Therapist in San Jose CA | CBT for postpartum depression & bilingual therapy
Between a demanding job and a household that still runs mostly through her, it is easy for a mother here to disappear into everyone else's needs. My practice offers postpartum and new madrehood therapy for Latina, first generation, and BIPOC mothers who look successful on paper while feeling completely depleted underneath. I bring my own lived experience as a first gen daughter of a Mexican immigrant mother into this work, so success and struggle can finally exist in the same sentence.
San Jose sits at the center of Silicon Valley, but its East Side tells a different story, one built by generations of Mexican and immigrant families who worked in the canneries and orchards long before the tech boom arrived, with Mexican Heritage Plaza standing as a marker of that history. Families connected to San Jose State University often live between these two worlds, one foot in ambition and one foot in the neighborhoods that raised them. This contrast between old roots and new pressure shapes what mothers here actually need from support.
Being surrounded by visible wealth while quietly struggling can make asking for help feel almost shameful, as if needing support means falling behind in a city built on achievement. Postpartum anxiety often hides well behind a mother's competence, since she has spent years being the one who handles everything. What brings mothers to this practice is a space where success does not have to be the price of admission for care.

How it works

My work begins with the belief that your value has never depended on your productivity, even in a city that often measures people that way. Sessions bring together clinical training, ancestral wisdom, mindfulness, and radical compassion, so healing does not require you to perform wellness the way you perform everything else. Nothing about slowing down here counts as falling behind.
A philosophy that separates worth from output
We begin with an unhurried conversation about what has been building underneath the surface, with nothing to prepare and no outcome to optimize for. This is simply a chance to be honest without an audience. By the end, you will have a clear sense of whether this feels like the right fit.
A first conversation without an agenda
Sessions unfold at a pace that respects a demanding career and an even more demanding home life, using tools rooted in nervous system support, boundary setting, and cultural validation. Over time, many mothers describe finally allowing themselves to rest without treating it as a failure. What you build here tends to outlast any single project or promotion.
Support that does not ask you to keep performing

EXPLORE MY SERVICES

Postpartum therapy holds space for the mother who is answering emails one handed while quietly grieving the version of herself who used to have time for anything else. It welcomes exhaustion and love for her baby without asking her to choose. Many mothers first notice relief in simply being allowed to say things are hard, even when everything looks fine from the outside. The pressure to keep performing competence begins to soften. We explore identity, achievement, and the emotional cost of always being the one who handles it, with sessions held virtually so a packed calendar never has to compete with support.
CBT for postpartum depression is for the mother whose inner voice treats every imperfect day like a performance review she failed. It works directly with that harsh self talk instead of accepting it as accurate. Progress often looks like a pause before the spiral, a moment where a hard day stops meaning she is falling short everywhere. Many mothers describe slowly learning to trust their own perspective again. Sessions work through the practical connection between thought, emotion, and behavior, giving her tools that hold up in a meeting and at home alike.
Years of constant availability often settle straight into the body, showing up as a tight jaw, shallow breathing, or a nervous system that never fully powers down. Somatic therapy meets that tension directly instead of only discussing it. Over time, many mothers describe their bodies beginning to feel safe enough to actually rest, with less bracing for the next notification 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 the smallest pocket of a packed day.
Postpartum depression therapy is for the mother who keeps hitting deadlines while feeling completely disconnected from her own life underneath it all. It names the difference between being busy and being genuinely unwell. 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 the busiest quarters.
Therapy for Latinas is for the mother moving between a boardroom and a family gathering, tired of translating her culture for one room and her ambition for the other. Sessions can move naturally between English and Spanish, whatever feels most honest. Many mothers describe finally not having to shrink either part of themselves to be understood. The exhaustion of constant code switching begins to ease. We talk through generational expectation, immigration related stress, and the specific weight of being both the pride and the pressure point of the family.
Anxiety therapy is for the mother whose mind is already running through tomorrow's meetings while she is trying to rock her baby to sleep tonight. It gives that racing 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 back to back obligations.

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 the South Bay navigating postpartum and new madrehood. Growing up as the daughter of a Mexican immigrant single mother taught me that achievement and struggle can live in the same person, and I bring that understanding into every session. My work blends mindfulness, cultural validation, and radical compassion, offered virtually so a demanding schedule 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.