Culturally Affirming Therapy for Latina and First-Gen Moms  in San Diego, CA & nearby areas

You’ve spent your life carrying traditions, expectations, and silence. Maybe you were taught to be grateful, to stay quiet, to put everyone else first. But now, you feel disconnected, overwhelmed, or like something’s missing. At Johanna Lee Therapy, we specialize in offering culturally affirming support for Latina moms and first-gen women who want to heal, not just for themselves, but for future generations.

What is culturally affirming therapy?

Culturally affirming therapy honors your cultura, your story, and your lived experience. It means working with someone who understands the tension between independence and family loyalty, between rest and responsibility, between survival and thriving. Our sessions blend evidence-based tools with cultural sensitivity so your full self - language, faith, and traditions - is welcome.

Most common challenges addressed in culturally affirming therapy

  • Pressure to succeed while supporting your family
  • Balancing cultural identity in daily life
  • Guilt when setting boundaries with family members
  • Anxiety or sadness you’ve been taught to push away
  • Feeling “too sensitive” or like no one gets you

How do I know if I could benefit from culturally affirming therapy?

Ask yourself:

  • Do I feel torn between two cultures or ways of being?
  • Am I exhausted from carrying everyone’s expectations?
  • Do I struggle to say no without guilt or fear?
  • If so, therapy can help you come home to yourself.

How we support Latina & First-Gen mental health across California

Our work is rooted in cultural affirmation and trauma-informed care. That means we don’t pathologize your pain we contextualize it. We talk about family roles, generational wounds, identity, and the pressure to be “the strong one.”


Our approach includes:

  • Talk therapy with cultural attunement
  • Mindfulness and somatic tools to calm the nervous system
  • Narrative therapy to rewrite internalized stories
  • Boundary-setting tools rooted in compassion
  • Space for Spanglish, silence, tears, and laughter

Common therapy topics for Latina & First-Gen moms

  • Guilt around saying no or setting boundaries
  • Identity struggles as a first-gen daughter or mom
  • Healing intergenerational trauma
  • Navigating motherhood through a cultural lens
  • Managing mental health while staying connected to cultura
  • Relearning rest, joy, and worth beyond productivity

Ready to get started

Intake Session


We start with a gentle intake session where you can share your experiences and goals. This is where we begin to understand what you’ve been holding and what you truly need,emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

Follow Up Sessions


Through ongoing therapy sessions, we’ll dig into your individual needs. I’ll offer tools rooted in mindfulness, self-compassion, and cultural validation,so healing feels like it fits your life, not someone else’s version of self-care.

Integration & Reflection Session-


We revisit how far you’ve come, name what’s changed, and create a rhythm of support for what’s next,so you leave feeling steady, not dropped.

(# of sessions will vary based on individual needs)

Culturally affirming therapy in California

Hi, I’m Johanna Lee a licensed therapist (LPCC), mental health educator, and proud first-generation Latina woman.I work with women who’ve learned to hold it all together but are now ready to heal. Here, you don’t need to explain your culture, your roots, or your pain. I see you this is your space to release, feel, and rebuild in your own way.

Tips to cope as a new mom

  • Journal about the values you want to keep and the ones you want to release
  • Create a “me space” in your day, even if it’s just 10 minutes
  • Practice saying “no” without apology (even in your head at first)
  • Follow mental health pages that speak your language and story
  • Let yourself grieve the version of you that always had to be strong

Hi, I´m Johanna Lee

A licensed therapist (LPCC), mental health educator & speaker who helps first-gen, Latina, women of color & new mamas feel seen, supported, and grounded in postpartum and beyond.

Investment: $150 per 55-minute session


Includes:


  • One 55-minute virtual therapy session
  • A copy of your individualized mental health care plan
  • Culturally grounded, trauma-informed support tailored to postpartum and madrehood

Book your first session

FAQ

Benefits of working with a Hispanic or Latina therapist

A Latina therapist understands the cultural nuances, family dynamics, and generational pressures that often come with being part of a Latino household. From navigating mamá guilt to unspoken expectations, culturally aligned therapy offers a space where you don’t have to explain your whole story it’s already understood.

Why work with a culturally aligned therapist?

Working with a culturally aligned therapist means being understood on a deeper level. It’s not just about shared language or background — it’s about feeling seen without having to overexplain. A culturally aligned therapist recognizes the unspoken layers of your story family expectations, cultural pride, faith, and resilience and helps you use them as strengths in your healing journey.

How can therapy help if I already have a strong family support system?

A therapist provides a trained, compassionate perspective that helps you process your emotions with structure, care, and reflection without pressure or judgment. It’s a space where you can be honest, curious, and supported as you make sense of what you’re going through.

Can I do therapy in Spanglish or talk about faith and traditions?

Yes. Therapy here is culturally flexible. You can bring your full self language, faith, abuelita’s wisdom, and all.

Can I do therapy in Spanglish?

Absolutely. You can bring your full self language included. Whether you express yourself best in English, Spanish, or somewhere in between, therapy here adapts to you. Spanglish, dichos, or abuelita’s wisdom everything that makes you you belongs in the room.

Good faith estimate

In accordance with the No Surprises Act and ethical standards for California-licensed therapists, I provide a Good Faith Estimate to all clients who are not using insurance for services.


This estimate outlines the expected cost of services, including session fees and potential length of treatment, so you have full clarity before starting care. While therapy is individualized and timelines may vary, this estimate helps you plan with transparency and trust.


You’ll receive your Good Faith Estimate in writing before your first session. You can always request a new one if your needs or frequency of care change.


For more information about your rights under the No Surprises Act, visit https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises


Disclaimer

This website is for informational and educational purposes only and does not provide medical or mental health advice. Therapy services are available only to individuals physically located in California and provided by Johanna Lee, LPCC (#13089). Participation in community offerings, digital resources, or workshops does not constitute a therapeutic relationship. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please call 988 or visit your nearest emergency room.


Privacy Notice: Do not submit personal health information (PHI) through this site.

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.