Therapist in Anaheim CA | CBT for postpartum depression & bilingual therapy
Most people picture fireworks and theme park lights when they think of this city, but so many mothers here are living an entirely different version of it, one built on hourly wages and long shifts. My practice offers postpartum and new madrehood therapy for Latina, first generation, and BIPOC mothers whose reality looks nothing like the tourist brochures. I bring my own experience as a first gen daughter of a Mexican immigrant mother into this work, so your version of this city is the one that matters here.
Just blocks from the resort district sit neighborhoods like the Anaheim Colony and the Jeffrey Lynne area, home to generations of working class Mexican and Central American families who keep this city running behind the scenes. Anna Drive and the surrounding west Anaheim neighborhoods carry decades of tight knit community life, often overlooked in a city known worldwide for something else entirely. Many mothers here work in hospitality or service jobs that demand long hours with little flexibility for a new baby.
Working in an industry built on making everyone else's experience magical can leave little room to acknowledge your own exhaustion, especially when smiling through fatigue is basically part of the job. Postpartum anxiety often gets pushed aside simply because there is no space in the schedule to feel it fully. What brings mothers to this practice is finally having a place where her reality does not need a performance attached to it.

How it works

My work begins with the understanding that a mother who spends her days performing warmth for strangers deserves genuine warmth in return, without having to earn it. Sessions bring together clinical training, ancestral wisdom, mindfulness, and radical compassion, so this space asks nothing of you the way your job does. Here, you get to simply be tired, without smiling through it.
A philosophy that sees behind the performance
We begin with a relaxed, unhurried conversation about what has been building up, with nothing to prepare and no performance required. This is simply a chance to be honest about how hard things have actually been. By the end, you will know whether this feels like the right space for you.
A first conversation with no shift to clock into
From there, sessions move at a pace that respects shift work and inconsistent schedules, using tools rooted in nervous system support, boundary setting, and cultural validation. Over time, many mothers describe finally believing that rest does not need to be earned through exhaustion first. What you build here tends to hold up long after our sessions end.
Support built around unpredictable hours

EXPLORE MY SERVICES

Postpartum therapy holds space for the mother who spends her shifts making everyone else feel taken care of while no one asks how she is doing. It welcomes exhaustion and deep love for her baby existing in the very same breath. Many mothers first notice relief in simply being allowed to drop the customer service smile and say things are actually hard. The pressure to perform being fine begins to soften. We explore identity, service industry fatigue, and the emotional cost of always being the one who makes things easier for others, with sessions held virtually so an unpredictable schedule never has to compete with support.
CBT for postpartum depression is for the mother whose thoughts turn critical the moment she cannot keep up the same energy at home that her job demands all day. It works directly with that inner critic instead of accepting it as fact. Progress often looks like a pause before the spiral, a moment where an exhausted day stops meaning she is a bad mother. Many mothers describe slowly learning to trust their own limits again. Sessions work through the practical link between thought, emotion, and behavior, giving her tools that hold up during a double shift and at home alike.
Long shifts on her feet and constant emotional labor often settle into the body, showing up as sore shoulders, shallow breathing, or a body that rarely gets permission to fully relax. Somatic therapy meets that tension directly. Over time, many mothers describe their bodies beginning to feel like a place they can actually rest in, with less bracing for the next demand and more room to simply exhale. Sleep starts to feel restorative again. Sessions weave grounding and body awareness practices into conversation, offered virtually so this work fits into whatever pocket of time a shift schedule allows.
Postpartum depression therapy is for the mother who keeps clocking in and smiling through her shift while feeling completely disconnected from her own life underneath it all. It names the difference between being tired and being genuinely unwell. Many mothers find their first relief simply in being taken seriously rather than told to push through it. From there, small returns of energy and moments of real connection with their baby tend to follow. This work holds the full weight of postpartum depression without minimizing it, offered virtually so support reaches her even during peak season.
Therapy for Latinas is for the mother working long hours in a city that celebrates everyone else's magic while her own story stays invisible. Sessions can move naturally between English and Spanish, whatever lets her speak most honestly. Many mothers describe finally not having to simplify her story to fit a therapy model that was never built with service industry families in mind. The exhaustion of constant translation begins to ease. We talk through generational expectation, immigration related stress, and the specific weight of working so hard for a version of the good life she rarely gets to enjoy herself.
Anxiety therapy is for the mother whose mind races through her schedule, her bills, and her baby's needs all at once during a rare quiet moment on break. It gives that anxious energy somewhere useful to land. Relief tends to build gradually, with more space appearing between a worry and the spiral it used to trigger instantly. Many mothers describe finally noticing a calm moment instead of scanning it for what could go wrong. Sessions combine grounding tools for the moment with deeper work on what the anxiety has been trying to protect her from, held virtually so support fits around whatever shift she is working.

Testimonials

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I was working with a first-gen Latina client who shared that she really appreciates that I give her education and examples for different mental health concepts and this helps her think about it in her own terms throughout the week (e.g. like having a full plate and taking just a moment to set it down when we journal so that it doesn’t feel as heavy all the time).

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I helped a mom advocate for herself after experiencing workplace harassment throughout her pregnancy. She felt like she was complaining but after processing a couple sessions, she realized that this was one way she could protect herself (even if in the past she wasn’t able to). 

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I hosted a Baby & Me Parent Community Event focused on 1) donations/swap station for baby & mom items 2) sensory play stations 3) selena dance along 4) new parent mental health 101 & 5) guest speaker on financial education. I had a few moms come up to me during the event saying how helpful it was to get tangible resources and also information to help them in their current season. 

I serve women in San Diego

​​I offer virtual therapy to women across San Diego including those living near Balboa Park, North Park, Mission Valley and nearby coastal neighborhoods. You can access support from anywhere in California and meet with me from the comfort of your home.

I'm Johanna Lee, LPCC, a licensed therapist, educator, and first generation Latina mom who supports mothers throughout Anaheim navigating postpartum and new madrehood. Growing up as the daughter of a Mexican immigrant single mother taught me to see the labor behind the smiles that service jobs demand, and I bring that understanding into every session. My work blends mindfulness, cultural validation, and radical compassion, offered virtually so an unpredictable shift never has to delay care. Healing is a birthright, not a privilege.
Smiling person in a green sleeveless top, seated indoors with tattooed arms and hands resting on a pregnant belly

Frequently asked questions

  • What payment methods do you accept?

    I accept FSA/HSA, debit, or credit card for payment. I do not currently accept insurance and many clients appreciate the privacy, flexibility, and control that comes with paying directly for care (versus utilizing insurance).

  • Can I bring my baby to the session?

    Yes—babies are absolutely welcome. I know it’s not always possible to find childcare, and you shouldn’t have to put your healing on hold because of that. Whether you’re nursing, rocking, or soothing during our time together, this space is made with mamá life in mind. Come as you are—messy bun, spit-up, baby in arms and all. (ps snacks are also welcome and often encouraged lol)

  • How long is each session, and how often will we meet?

    Sessions are 55 minutes. Most clients start with weekly sessions, but we’ll collaborate to find a rhythm that fits your needs, schedule, and goals.

  • Where are you licensed to provide therapy?

    I’m licensed in California, so therapy sessions are available to clients physically located in California at the time of each session. If you're outside California, you can still join my escuelita &/or access non-clinical resources -  View here 

  • Therapy vs education disclaimer

    Participation in workshops, classes, memberships, or educational resources does not establish a therapeutic relationship. These services are for support, education, and community and are not a substitute for clinical therapy. Therapy services are only available to clients residing in California, provided through a separate intake and consent process.