You have permission to be human.

I’m Tiffany Hooton, a licensed marriage and family therapist. I see clients in person in Long Beach and online throughout California.

As someone who is naturally introverted, I know how draining it can be to perform or feel pressured to fill every silence. Therapy with me offers a room where you can finally stop "switching on" for others and start reconnecting with yourself.

If you vibe with friendly introverts with a dry sense of humor, we’ll get along great.

WHAT KIND OF THERAPY DO I PRACTICE?

I have been practicing since 2018, and have specialized training in a variety of frameworks to ensure our time together has a clear direction:

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Especially helpful for persistent issues causing existential dread. We will practice things like psychological flexibility. This means "unhooking" your sense of self from thoughts that keep you stuck, and identifying tangible steps that align with your actual values.

• Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT): For couples and partners. No longer keeping score of “who started it,” we move beyond surface-level bickering. We’ll work on mapping your cycle to stop the repetitive loops of pushing and pulling, and practice new ways of relating that build secure attachment.

• Gottman Method Couples Therapy: I blend in these structured, research-backed tools to help partners manage conflict, handle gridlocked issues, and improve communication effectively.

• Trans-Affirming Care for All Ages: I provide nuanced, identity-centered support for individuals and families across the entire gender spectrum.

• Feminist Therapy: We will explore how systemic and social structures impact your well-being, rather than just "fixing" you as if you exist in a vacuum.

THESE ARE MY MOST FREQUENTLY TREATED ISSUES:

• Chronic depression, anxiety, loss of self. If you have a hard time answering the question, “how are you?” It might be because you are out of touch with your needs. This often stems from early neglect or highly-controlled formative environments. It may bleed into your relationships, where you feel constantly dissatisfied but not sure if you are “the problem.” It may show up as social anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, or feeling lost in life. 

• Couples and relationships. If your relationship isn’t bringing you the emotional stability you thought it would, we will work to understand each of your relational patterns, figure out when and where they show up, then relearn how to manage conflict, show up for each other, and recover from past ruptures. I welcome all types of relationships, but most frequently work with queer couples. 

• Gender and identity exploration. Whether you are navigating your own identity or are a partner or parent of someone who is, I provide a space where you don't have to have all the answers to get the support you need. You can come to therapy alone or with your loved one.

• Trauma, complex trauma, chronic PTSD, and religious trauma. Those who have left any type of high-control environment and are trying to clarify their own voice. 

More about working with me

We take turns leading sessions. Sometimes you need to talk things through until you understand them. Other times you need to relax and hear what your therapist has to say. There’s room for both, and we decide together. I believe that therapy works best when it feels like a partnership between real humans, not a rigid hierarchy where one person has all the answers. 

My job is to ask questions that shift your perspective, reflect things you may not see clearly, and suggest tangible changes for your daily life.  

Therapy with me is quiet, thoughtful, and respects your pace, but still offers realistic support. I bring high-level clinical skill without the rigid hierarchies often found in traditional mental health spaces. I won’t just sit back and nod, nor will I make out-of-touch suggestions that don’t fit with your culture. 

My work is deeply rooted in my personal values and lived experience. As a member of the queer community with trans loved ones, I don't just "specialize" in affirming care, I live it. 

I lean into a decolonized perspective (as much as a licensed professional can), which means I prioritize your lived experience and agency over traditional, "clinical" power dynamics. Much of my practical experience has been with communities I’m not a part of, and I’m committed to understanding how my own identities affect the work I do. 

What is therapy with me like?

In other words, If I’m doing my job correctly, our sessions will likely:

• Feel energizing and playful, with room for humor and levity

• Make space for difficult emotions, like anger, vulnerability, and pain

• Center on you and your experiences, not my opinion or judgment

• Allow you to set your own limits and go at your pace

• Be a venue for exploring healthy boundaries and interpersonal conflict – yes, even with your therapist

• Be a relationship that accepts, empowers, validates, and challenges you

Who are my People?

Queer, trans, and nonbinary folks and their loved ones, figuring out who they are in a world that insists on shoving people into boxes. Whether you’re looking for therapy on your own or as a family, I want to make space for you that doesn’t question who you are or make decisions for you. Maybe you’re newly transitioning and you need to delve into the unexplored parts of yourself. Maybe you’re a partner who needs a supportive person to work out their own feelings. Maybe you are a couple that just wants someone who isn’t going to scrutinize your relationship just because one of you is trans. You deserve gender affirming care. Read more about couples therapy here.

Dorks, geeks, gamers, the fandom obsessed - this is a safe space for nerds and creatives! PLEASE tell me about your niche hobbies and interests. I’m here for all of it. And how cool would it be if they held some symbolic metaphor for the issues you’re working through in therapy? Having a therapist who understands these often misunderstood hobbies and communities can help you fully be yourself. And that in itself is often part of healing.

Family outcasts who are seeking self-acceptance or belonging: Growing up with difficult family relationships can feel painful and isolating, like you have no back-up and no foundation. You might feel forced to choose between either going “no-contact,” or hiding important parts of yourself. If you’re tired of being the family scapegoat, therapy can help you learn to center yourself, work through trauma, and renegotiate your relationships. Read more about being the black sheep of your family here.

People curious and interested in exploring their values, diving into existential questions, and figuring out what really matters to them. If the “what brings you to therapy” question has a giant answer, I want to meet you. Sometimes there isn’t something specifically “wrong,” but it’s more of an overwhelming feeling of being lost or in an identity crisis. Sometimes we feel like we’re falling behind, but we don’t even know where we’re supposed to be going. And maybe nothing in your day-to-day is particularly distressing, but we can work on understanding yourself and the world around you in a new way. Yes, there is therapy for that. 

Queer or trans teens who need an adult on their side: It’s hard being a kid! So often adults forget that children and teens have their own internal worlds. If you’re a kid, especially a LGBTQ+ identified kid, you might find yourself feeling angry, powerless, and not worthy of respect from your peers or adults in your life. I know that bullies can be any age and that sometimes adults use their authority to bully kids. Read more about trans-affirming therapy here.

People struggling with low self-esteem and anxiety: Maybe you don’t believe in yourself. Perhaps somewhere down the line you’ve received the message that you weren’t good enough. You feel inadequate and unprepared for life. Sometimes these feelings of insecurity sit heavy in your heart; sometimes you feel so out of control from the pressure that your body goes into panic mode. It’s painful either way and we can help you find your way through it. Read more about therapy for anxiety here.

MORE ABOUT MY APPROACH

Life is hard enough. We don’t need to make it harder by judging ourselves against some completely made-up rules. They’re made up.

When we find ourselves facing an inconvenient, disappointing, or surprising situation, we’re reminded how little control we have. Sometimes, there’s nowhere to hide from uncertainty. 

Worst of all, many of us start to judge ourselves for all of the ways that we don’t seem to measure up. 

And even though we know those rules are made up, they feel real.

“If I were strong/smart/confident/good enough, the ups and downs of life wouldn’t bother me. I could handle anything that comes my way.”

“It’s not the realities of a complex and evolving society that are the problem – it’s ME.”

Sound familiar?

My experience as a therapist and as a human have taught me that this inner critic, however convincing it may seem, is dead wrong.

My personal journey toward self-compassion and acceptance has been a long one. From my rural, religious roots to building a big, queer life filled with love and community on my terms. And even though there is always more road to travel, I know that it’s been worth it because it gives me permission to explore who I really am and realize that there are no foregone conclusions in life. 

Sometimes that also means giving myself permission to fail. To be weird. And yes, to be inconvenient, disappointing, or surprising. 

If you’re looking for a therapist who understands the value of a quiet room but won't leave you wandering in the dark, I’d love to see if we’re a good fit.

The details

• Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist #138201.

• Specialized training & Experience:

  • Gottman Method Couples Therapy (Levels 1 + 2)

  • Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples/partners

  • LGBTQAI+ and polyamorous couples/relationships and individuals

  • Trans Youth Care

  • Practicum training at ICNA - Muslim Family Services

  • Trauma-informed therapist consultation group (ongoing)

• My Groups:

  • Partner Perspectives: a psychotherapy group for partners of trans people to find support and process thoughts and feelings related to their loved one’s transition.

  • The Queer Self-Compassion Process Group: A transformative, therapeutic group experience intended to help people reconnect with and appreciate their inner worth by forging authentic, compassionate relationships with themselves and others. Learn essential self-compassion skills, practice self-acceptance and vulnerability, and process topics such as the origins of shame, perfectionism, and self-doubt. (read more)

• My Workshops:

  • Getting Cozy With Anger: Using ACT for Managing Big Feelings

• Education:

  • MS, Counseling from CSU Fullerton

  • BA, Sociology from CSU Long Beach

• What I am doing besides being a therapist:

  • Going on long walks and befriending and naming the neighborhood cats.

  • Writing fiction/short stories. 

  • Currently playing: Sekiro. (An Ace Attorney replay is on the horizon.)