingPsychologicalServices.com/Psychological-Testing

03/31/2026

Today is Transgender Day of Visibility.

Visibility can mean being seen, recognized, and connected to community.

At the same time, many transgender and nonbinary people continue to navigate systems that are not always safe, affirming, or accessible.

Affirming care means more than acceptance. It means respecting names and pronouns, understanding the impact of discrimination and dysphoria, and creating spaces where people do not have to explain or defend who they are.

Mental health care should be a place where people feel safe, supported, and understood.

We are committed to providing care that affirms and respects transgender and nonbinary clients.

03/30/2026

We're so excited to welcome Emily Mutch, AMFT, to the Affirming Psychological Services team!

Emily is a warm, collaborative therapist who works with individuals navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, identity exploration, and relationship or family challenges. Clients often describe her as approachable, open-minded, and easy to talk to. She works hard to create a space where people feel comfortable being themselves and moving toward change at a pace that feels right for them.

Emily's approach is rooted in the belief that clients are the experts on their own lives. She works alongside them to explore patterns, build insight, and find practical ways forward. She frequently draws on Narrative Therapy, helping clients examine and reshape the stories they carry about themselves in ways that better reflect their values and strengths. She also pays close attention to how family systems, cultural expectations, and social roles shape emotional well-being.

Emily has experience supporting clients with PTSD, acute stress, bipolar disorder, ADHD, autism, substance use concerns, and LGBTQIA+ identity exploration. As a member of both the LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent communities herself, she brings personal understanding and a deep commitment to affirming, respectful care. She is also currently completing EMDR training and incorporates it into her trauma work with clients.

Emily holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Minnesota, Morris and an MS in Marital and Family Therapy from California State University, Dominguez Hills (2025).

Emily is supervised by Sara Hoadley, LMFT #116971, and is now accepting clients. We're so glad to have her on the team!

03/22/2026

Finding a therapist who truly understands your identity can make all the difference.

At Affirming Psychological Services, we provide therapy that is LGBTQIA+ affirming, trauma-informed, and grounded in respect for your lived experience. This means more than being “accepting.” It means actively understanding the impact of identity, systemic stress, and personal history on your mental health, and creating a space where you do not have to explain or defend who you are.

Whether you are exploring identity, navigating relationships, healing from trauma, or managing anxiety or depression, our team is here to support you with care that is informed, intentional, and aligned with your values.

To get started, call (949) 438-3344 or visit [www.affirmingpsychologicalservices.com](http://www.affirmingpsychologicalservices.com)

03/16/2026

We’re excited to welcome Sara Hoadley, LMFT, to the team at Affirming Psychological Services.

Sara brings over a decade of clinical experience and will be playing an important role supporting the growth and development of our associate clinicians. Through supervision, consultation, and mentorship, she helps ensure that our therapists continue building strong clinical skills while providing thoughtful, high-quality care to the clients we serve.

Sara’s approach to therapy and supervision centers collaboration, curiosity, and respect. She believes clinicians do their best work when they feel supported, encouraged to ask questions, and empowered to grow. Her guidance helps create a learning environment where clinicians can deepen their skills while staying grounded in affirming, trauma-informed care.

In addition to supervising, Sara will also be seeing a limited number of clients.

We’re grateful to have her leadership helping shape the next generation of affirming clinicians.

Learn more about our team at
www.affirmingpsychologicalservices.com

03/13/2026

Ready to take the next step toward healing?

At Affirming Psychological Services, we provide mental health care that honors every part of who you are: your identity, your story, your whole self.

We offer a warm, inclusive space for individuals seeking therapy that is respectful, informed, and affirming.

To book with us please call (949) 438-3344 or visit us at www.affirmingpsychologicalservices.com

03/05/2026

Emma is a compassionate clinician who works with children, teens, adults, and families navigating trauma, life transitions, and relational challenges. She creates a calm, supportive space where clients feel seen, respected, and empowered to heal in their own way.

With specialized training in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and a trauma-informed, collaborative approach, Emma is especially passionate about supporting those impacted by sexual trauma, family conflict, and complex emotional experiences.

Deeply affirming of LGBTQIA+ identities and committed to inclusive care, Emma brings warmth, intention, and deep respect for every client’s unique story.

Join us in giving Emma a warm welcome as she begins her journey with us!

02/17/2026

“It was my fault.”
“I should have done something differently.”
“The world isn’t safe anymore.”

If you’ve experienced trauma, thoughts like these can feel permanent. They’re not.

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is a structured, evidence-based treatment for PTSD. It was developed by Dr. Patricia Resick and is recommended in major clinical guidelines for trauma treatment.

CPT is based on a simple but powerful idea: after trauma, our brains try to make sense of what happened. In that process, we sometimes develop “stuck points," beliefs about ourselves, others, or the world that keep us trapped in fear, shame, or self-blame.

These beliefs often relate to:
- Safety
- Trust
- Power and control
- Esteem
- Intimacy

CPT helps you examine those beliefs carefully and systematically. Not to dismiss what happened. Not to force positivity. But to ask:

"Is this belief fully accurate?"
"Is it helping me now?"
"Is there a more balanced way to understand what happened?"

Research shows CPT can significantly reduce PTSD symptoms, along with depression, guilt, and shame. It is commonly delivered in about 12 structured sessions and includes guided worksheets, and sometimes writing exercises.

CPT has been studied across many types of trauma, including childhood abuse, military trauma, medical trauma, community violence, religious trauma, and identity-based harm. When delivered well, it makes space for the realities of racism, homophobia, transphobia, and other systemic harms that shape how trauma is experienced.

At Affirming Psychological Services in Orange County, we provide trauma-informed, identity-affirming, evidence-based care.

If you’ve been living with trauma responses and wondering whether they will ever shift, evidence-based treatment exists.

Save this post if you want to learn more about PTSD treatment options.

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)

Address

17752 Sky Park Circle, Suite 245
Irvine, CA
92614

Opening Hours

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

Telephone

+19494383344

Website

http://AffirmingPsychologicalServices.com/

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