Fernando Aguirre

I am who I am, I love myself, and I love helping people. I'm a thoughtful person who can easily and quicky understand any perspective and establish a safe space. My main focus and approach to individual therapy is healing through empowerment. I am driven to be an ally to everyone’s journey in building a strong and stable mental health foundation so that they can move through the world with an empowered sense of self. As a bilingual (Spanish speaking) and bicultural (1st generation person), also strengthens the affirming perspective I bring to my practice.

I understand that every person is embedded in a set of unique circumstances. These unique circumstances are recognized in session so that therapy can be an effective source of support to address any challenges.

I celebrate each client’s individual strengths, unique perspective, and their voices during sessions - all to achieve a goal of mental health wellness and a personal sense of safety and love.

My personal experiences have fostered my unique trauma- and resilience-informed practice approach. I have practiced with humans across the whole life-span - encompassing toddlers, children, adolescents, young adults, adults, and older adults. I am best at integrating a variety of affirming perspectives gathered through my previous professional experience.

• 2SLGBTQIA+

• Mood Disorders

• Addiction

• Self-Esteem

• Trauma

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

• Anger Management

• Latinx issues

• Non-binary identities

Trauma-Focused CBT

I have worked in community health clinics utilizing TF-CBT. This type of work is effective in addressing the impact(s) different types of trauma(s) has on any individual. TF-CBT can be helpful in establishing skills to manage trauma responses, thus creating a strong foundation to dive into other concerns.

Humanistic

Humanistic person-centered therapy is one of the main foundations from which I have practiced throughout my career in mental health. My experience has taught me that clients are the experts of their own life. Moreover, they are working to achieve their best life. My clinical training allows for me to support the clients in this journey and assist in expanding the areas of growth while affirming their strengths.

Gender-affirming therapy

Sessions will always be a safe space for all clients to show up as their authentic selves. I have had the privilege to work with clients all across the gender spectrum and at different stages of their gender-identity formation. I work diligently to create an affirming space where all gender identities are welcomed to thrive.

Motivational Interviewing

I have worked closely with the justice-involved community where I utilized motivational interviewing in daily practice. Change is difficult, for everyone. Motivational interviewing is effective for clients to understand their motivation towards change, start taking actions toward the change, and work collaboratively to identify roadblocks that can be circumvented.

Strength-Based

I approach every session and situation with the intention to identify the strengths that clients use to move through it. Strength-based acknowledges that every person has personal characteristics that allow us to achieve our goals. My approach is to integrate these perspectives to empower clients through the myriad of situations life brings.

• MSW (Master of Social Work) at California State University Fullerton

• License type: License in Clinical Social Work (California)

• Gender: Non-binary

• Ethnicity: Mexican

• Languages: English and Spanish

• In-Network with the following insurance companies: United Healthcare, Cigna, Aetna, Oxford, UMR, Optum, Blue Shield of California (not Magellan), Anthem Blue Cross California, Carelon Behavioral Health, and Medicare.