Therapist in Fontana CA | CBT for postpartum depression & bilingual therapy
Somewhere along a stretch of warehouses that never really go quiet, so many mothers here are counting down a shift while counting down the days since they last felt like themselves. My practice offers postpartum and new madrehood therapy for Latina, first generation, and BIPOC mothers whose bodies and schedules rarely get a real break. I bring my own experience as a first gen daughter of a Mexican immigrant mother into this work, so the grind you are describing never sounds foreign to me.
Fontana sits along the old Route 66 corridor in the Inland Empire, a city that has grown rapidly around its logistics and warehouse industry, with generations of Mexican and Latino families settling here for steady work. Neighborhoods throughout the city sit close to sprawling distribution centers, and many families split their time between Fontana and nearby Rialto or San Bernardino for work and school. The rhythm of overnight shifts and long commutes shapes daily life here in a way that few outside the industry fully understand.
When a body clocks in and out on a schedule that never quite matches a baby's needs, postpartum recovery can feel like something that got skipped entirely. Anxiety and exhaustion often become background noise simply because there is no time built in to address them. What brings mothers to this practice is finally having a space that takes her exhaustion seriously instead of treating it as normal.

How it works

My work begins with the belief that constant exhaustion is not simply the price of a demanding job, it is a signal worth listening to. Sessions bring together clinical training, ancestral wisdom, mindfulness, and radical compassion, so your fatigue gets taken seriously rather than dismissed as normal. Nothing about your schedule disqualifies you from real care here.
A philosophy that refuses to normalize burnout
We begin with an easy, unhurried conversation about what has been building up, scheduled around whatever shift you are working that week. There is nothing to prepare and nothing to explain twice. By the end, you will know whether this feels like the right fit.
A first conversation around any shift
From there, sessions move at a pace that respects rotating shifts and long commutes, using tools rooted in nervous system support, boundary setting, and cultural validation. Over time, many mothers describe finally believing that rest is not something they have to earn through exhaustion first. What you build here tends to stay useful no matter what shift comes next.
Support that adapts to overnight and rotating hours

EXPLORE MY SERVICES

Postpartum therapy holds space for the mother who is back on the warehouse floor before her body has truly recovered, quietly grieving the rest she never got. It welcomes exhaustion and deep love for her baby existing side by side. Many mothers first notice relief in simply not being told to push through it, followed by a slow easing of the guilt that shows up whenever she finally does rest. The pressure to appear unaffected begins to soften. We explore identity, physical exhaustion, and the emotional cost of a schedule that never quite matches her baby's needs, with sessions held virtually so a rotating shift never has to compete with support.
CBT for postpartum depression is for the mother whose thoughts turn harsh the moment fatigue slows her down, even on days she has clocked a full shift and still shown up for her baby. It works directly with that inner critic instead of accepting it as fact. Progress often looks like a brief pause before the spiral starts, a moment where an exhausted day stops meaning she is failing. 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 on an overnight shift and at home alike.
Years of physical shift work often settle deep into the body, showing up as a sore back, shallow breathing, or a body that rarely feels permission to fully relax. Somatic therapy meets that tension directly instead of only talking around it. Over time, many mothers describe their bodies beginning to feel like a place they can actually recover in, with less bracing for the next shift and more room to simply exhale. Sleep starts to feel restorative again, even in fragments. Sessions weave grounding and body awareness practices into conversation, offered virtually so this work fits into whatever hour of the day or night is actually available.
Postpartum depression therapy is for the mother who keeps clocking in for every shift while feeling completely disconnected from her own life underneath the routine. It names the difference between shift work tired and a heaviness that will not lift. 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 no matter what shift she is working.
Therapy for Latinas is for the mother raised to keep pushing through no matter what, tired of translating her culture just to be understood. 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 warehouse 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 a different life on an unpredictable schedule.
Anxiety therapy is for the mother whose mind races through the next shift, the bills, and her baby's needs all before she has even left the parking lot. 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 any shift.

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 the Inland Empire navigating postpartum and new madrehood. Growing up as the daughter of a Mexican immigrant single mother taught me what it costs to keep working through exhaustion without ever naming it, and I bring that understanding into every session. My work blends mindfulness, cultural validation, and radical compassion, offered virtually so any shift schedule can still make room for 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.