(she/her)
New to Grow
Hi, I'm Caroline Petty, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Perinatal Mental Health Certified (PMH-C) clinician, and founder of Angaza Therapy & Consulting Services. I specialize in supporting women navigating pregnancy, postpartum adjustment, motherhood, caregiving responsibilities, identity changes, and major life transitions. Many of my clients appear to be functioning well on the outside while privately struggling with anxiety, overwhelm, self-doubt, burnout, grief, or the emotional weight of caring for everyone else. I work with caregivers of children with special needs, helping professionals experiencing burnout, and I also specialize in supporting immigrants, first-generation adults, and women navigating bicultural or diaspora experiences. My approach is compassionate, practical, and collaborative. I believe healing happens when people have a safe space to explore their experiences without judgment while also learning effective tools to create meaningful change. Together, we will work to understand patterns that may be keeping you stuck, strengthen coping skills, improve emotional well-being, and reconnect you with the parts of yourself that may have been overshadowed by stress, caregiving, or life circumstances. My goal is to help clients move from surviving to living with greater confidence, clarity, self-compassion, and purpose.
Starting therapy can feel like a big step, and it's completely normal to feel a little nervous or unsure about what to expect. Our first session is an opportunity for us to get to know one another and begin building a therapeutic relationship that feels safe, supportive, and collaborative. You do not need to have everything figured out before you arrive. There is no "right" way to start therapy. During our first session, we'll discuss what brought you to therapy, the challenges you're currently facing, and what you hope to gain from our work together. We'll also explore important aspects of your personal history, relationships, support systems, and any factors that may be impacting your emotional well-being. My approach is warm, compassionate, and conversational. While I may ask questions to better understand your experiences, this is not an interrogation or a test. You are welcome to share at your own pace. Some clients arrive with a clear idea of what they want to discuss, while others simply know that something doesn't feel quite right. Both are perfectly okay. Together, we'll begin identifying your goals for therapy and discuss how we can work toward those goals in a way that feels meaningful and realistic for you. You can also ask questions about the therapy process, my approach, or anything else that would help you feel more comfortable. Many clients leave their first session feeling relieved to have a dedicated space where they can speak openly, feel heard, and begin making sense of what they've been carrying on their own. Whether you're navigating pregnancy, postpartum changes, caregiving responsibilities, cultural adjustment, anxiety, burnout, grief, or a major life transition, my goal is to create a space where you feel understood, supported, and empowered to move toward healing and growth.
Clients often describe me as warm, compassionate, thoughtful, and easy to talk to. I strive to create a space where people feel safe enough to be honest about their experiences while also feeling supported as they work toward meaningful change. What makes my approach unique is the combination of my clinical training, public health background, maternal mental health expertise, and lived understanding of navigating multiple roles and responsibilities. Before entering private practice, I spent many years working with women, children, caregivers, and families facing complex life challenges. These experiences have given me a deep appreciation for the emotional realities people carry behind the scenes while continuing to meet the demands of everyday life. I understand that many people seeking therapy are not simply struggling with symptoms. They may be carrying the weight of caregiving responsibilities, cultural expectations, relationship challenges, life transitions, professional stress, or the pressure to appear strong while feeling overwhelmed internally. My style is collaborative and supportive, but also purposeful. I will hold space for your story with compassion and without judgment. At the same time, I may gently challenge patterns, beliefs, or behaviors that are keeping you stuck. My goal is not simply to help you feel better in the moment, but to help you gain insight, build resilience, and create lasting change.
I specialize in supporting women navigating pregnancy, postpartum adjustment, motherhood, caregiving responsibilities, identity changes, and major life transitions. Many of my clients appear to be functioning well on the outside while privately struggling with anxiety, overwhelm, self-doubt, burnout, grief, or the emotional weight of caring for everyone else. I also work with caregivers of children with special needs, helping professionals experiencing burnout, and immigrants or expatriates navigating cultural adjustment, belonging, and identity concerns. I work primarily with: • Women experiencing anxiety, depression, overwhelm, stress, burnout, or major life transitions • Pregnant and postpartum women navigating maternal mental health concerns, including postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, birth trauma, adjustment to parenthood, and identity changes • Mothers struggling with the invisible mental load of caregiving and balancing personal needs with family responsibilities • Parents and caregivers of children with autism, developmental disabilities, chronic medical conditions, or special healthcare needs • Immigrants, expatriates, and individuals navigating cultural adjustment, identity concerns, family expectations, and the challenges of living between multiple cultures • Helping professionals, healthcare workers, and caregivers experiencing compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, and burnout • Adults seeking support with grief, self-esteem, relationship challenges, emotional regulation, and personal growth
Other specialties
I identify as
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use CBT to help clients identify and change thought patterns that contribute to anxiety, depression, perfectionism, intrusive thoughts, and harsh self-criticism. In practice, I help clients build coping skills, challenge unhelpful beliefs, and develop healthier responses to stress, parenting challenges, and everyday overwhelm. Together, we examine patterns of thinking that may be increasing suffering and develop healthier, more balanced ways of responding to life's challenges.
Motivational Interviewing
I use MI to support clients who feel stuck, ambivalent, or unsure about change. This approach helps clients strengthen motivation, clarify values, and take meaningful next steps at a pace that feels realistic and sustainable.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I use ACT to help clients make room for difficult emotions, reduce the struggle with anxious or self-critical thoughts, and reconnect with what matters most. In practice, ACT helps clients build psychological flexibility, self-compassion, and values-based action during stressful or uncertain seasons of life.
Grief Therapy
I use grief therapy to support clients who are coping with loss, sadness, and the emotional disruption that can follow major life changes or bereavement. In session, I help clients process grief at their own pace, make space for complex emotions, and find ways to honor their experience while moving gently toward healing. I place slight emphasis on perinatal loss and understand the unique grief that can accompany miscarriage, pregnancy loss, infertility-related loss, or changes in the postpartum journey.
Compassion Focused
Many of my clients are highly responsible individuals who extend compassion to others but struggle to offer the same kindness to themselves. Compassion-Focused Therapy helps reduce shame, self-criticism, and perfectionism while building self-acceptance and emotional resilience.