Unfiltered Therapy, 5152 Katella Avenue Suite 205, Los Alamitos, CA (2026)

09/20/2026

So many moms with ADHD carry a quiet belief that they should be able to do this more easily. They compare themselves to other parents who seem to manage the chaos of family life without visible effort, and they wonder what is wrong with them when the same tasks leave them exhausted or scattered.

The truth is that most parenting systems, from school pickup lines to meal planning to keeping track of a dozen small daily details, were not designed with an ADHD brain in mind. Struggling within a system that does not fit how your brain works is not the same as failing at motherhood.

ADHD can affect memory, time management, emotional regulation, and the ability to filter out distractions, all of which are constantly in demand during parenting. When those challenges show up, they are often met with self criticism instead of understanding. That self criticism tends to make everything harder, not easier.

Learning to work with your brain rather than against it can change how motherhood feels day to day. This might mean building external systems for memory and organization, giving yourself permission to do things differently than other parents, or simply understanding your patterns well enough to plan around them instead of being surprised by them every time.

Our therapists at Unfiltered Therapy specialize in helping moms understand their ADHD in the context of parenting and build strategies that actually work for their specific brain. You do not need to keep measuring yourself against a standard that was never built for you.

If you are ready for support that meets you where you are, reach out to our team to schedule a consultation. We serve Orange County online and in person.

09/18/2026

Parenting asks a lot of us socially, often more than we expect before becoming a parent. School pickup lines, playdates, birthday parties, sports sidelines, and parent group chats all require regular social interaction, sometimes daily. For a parent who experiences social anxiety, this can feel relentless in a way that is hard to explain to someone who does not experience it.

Moments that seem small to other parents, like introducing yourself at a new class, making small talk at pickup, or organizing a playdate, can bring on real anxiety. The anticipation before these interactions is often the hardest part, sometimes building for hours or days before the event itself.

For many parents, social anxiety does not stop at their own interactions. It extends into worry about their child’s social world too, including whether their child is making friends easily, whether other parents are judging their parenting style, or whether they are doing enough to support their child socially while managing their own discomfort.

Avoidance often becomes the path of least resistance. Skipping a birthday party, letting a partner handle drop off, or quietly opting out of organizing playdates can offer short term relief. Over time, though, avoidance can leave both parent and child missing out on connection and community that matter.

Working through social anxiety does not mean forcing yourself into every social situation at once. It means building genuine, sustainable confidence at a pace that respects where you are starting from. Our therapists at Unfiltered Therapy help parents understand their social anxiety and develop tools to navigate parenting’s social demands in a way that feels manageable rather than overwhelming.

If this is something you are navigating, reach out to our team to schedule a consultation. We offer support online and in person throughout Orange County.

09/15/2026

The first year of motherhood is one of the most significant transitions a person can experience, and navigating it without the right support can feel incredibly isolating.

That’s why we’re launching a free, six-week virtual postpartum support group designed specifically for first-time moms in their first year postpartum.

Over the course of six weeks, we’ll explore tools and strategies for adjusting to your new identity as a mother, managing symptoms of anxiety and depression, prioritizing self-care and stress management, and strengthening communication with your partner and support system. This group is a space where you can be honest about how you’re really doing, and leave with practical tools to help you feel more grounded.

The group begins Tuesday, October 6th at 11 AM and is completely free to join. Spots are limited, so if this feels like something you or someone you love needs right now, we’d love to have you.

Email [email protected] to reserve your spot.

09/15/2026

Back to school season has a way of pulling every ounce of your attention outward, toward your kids’ schedules, needs, and adjustment, while your own wellbeing quietly slips to the bottom of the list. This pattern is common, but it is worth noticing before it becomes the norm for the rest of the school year.

A few signs are worth paying attention to. Increased irritability with your kids or partner, trouble falling or staying asleep despite exhaustion, or a growing sense of resentment toward tasks that used to feel manageable can all signal that this season is taking more out of you than you have consciously acknowledged. These signs are not a personal failing. They are information worth listening to.

Small boundaries can make a meaningful difference during a demanding season like this one. You do not have to say yes to every volunteer request, every extracurricular activity, or every social obligation just because it is back to school season. Protecting even small pockets of time for yourself, whether that is ten quiet minutes with coffee or a single evening without commitments, can change how sustainable the entire season feels.

It is also worth remembering that you do not need to reach a breaking point before support becomes appropriate. Many moms wait until they are completely overwhelmed to consider therapy, when earlier support could have made the season noticeably more manageable.

Our therapists at Unfiltered Therapy work with moms to navigate demanding seasonal transitions like back to school, helping you protect your own wellbeing while supporting your family through the adjustment too.
If this season has felt like a lot, reach out to our team to schedule a consultation. We offer sessions online and in person throughout Orange County.

09/13/2026

Middle school marks a significant academic shift for many kids. Classes move faster, homework increases, multiple teachers replace one, and grades often start to feel like they carry real weight for the first time. For some kids, this shift brings on genuine academic anxiety, which can be easy to mistake for laziness, disorganization, or a lack of motivation.

A child who seems to avoid homework, procrastinate constantly, or shut down when discussing grades may actually be responding to fear rather than indifference. Anxiety about performing well, disappointing a parent or teacher, or simply not knowing how to manage an increased workload can look a lot like avoidance from the outside, even though the underlying experience is distress.

Perfectionism often intensifies during middle school as well. Some kids become so afraid of getting something wrong that they avoid starting an assignment altogether, or they spend far more time than necessary on a single task out of fear that it isn’t good enough. This pattern can quietly erode a child’s confidence over the school year if it goes unaddressed.

Helping a middle schooler with academic anxiety usually starts with separating the emotional experience from the academic content. Naming the fear directly, whether that is fear of failure, fear of disappointing someone, or fear of not measuring up to peers, can help a child feel understood rather than simply told to try harder.

If academic anxiety is significantly affecting your child’s daily functioning, sleep, or self esteem, our therapists at Unfiltered Therapy work with adolescents to address anxiety at its root and build sustainable coping strategies for the school year ahead.

Reach out to our team if you would like support for your middle schooler. We offer sessions online and in person throughout Orange County.

09/09/2026

Over six weeks, we will talk openly about what it really looks like to adjust to motherhood. We will explore tools for managing symptoms of anxiety and depression, ways to prioritize self care and manage stress in a season that leaves little room for either, and strategies for communicating more openly with your partner and support system. This group is a place to ask the questions you have been sitting with, to hear from other moms who understand, and to leave each week with something practical to carry into your daily life.

This group is led by Morgan Pinedo, PPS, APCC, who brings both clinical training and a deep understanding of the postpartum experience to this work.

The group begins Tuesday, September 29th at 11am and meets weekly for six weeks. It is completely free and open to any first time mom within her first year postpartum.

If this feels like the kind of support you have been looking for, we would love to have you. Send us a message or check the link in our bio to reserve your spot. You do not have to go through this alone.

09/09/2026

High school brings a unique combination of pressures that can make the start of the school year genuinely stressful for teenagers. This is a period when teens are actively working out their identity, including their values, interests, and sense of self, all while navigating intense academic demands, social dynamics, and questions about their future.

Social media adds a layer of constant comparison to an already demanding season. Back to school shows up everywhere online, from outfit posts to schedule comparisons to visible updates about who is in which friend group or dating who. For a teenager already working to figure out where they fit in, this constant public comparison can intensify anxiety in ways that are hard to escape.

For older teens especially, the school year often feels tied directly to their future, whether that means GPA, college applications, or long term expectations they have absorbed from parents, teachers, or peers. This pressure tends to build gradually but can feel overwhelming by the time it peaks, particularly for juniors and seniors.

Teenagers are often less receptive to direct check ins than younger kids, and questions like “how are you doing” can feel like pressure rather than support. Genuine connection, through shared activities, low pressure conversations, or simply being present without an agenda, tends to open more doors than direct questioning. Teens are more likely to share what is actually going on when they do not feel like they are being evaluated in the moment.

If your teen seems to be struggling with anxiety, identity, or the pressures of this school year, our therapists at Unfiltered Therapy work with adolescents to help them navigate these years with genuine support rather than added pressure.

Reach out to our team to learn more. We serve Orange County online and in person.

09/07/2026

As children move into upper elementary school, roughly third through sixth grade, friendships become noticeably more complex. Friend groups shift, social hierarchies start to form, and children become far more aware of where they fit in among their peers. A new school year, with new classroom assignments and often a reshuffling of friend groups, can bring real anxiety about social belonging.

Parents are often the last to hear about social struggles directly, since kids this age are becoming more private and more aware of embarrassment. Instead, social stress tends to show up indirectly, through increased irritability after school, stomachaches or headaches on school mornings, reluctance to discuss the school day, or a sudden disinterest in activities they previously enjoyed.

This is also the age when kids become highly attuned to social status among peers, including who is invited to what, who sits where at lunch, and who is included in group chats or online interactions. What might look like a small social slip to an adult can feel significant and even distressing to a child navigating these dynamics for the first time.

Direct questions like “how was school” often get short, unhelpful answers at this age. Kids are typically more willing to open up during low pressure moments, like a car ride, a walk, or while doing an activity side by side rather than face to face. Staying curious and available, without pushing for details, tends to work better than direct interrogation.

If social stress seems to be significantly affecting your child’s mood, sleep, or willingness to attend school, it may be worth bringing in additional support. Our therapists at Unfiltered Therapy work with children and adolescents to navigate friendship struggles and build genuine social confidence.

Reach out to our team to learn more about how we can support your child this school year. We serve Orange County online and in person.

08/25/2026

One of the most common things we hear from parents is some version of: “I wasn’t sure if it was ‘bad enough’ to reach out.” We want to gently push back on that idea.

You do not need a diagnosis, a crisis, or a school calling home before your child’s mental health is worth professional attention. Early support tends to be more effective, often takes less time, and can prevent smaller struggles from becoming bigger ones.

A few reasons parents reach out to us, none of which require a “big enough” reason:
• Their child seems more anxious or withdrawn than usual, and they’re not sure why
• A recent transition — a move, divorce, new sibling, or loss — and they want support navigating it as a family
• Their child is having trouble managing anger or big emotions
• School has flagged academic or social concerns
• They simply want an outside, professional perspective on how their child is doing

Reaching out early doesn’t mean something is “wrong” with your child. It means you’re paying attention, and you want them to have support in developing the skills to manage whatever they’re facing — now and as they grow.

At the first meeting, we take time to understand your child and your family’s specific needs, so we can recommend an approach that actually fits, whether that’s individual therapy, play therapy, family sessions, or a combination.

If something has been on your mind about your child or teen, that’s reason enough to have a conversation. Reach out at [email protected] or through the link in our bio — we’re glad to help you figure out the right next step, even if that step is just talking it through.

08/22/2026

If you’ve ever wondered how therapy could possibly work with a five-year-old who doesn’t yet have the vocabulary to say “I feel anxious,” the answer is play therapy.

Play therapy is a structured, evidence-based approach that uses play — toys, art, sand trays, storytelling, games — as the primary way a child communicates and processes what they’re experiencing. For children, play isn’t just entertainment; it’s often the clearest window into their inner world.

In a play therapy session, a trained clinician observes and gently engages with how a child plays: what themes come up repeatedly, what they avoid, how they handle conflict or “big feelings” within the play itself. Over time, this helps the therapist understand what’s going on beneath the surface and helps the child work through it at their own pace.

Play therapy can be especially helpful for:
• Anxiety or big, hard-to-name worries
• Behavioral challenges at home or school
• Adjusting to family changes, like divorce, a new sibling, or a move
• Grief and loss
• Processing scary or overwhelming experiences

One of the most common questions parents ask is, “Will you tell me what happens in sessions?” We take a collaborative approach with families — you’ll get general updates on themes and progress, while still protecting the trust and confidentiality your child needs to open up freely.

Every child moves at a different pace, and play therapy is not about “fixing” a child — it’s about giving them tools, language, and a safe relationship to process what they’re carrying, so they can move through it rather than around it.

If you think play therapy could be a good fit for your child, we’d love to talk with you about what that could look like. Reach out at [email protected] or through the link in our bio. Serving Orange County in person and online throughout California.

Unfiltered Therapy

09/20/2026

09/18/2026

09/15/2026

09/15/2026

09/13/2026

09/09/2026

09/09/2026

09/07/2026

08/25/2026

08/22/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Listing takedown request