Therapist in Los Angeles CA | CBT for postpartum depression & bilingual therapy
A city this large can make healing feel impossible to find, which is exactly why I built a practice that mothers can reach from wherever they are parked in traffic or rocking a baby back to sleep. My work supports Latina, first generation, and BIPOC mothers who are exhausted from holding everything together while pretending they are fine. I bring my own lived experience as a first gen daughter of a Mexican immigrant mother into every session, so nothing has to be explained twice.
Mothers reach me from every corner of this sprawling city, from the tight knit blocks of Boyle Heights and East LA to the working families of South LA, Pico Union, and the San Fernando Valley, and out toward the eastside communities near Cal State LA. Some are commuting an hour each way to jobs that do not pause for a newborn, while others are raising children within walking distance of the grandparents who raised them. Los Angeles holds one of the largest Mexican and Central American communities in the country, and that history shapes how healing needs to feel here.
The pressure to be everything for everyone hits differently in a city built on hustle, where rest can feel like it is competing with rent, childcare, and a commute that eats the whole day. Mothers here often carry the added weight of being the family translator, the fixer, and the one who is never allowed to fall apart, even quietly. What brings mothers to this practice is the chance to stop performing strength and finally be met with softness instead.

How it works

My approach starts from the understanding that struggling after birth is not a character flaw, it is often what happens when generational expectation meets a system that offers almost no real postpartum support. I braid together clinical training with ancestral wisdom, mindfulness, and radical compassion so the work feels like it was made for you, not adapted for you. Your culture is never something to leave at the door here.
Grounded in lived culture, not just clinical theory
We start with an easy, low pressure conversation where you can talk through what has been building up, without needing to have the right words ready. There is no pass or fail here and nothing to prepare in advance. By the end, you will have a clear feel for whether this space is the right one for you.
A relaxed first conversation, no performance required
Sessions move at a rhythm that respects your actual schedule, weaving in tools for nervous system regulation, boundary setting, and self compassion as your life allows. Many mothers notice steadier days, softer self talk, and a stronger sense of who they are underneath the roles they carry. You leave with practices you can keep using long after our work together ends.
Care that keeps pace with a busy life

EXPLORE MY SERVICES

Between the new baby and everyone else who needs something from you, it can feel like there has been no room left to ask how you are actually doing. Postpartum therapy holds that question gently, making space for grief over who you used to be alongside genuine love for your child, both at once. As sessions continue, many mothers stop bracing for judgment and start letting themselves be fully seen, tears, resentment, joy, and all of it welcome. The urge to look like you have it together tends to loosen before anything else does. We work through identity shifts, caretaking fatigue, and the cultural scripts that tell you to keep going no matter what, and sessions are held virtually so a long commute never has to stand between you and support.
When your inner voice has turned into your harshest critic, narrating every mistake and calling it truth, CBT for postpartum depression offers a way to interrupt that pattern. It is built for the mother who feels like she is failing quietly, no matter how much she is actually doing. Progress here often looks like catching a spiraling thought before it takes over completely, or noticing a hard day without turning it into proof that you are a hard mother. Many describe finally being able to trust their own read of a situation again. Sessions focus on the practical link between your thoughts, feelings, and actions, giving you tools you can use in real moments, not just in the therapy room.
If your shoulders live somewhere near your ears and your jaw aches by the end of most days, your body may be holding what your words have not caught up to yet. Somatic therapy works with that tension directly instead of only talking around it. Mothers often notice their breath deepening first, followed by longer stretches where their body actually feels available for rest rather than braced for the next demand. The startle response that comes with new motherhood tends to soften over time. Sessions blend grounding and body based awareness with conversation, and because everything happens virtually, you can do this work from the one room in the house that actually feels safe.
There is a difference between being tired and feeling like a fog has settled over your whole life, and postpartum depression therapy is for the second one. It is for mothers who look fine on the outside while feeling numb, flat, or far away from themselves on the inside. Many mothers first notice relief in simply saying the truth out loud without being met with alarm or advice. From there, small returns of energy and interest tend to show up before the heaviness fully lifts. This work takes the weight of postpartum depression seriously without pathologizing you, and virtual sessions mean support is available even on the days leaving the house feels like too much.
If you have spent years code switching between who you are at home and who you are everywhere else, therapy for Latinas offers a space where you do not have to choose. Sessions move freely between English and Spanish, whatever lets you say the truest version of what you mean. Mothers often describe finally exhaling in a session for the first time, because nothing about their family, faith, or culture needs a footnote here. The exhaustion of constantly translating yourself starts to ease. We talk through generational expectation, marianismo, immigration related stress, and the specific loneliness of honoring your roots while building something different, all without ever asking you to shrink.
If your mind runs through worst case scenarios before your feet even hit the floor, anxiety therapy gives that racing energy somewhere to go besides your nervous system. It is for the checking, the rechecking, and the thoughts that will not quiet down at 3am. Relief tends to arrive in layers, starting with slightly longer pauses between a worry and the spiral it used to trigger. Many mothers describe finally being able to enjoy a quiet moment with their baby instead of scanning it for danger. Sessions combine calming tools for the moment with deeper work on what your anxiety has been trying to protect, offered virtually so support is there even on your hardest days.

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 across Los Angeles navigating postpartum and new madrehood. My own upbringing as the daughter of a Mexican immigrant single mother shapes how I show up in every session, with clinical training paired with real cultural understanding. I blend mindfulness, cultural validation, and radical compassion into a virtual practice built for mothers who rarely get a moment to sit still. 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.