MEET KAREN
Perinatal and Postpartum Therapist in San Diego, California and Arizona
Hi, I’m Karen!
I am I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in California and Arizona, a perinatal therapist, and a mother of two. I specialize in trauma-informed therapy for postpartum depression and anxiety, birth trauma, NICU experiences, fertility challenges, and perinatal grief. I support parents and parents-to-be who are carrying experiences that did not go as planned and are still feeling the emotional impact long after the moment has passed.
My clinical foundation comes from more than a decade in high-acuity medical settings. At Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego, I worked concurrently across both the Hematology/Oncology unit and the Level IV NICU, supporting patients and families navigating life-altering diagnoses, complex treatment journeys, and profound uncertainty alongside families experiencing pregnancy complications, traumatic births, and infant loss. I also served families at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women and Newborns through emergency deliveries, postpartum mental health crises, and perinatal grief. These experiences shaped my ability to show up with steadiness, clarity, and deep compassion during some of life's most vulnerable seasons.
In addition to my clinical work, I serve as an instructor for The New Mom School, where I teach about perinatal mental health, PMADs, and coping strategies for both new and second-time parents.
My own journey into motherhood deeply informs how I sit with clients. Both of my pregnancies were marked by significant medical complications, including hyperemesis gravidarum, high blood pressure, preeclampsia, and inductions. I welcomed my first baby during the pandemic, and he spent time in the NICU. I know what it is like to feel sick and scared for months on end, to hold hope and fear at the same time, to long for things to feel simple and safe, and to navigate postpartum while still processing everything that happened. These experiences allow me to meet clients with a tenderness and presence that comes from both professional training and lived experience.
I also carry with me the experience of being first-generation, born in Mexico and raised between two worlds. I know what it feels like to move through systems, medical, institutional, cultural, and feel invisible or misunderstood, to straddle two cultures and adjust to environments that were not built with you in mind. That experience lives in my work. I offer therapy in both English and Spanish, and I am deeply committed to showing up for clients who have ever felt like they had to shrink, translate, or explain themselves just to be seen. You do not have to do that here.
My approach is evidence-based, culturally informed, and deeply validating. My goal is to help you feel understood, supported, and more like yourself again as you move through pregnancy, birth, postpartum, or parenting after trauma.
How I work
I use evidence-based, trauma-informed, heart-centered approaches that go far beyond talk therapy. Healing is not about fixing what is “wrong.” It is about helping you return to yourself with more clarity, safety, and self-compassion.
I integrate:
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Used to support healing from birth trauma, NICU trauma, medical PTSD, attachment wounds, and perinatal mood disorders.
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Helpful for shifting old relational patterns that may get activated during pregnancy, postpartum, or parenting.
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Tools that help your body feel safe again so you are not relying on your mind alone.
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An approach where you are held as a full person with a meaningful story, not a diagnosis.
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A grief-healing method that can bring relief after miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal loss, or the death of a loved one.
Who I Work Best With
I may be the right therapist for you if you see yourself in one or more of the following descriptions:
I may be the right therapist for you if you see yourself in one or more of these experiences:
You are a high functioning, driven woman who is used to holding everything together, yet lately you feel anxious, overwhelmed, or unsure of who you are becoming
You are navigating the deep identity shifts of motherhood and wondering how to feel like yourself again
You are a medical professional, therapist, or caregiver who shows up fully for others but struggles to extend that same care toward yourself
You are a NICU or medically complex parent whose nervous system still feels on high alert long after discharge
You are a first generation daughter or come from a cultural background where asking for help was discouraged or seen as a weakness
You are an empath or overgiver who is exhausted from always being the strong one and longs for space to tend to your own needs
You are a grieving parent navigating miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal loss, or a form of grief that feels invisible or misunderstood by others
If you recognize yourself in any of these, you are not alone. Therapy can be a space to slow down, make sense of what you have been carrying, and begin to move toward greater clarity, grounding, and self trust.
What I Believe
Your story deserves a place where every part of it can be held with care. Not only the joyful moments, but also the pieces that feel tender, complicated, or too heavy to put into words.
You deserve care that honors the fullness of your experience, not just the parts that look strong on the outside.
Motherhood and partnership are not about getting it right all the time. They are about navigating growth, change, and vulnerability in ways that can feel both meaningful and disorienting.
Feeling overwhelmed or uncertain does not mean you are failing. It often means you have been carrying more than anyone can see.
Your struggles and pain are valid. You do not have to hold them alone, and you do not have to minimize them to be worthy of support.
Your identity, culture, and history are not side notes in your healing. They are central to how you make meaning, feel safe, and reconnect with yourself.
Together, we can create a space where your emotions are welcomed, your resilience is strengthened, and your wellbeing is gently nurtured at a pace that feels steady and supportive.
Qualifications
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California Licensed Clinical Social Worker #89083
Arizona Licensed Clinical Social Worker #22672
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Bachelors in Psychology and Social Behavior-University of Irvine, California
Masters in Social Work-University of Southern California
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Perinatal Mental Health Certified #PSI10125
The Touchstone Institute EMDR Foundational Training
IDAC Foundational Training
Polaris Insight Center-Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Training Program
The Touchstone Institute Integrating Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy and EMDR for PMADs Training
Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy Institute Introduction to Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy: Enhancing Trauma Treatment with Low Dose Ketamine
Getting started
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I offer a 15 minute consultation session to ensure prospective clients feel our work together will be supportive, impactful, and the right fit for them.
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California Residents: we can meet virtually through my HIPPA secured platform on SimplePractice.
San Diego locals: If you prefer in person sessions we can also meet at my cozy office located next to Balboa Park.