LGBT therapists in Long Beach, CA

Hello and welcome! I am a Certified Sex Therapist and Psychotherapist working with individuals and couples who face obstacles with sexual health, intimacy, mood disorders, communication, disabilities and life stressors. Sexual health can be impacted by a variety of issues from anxiety, depression, mismatched libidos, lack of education and understanding, orientation, identity and society. My knowledge is quite diverse, as are the clients I work with. I use anecdotal stories to engage with and connect to my clients. I look forward to meeting you!

My approach is collaborative, compassionate, and practical. I pull from cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you understand patterns in your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, but I also lean into a humanistic style, meaning I see you as a whole person, not just a diagnosis or a set of symptoms.

I believe therapy should feel like a safe, judgment-free space where you can show up as you are. Whether we’re exploring your relationships, working through anxiety or depression, or identifying what really matters to you, my goal is to support your growth with curiosity, care, and clarity.

I also value realness, I’ll challenge you when it’s helpful, offer insight when you're stuck, and celebrate the progress you might overlook. You're the expert on your life; I’m here to help you reconnect with that truth and build the kind of change that lasts.

I bring 20 years of experience in many areas of therapy including LGBT specializations, drug/alcohol issues specialization, and a client centered approach

Hi & Welcome. We all face challenges at times throughout our lives. We may need support finding self-awareness and compassion which I believe is the key in the healing process. I enjoy acting as an empowering guide along your journey. I believe in our innate capacity to change and create a meaningful and UPLIFTING life. My goal for you is to foster a safe, accepting and also challenging space that encourages personal growth and empowers you to make positive changes that support your values.

After graduating from New York University with a BFA in drama, I moved to Los Angeles and taught drama and English literature at an L.A. public high school for nearly 20 years. My experience working with teenagers and their families taught me that, all too often, kids' barriers to learning are not academic in nature, but rather emotional challenges stemming from adversity and trauma. I became more and more interested in learning how to help teenagers and adults alike navigate these obstacles and come out stronger in the long run. So, I went back to graduate school to pursue a new career as a therapist so that I could help in a different way. My training and experience has focused on treating anxiety disorders (including OCD), PTSD and Complex-PTSD, and also couples - helping them to navigate challenges and triggers so that they can reset and reconnect.

I am a recently licensed counseling psychologist with extensive training and experience in psychotherapy, assessment, and psychology research. I have provided individual, couples, and group therapy at the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center (now LGBT Center), the Los Angeles VA, the Boston VA, and Enki Health Services. I have enjoyed training and supervising student therapists at the University of West Georgia and the University of Redlands. I also teach psychology at UCLA Extension. In general, I am curious about the the human mind and I am dedicated to help others who are struggling.

Hello! I am Dr. Efrain Zepeda. I am a bilingual (English/Spanish) Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Social Worker. In the past 26 years of working as a mental health professional, one important lesson I have learned is that the most powerful therapeutic intervention is found in the interpersonal experience that occurs in the client-therapist relationship. Together we can analyze the past to co-create a new meaning to achieve healing. I strongly believe that therapy is not about labeling or judging, but rather about personal discovery.

INDIVIDUAL THERAPY - PSYCHOANALYSIS

I invite you to say what you would never say in ordinary conversation. I specialize in anxiety, depression, difficult to describe dissatisfaction, work/career difficulties, low self-esteem, sexual problems, imposter syndrome, men's issues, creative blocks, sexual abuse, religious/cultic/satanic trauma and relationship issues.

The focus is to help individuals heal, energize, and become aware of their inner strengths. I achieve this by providing a neutral safe space, listening to your concerns, and customizing a treatment plan. I help individuals focus on the Solution.