Hi & Hola! I',m Johanna, a first-gen, Latina, thera-mom and I help women of color navigating early motherhood &/or young adulthood prioritize their mental health. Because of culture, generational trauma, racism & other factors, many of us weren't taught ("allowed") to express emotional needs, ask for help & prioritize safety. I am glad you are here and want to remind you that there is strength in seeking the support you need and that you deserve wellness too!
I aim to provide a safe space where you can slow down, process your emotions, be understood, and learn new skills to cope with triggers, stressors & more. If you are looking to heal in community, I also offer a group for moms in the postpartum season (~1 year post birth) starting September (tinyurl.com/postpartumgroup1 for more information).
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
During our first intake meeting, I will be asking you questions to get to know you better. The first few meetings are focused on getting a clearer understanding of your background & experiences and creating a plan to help you meet your goals. Collaboratively, we will decide how you would like sessions to look and what skills you would like to learn. This is YOUR time and I want to make sure your preferences are included so please let me know what works and what doesn't- I won't take it personally (lol).
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
Sensitivity is my super power. I didn't always see it this way as I was always the kid who cried a little too much, but I've learned to embrace it into my adulthood. I am compassionate and love to support others on their healing journeys-especially if they are first in their families to break cycles. My identities as Latina, first generation, and new mom have given me a unique set of experiences and insights that I bring wherever I go. I can emphasize with a wide range of struggles and am dedicated to helping other women become the best version of themselves, for themselves and their loved ones.
About Johanna Lee
Appointments
Virtual
My treatment methods
Mind-body approach
Cycles of anxiety, trauma and burnout all have ways of impacting your mindset, beliefs and nervous system. The mind-body connection is essential to help heal from the impacts in long-lasting and sustainable ways. During our work, I can help you identify the physical symptoms you feel when you are experiencing different emotions and help you discover effective coping techniques to manage your stress responses when they activate. Some techniques & tools we will explore include: polyvagal therapy, deep breathing, movement, mindfulness, meditation, music, art, grounding & other nervous system regulation skills.
Attachment-based
Our early attachments to our parents have a huge impact on how we relate to others later in life, engage in relationships, parent our own children and more. In therapy, I can help you build insight onto your attachment style and how it is manifesting today. Together we can identify ways to build your secure & safe attachments, including setting healthy boundaries, expressing your emotions in healthy ways, and processing past relational trauma. Even if you weren't raised with healthy attachments, you can build secure & safe relationships now.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
As a parent and/or young adult, you probably have a million things running through your mind. What if I told you that some of those things are making you feel worse? It's true! The thoughts that run through our mind are often unconscious and when left unchecked, can cause us to feel a wide range of emotions & act in certain ways without us even knowing why. Through the use of cognitive therapy tools including trauma-focused CBT, mindfulness based cognitive therapy & self-talk exploration, I can help you identify thought patterns and beliefs that are contributing to your anxiety, burnout or other overwhelming emotions. When you become more mindful of the thoughts swirling around, then you can better identify them and stop them before they continue to spiral.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Many of us have experiences from our childhood that have left us feeling hurt and wounded. When you become a parent, those memories and experiences can resurface and leave you feeling upset, sad or resentful. IFS tools can help you identify what "parts" of us are still hurting, how it is manifesting today, and ways to heal so that you are living from your authentic "self" and not just these hurt parts. I can help you identify areas that you may need to "reparent" yourself and guide you as you heal from the past so that you can become the adult and parent you desire.
Faith based therapy
Your beliefs and faith can be sources of strength, resilience and grounded-ness. Together we can explore what your faith and spiritual practices look like and what would be helpful to incorporate in order to live rooted in your values and priorities. If you have harmful faith-based experiences from the past (e.g. church trauma), I can be a safe space to process this with you as well.
