Therapist in Bakersfield CA | CBT for postpartum depression & bilingual therapy
Between shift work, family obligations, and a new baby, so many mothers here run on fumes long before anyone thinks to ask how they are holding up. My practice offers postpartum and new madrehood therapy for Latina, first generation, and BIPOC mothers who have been quietly carrying too much for too long. I bring my own experience as a first gen daughter of a Mexican immigrant mother into this work, so nothing about your exhaustion needs explaining from scratch.
Bakersfield sits in Kern County, a place shaped by oil fields, agriculture, and generations of Mexican families who built their lives around both industries, with neighborhoods like East Bakersfield and Lamont carrying decades of that history. Families connected to Cal State Bakersfield and Bakersfield College bring a newer thread into the same fabric, often balancing school schedules with shift work and childcare. This is a city where hard work is practically inherited, and where rest can feel like something you have to justify.
Many mothers here grew up watching the women before them push through exhaustion without ever naming it as exhaustion, which makes it easy to believe that struggling quietly is simply what motherhood requires. Postpartum anxiety and identity loss can feel especially isolating in a community where showing vulnerability is rarely modeled. Mothers come to this practice because they are ready to interrupt that inheritance, not repeat it.

How it works

My work begins with the belief that the strength you were taught to perform does not have to come at the cost of your own wellbeing. Sessions bring together clinical training, ancestral wisdom, mindfulness, and radical compassion, so healing feels like an extension of your values rather than a rejection of them. Nothing about your work ethic or your culture needs defending here.
A philosophy that honors hard won strength
We start with a simple, unhurried conversation about what has been building up and what kind of support would genuinely help. There is nothing to prepare and no version of yourself you need to perform. By the end, you will know whether this feels like the right space for you.
A first conversation with no pressure attached
From there, sessions move at a pace that respects shift work, family responsibilities, and everything else already competing for your time, using tools rooted in cultural validation and nervous system support. Over time, many mothers describe finally feeling permission to slow down without guilt trailing right behind it. What you build here tends to hold up well beyond our sessions.
Support built around your actual schedule

EXPLORE MY SERVICES

Postpartum therapy holds space for the mother who is running on caffeine and momentum, quietly grieving the version of herself that existed before a baby needed her every hour. It welcomes exhaustion and love for her child to exist in the very same sentence. Many mothers describe their first relief as simply not having to perform being fine anymore, followed by a slow loosening of the pressure to prove her strength constantly. The guilt that shows up when she finally rests begins to soften. We explore identity, family expectation, and the emotional cost of always being dependable, with sessions held virtually so a long shift never has to compete with getting support.
CBT for postpartum depression is for the mother whose mind keeps replaying every small mistake as proof she is failing, even on days she has held everything together. It works directly with the guilt and self criticism that keep looping. Progress here often shows up as a brief pause before the spiral starts, a moment where a rough day stops meaning she is a bad mother. Many mothers describe slowly learning to trust their own judgment again. Sessions work through the practical connection between thought, emotion, and behavior, giving her tools that hold up on a factory floor or in a car during a lunch break, not just in session.
Years of physical work and constant vigilance often settle directly into the body, showing up as a tight jaw, shallow breathing, or shoulders that never quite drop. Somatic therapy meets that tension where it lives instead of only discussing it. Over time, many mothers notice 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 like it is doing its job again. Sessions weave grounding and body awareness work into conversation, offered virtually so this can happen in whatever quiet corner of the house is available.
Postpartum depression therapy is for the mother who keeps clocking in and showing up while feeling completely disconnected from her own life underneath it all. It names the difference between ordinary tiredness and a heaviness that will not lift. Many mothers find their first relief simply in being taken seriously instead of 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 a demanding work week.
Therapy for Latinas is for the mother raised to keep family struggles private, who is tired of softening her culture just to be understood by someone else. Sessions can move naturally between English and Spanish, whatever lets her speak most honestly. Many mothers describe finally not having to simplify their story to fit a therapy model that was never built with working families in mind. The exhaustion of constant translation begins to ease. We talk through generational expectation, immigration related stress, and the specific weight of building something different while still honoring where you come from.
Anxiety therapy is for the mother whose mind races through every worst case scenario during a quiet drive home, worrying about money, work, and her baby all at once. 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 into an already full schedule.

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 works with mothers throughout Kern County navigating postpartum and new madrehood. Growing up as the daughter of a Mexican immigrant single mother taught me firsthand what it costs to carry too much for too long, and I bring that understanding into every session. My work blends mindfulness, cultural validation, and radical compassion, offered virtually so a packed schedule never has to be the reason care waits. 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.