Stepping Forward Counseling Center, LLC.

My son attended here for five weeks before he was then asked to leave. While going 2x per week, he struggled to adjust to their expectations and structures. He had various behaviors that were challenging, but the whole time he was present, it didn't feel like Stepping Forward wanted to meet him where he was at, they wanted him to fit within their expectation bubble. Once it was clear he couldn't, they stepped backward...

In hindsight, it wasn't a good fit for both, but for a company that focuses on mental health, counseling services, and the well being of clients, the lack of commitment they demonstrated was disheartening. Since then, he has shown significant improvement, but I CANNOT attribute any of his successes to Stepping Backward, which is what his time resulted in...

Great place to have you kids to learn how to self regulate and learn how to build relationships and self esteem. They have a dedicated team

Stepping Forward Counseling Center has been a game-changer for me. The counselors are caring and skilled, making me feel comfortable from day one. They've helped me gain new insights and tools to handle life's challenges. It's a welcoming place where you can truly make progress. Highly recommend!

My niece once went here due to her Trauma and she came back to me crying. She told me that the workers were forcing her to talk (she was really shy) and she started to feel uncomfortable. The more she starts going to Stepping Forward the more she get uncomfortable. She even once met a kid I will not disclose the name of but that kid was very whiny and few more days later she told me no matter how hard you guys try your kids don’t learn that much!! My Niece wasn’t able to learn anything from Stepping forward and she told me one time she was with someone in a circle and she was getting uncomfortable with them because they were getting embarrassed by just telling her she is cool, she think’s the boy has a crush on her. My Niece told me she wanted to go home so many times I was exhausted. I then finally took her out and she was more happy then before after that.
1/10 it really...

Great experience in working with Stepping Forward- owner, Christine and entire team is incredible. They are easy to work with and make the process a positive experience for the whole family. Couldn't say enough... worth the wait!

This is a good place for kids to get some confidence in their social development, that is something they well here with positive reinforcement. However the therapists here are not equipped for dealing with mental health illnesses or family communication, not a lot of medical qualifications so not much help in that area. Make sure your child tells you what is happening in their therapy sessions. I had cps called on over every tiny thing, so beware it could add to your already stressed out family. They care more about preventing lawsuits than helping children to be successful. They do not monitor all social interactions between clients so be prepared for your child to learn about other children’s traumas. When I tried to leave the program they were really dismissive of my suggestions on how they could have better helped my child which means they are running a business not a caring...

My daughter attended Stepping Forward at their Irvine location and not only was everyone friendly and helpful, I truly felt they cared. It’s really hard to find the right fit for your child when it comes to mental health and Stepping Forward exceeded my expectations. They offer group therapy and individual therapies. Jackie at the front desk is beyond kind and communicates immediately with any question or concern that arises. Meagan worked one on one with my daughter and did a great job keeping her on task with things we were working on and talked me through some new ideas to help. They also provide groups for parents for support and tools you can use at home that could help. If you are looking for a dedicated and supportive team for your child I highly recommend Stepping Forward.
Kudos Guys! 🙌🏻

Applicants beware. SF demanded a $300 "processing fee" in association with an application for a child with whom they had worked before, and therefore knew well. They then denied the application due to COVID concerns, which again, were well known. Despite this predictable result, SF refuses to return the "processing fee," further burdening the family of a special needs child. Very dissappointing from a program designed to help.