Quick Answer
Group Therapy at Angeles Psychology Group for Long Beach is facilitator-led, HIPAA-aligned process work with named clinicians and specific clinical specializations. Groups run in person at our Mid-Wilshire office and by secure telehealth across California, with informed consent for group participation and coordinated care alongside individual therapy at the same practice. Consultation begins with a free 20-minute conversation.
Key Takeaways
- Group Therapy at Angeles Psychology Group for Long Beach is facilitator-led process work with named clinicians and specific clinical specializations.
- Groups are HIPAA-aligned with informed consent for group participation; signature groups include the Gay Men’s Therapy Group (Matthew Michael Brown, MA) and the Black Men’s Healing Group (Gabrey Milner, MA).
- Group therapy runs alongside individual and couples work at the same practice — coordinated care rather than fragmented referrals across providers.
- Sessions are available in person at our Mid-Wilshire office (6363 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 520) or by secure telehealth across California.
- Consultation begins with a free, 20-minute conversation — a discussion about clinical fit before any commitment.
01 — OverviewThe second-densest LGBTQ+ corridor in LA County and its clinical gaps
LGBTQ+ affirming group work in Long Beach addresses a specific clinical gap — the second-densest queer corridor in Los Angeles County with structurally limited access to affirming depth-oriented process group work in the immediate area. The Gay Men’s Therapy Group and adjacent affirming process work at APG close that gap for Long Beach clients directly.
APG’s model reads the presenting material as pointing to the character layer beneath it. The framework operates from named facilitator competence — Matthew Michael Brown, MA, for the Gay Men’s Therapy Group; adjacent specialists for other affirming work — and the process groups operate from an IFS-informed clinical framework specifically designed for the material.
Affirming specialty. An affirming specialty is a named clinical focus in which the practitioner’s training, modality range, and framework are specifically shaped to serve a particular community’s clinical needs — as distinct from a general ‘friendly’ or ‘welcoming’ stance, which does not necessarily change how the clinical work is delivered.
The American Psychological Association describes group therapy as an effective format for a wide range of clinical concerns, and research from the National Institute of Mental Health supports psychotherapy as an evidence-based treatment for the underlying concerns members typically bring. The specific clinical value of a facilitator-led group is that shared experience does work individual therapy alone often cannot.
02 — ApproachThe Gay Men’s Therapy Group and adjacent affirming process work
For queer-affirming process work, the clinical container operates under named facilitator competence rather than sensitivity applied to a general model. Sessions work with the specific patterns queer clients develop across a lifetime of navigating less-affirming environments, and the group container reaches that material as it operates in the here-and-now.
APG’s specific offering against the broader group-therapy field: coordinated care inside one clinical team. That legibility matters for a demographic often weighing distance and format tradeoffs — the framework needs to be worth the commute or telehealth choice, not just an acceptable version of general group work. You can read more about the practice on our our signature process groups page.
Facilitator-led
Process groups led by named clinicians with specific specializations under supervision.
Shared experience
Groups organized around shared context — identity, life stage, or relationship structure — so the container does clinical work individual sessions cannot.
Confidential container
Informed consent, HIPAA-aligned confidentiality, and named clinical framework govern every group.
Whatever you’re carrying, there’s a place to begin. Book a free, 20-minute consultation.
Start a free consultation03 — In Long BeachLong Beach and the telehealth-plus-in-person format split
Long Beach concentrates the second-densest LGBTQ+ population in Los Angeles County, and the specific clinical gap the practice addresses — affirming depth-oriented process work with named facilitator competence — remains structurally underserved in the immediate area. The commute-or-telehealth decision is a clinical variable for this catchment.
The Mid-Wilshire office at 6363 Wilshire, Suite 520 holds the in-person work; telehealth is the alternate. The clinician holding the case stays constant across formats.
04 — Getting startedInquiring about an affirming group
For LGBTQ+ Affirming Long Beach Process Group in Long Beach, the first 20-minute consultation clarifies which affirming group work fits — the Gay Men’s Therapy Group facilitated by Matthew Michael Brown, MA, or one of the adjacent affirming process groups — and whether the format (in-person, telehealth, or a mix) matches your logistics. Long Beach is the second-densest LGBTQ+ corridor in LA County, and format flexibility is what makes ongoing group participation actually sustainable for clients from that far south.
The clinical framework is IFS-informed and depth-oriented: minority stress, internalized homophobia, and the developmental impact of growing up in less-affirming environments are treated as material rather than context. Named facilitator competence, HIPAA-aligned confidentiality, and coordinated supervision are practice defaults. For a broader comparison across practices, the APA page on choosing a psychologist is a useful starting point.
Groups meet at Mid-Wilshire (6363 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 520); secure telehealth is available for continuity between in-person sessions when the drive from Long Beach doesn’t work. Private-pay with superbills. Direct booking at (310) 866-0440 or online.
Office hours are Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM (additional times available as needed), with additional times arranged when the standard availability doesn’t quite fit. For Long Beach clients specifically, the intake team can advise on current wait times, clinician availability, and whether the format that fits your schedule is in-person, telehealth, or a mix. The consultation is free, no diagnosis is required to start, and you can pause or end the work at any point without penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Group Therapy at Angeles Psychology Group for Long Beach?
Group therapy at Angeles Psychology Group for Long Beach includes LGBTQ+-affirming process groups — including the Gay Men’s Therapy Group facilitated by Matthew Michael Brown, MA — with a minority-stress-literate clinical framework and named affirming specialization across the team.
Who provides the care?
Care is provided by a multi-clinician team including licensed psychologists, licensed marriage and family therapists, and associate (pre-licensed) clinicians working under doctoral-level clinical supervision. The practice is founded and clinically directed by Dr. Neil Schierholz, PsyD (PSY25154), a licensed clinical psychologist. Angeles Psychology Group is a psychology practice and does not prescribe medication — where medication is relevant, care is coordinated with the client’s own prescriber. All clinicians hold current California licensure or are registered associates working under supervision.
How is APG’s affirming care different from general LGBTQ-friendly care?
General LGBTQ-friendly listings often mean ‘we do not refuse care.’ APG’s affirming care is a named clinical specialty that shapes how the group is facilitated — the modality range (EFT, IFS, depth, Orgonomic), the minority-stress framework, and the clinical team’s own lived experience combine to produce a different clinical container than a general ‘friendly’ stance delivers.
Is telehealth available for clients in Long Beach?
Yes. Sessions are available in person at our Mid-Wilshire office (6363 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 520, Los Angeles, CA 90048) or by secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth across California. Telehealth removes the commute barrier for clients in Long Beach and is delivered with the same clinical depth as in-person work — the practice’s stated position is that depth-oriented care translates to the virtual format when the container is held accordingly. Clients often split between formats based on schedule and preference, keeping continuity with the same clinician.
How do we get started?
Begin with a free, 20-minute consultation — a conversation about fit before any commitment. A clinician helps you decide who should be involved (individual, couple, family, or group), what modality is likely to fit, and what the work might look like, with no obligation. You can book online or call (310) 866-0440. Office hours are Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM (additional times available as needed), and additional times can be arranged by request.
About this page
This page reflects the practice of Angeles Psychology Group, a depth-oriented, affirming psychology practice in Los Angeles founded by Dr. Neil Schierholz, PsyD (PSY25154). Angeles Psychology Group provides psychotherapy and does not prescribe medication; where medication is relevant, care is coordinated with a client’s own prescriber. Claims about psychotherapy are framed as research suggests and cited to primary sources below.
Reviewed by Dr. Neil Schierholz, PsyD. Last updated September 2026.
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