Jen Mendoza

Therapy for anxious, high-achieving moms navigating postpartum, trauma, and the pressure to be “perfect.”

I’m Jen Mendoza, a trauma-informed therapist and mom of three. I mothers heal from birth trauma, anxiety, and motherhood after medical or reproductive complications—so you can shift out of survival mode and into a version of motherhood that feels calm, confident, and yours.

Jen Mendoza sitting in front of a rainbow backdrop with her son

This space is for you.

You’re doing all the things—but still feel like it’s not enough.
The pressure. The guilt. The worry. It’s exhausting.

Maybe your motherhood journey has been anything but straightforward:

  • A traumatic birth or NICU stay

  • Infertility or Pregnancy Loss

  • Parenting a medically complex or disabled child

  • Spinning in postpartum anxiety or perfectionism

  • Mothering without a village

  • Grief from the version of motherhood you thought you’d have

You’ve been told how “strong” you are.
But what you really need is space to not be strong.

That’s what I’ve created with MotherThrive Therapy:
A trauma-informed, deeply human place to process the hard parts—without shame, pressure, or performance.

You’re not broken.
Your nervous system is overwhelmed, not defective.
You’re reacting to impossible pressure, a difficult motherhood journey, and unmet needs.

And you don’t have to navigate this alone anymore.

Jen Mendoza

My approach is holistic & trauma-informed. Rooted in real motherhood.

It’s about helping you reconnect with the wisdom that’s always been inside you—underneath the anxiety, the fear, and the overwhelm.

We move at your pace.
We unpack survival mode and the mental load.
We work with your body and nervous system—not just your thoughts.

My approach integrates:

  • EMDR and Parts Work to heal from difficult experiences

  • Nervous system regulation to help you feel safe, connected, and present with your partner and family

  • EFT, somatic work, mindfulness, and honest conversation

Most of all, I show up as myself: grounded, warm, and unafraid to gently challenge you when needed.

You don’t need to have it all together to start. You just need to show up as you are.

I specialize in supporting

  • Postpartum Anxiety and Emotional Overload

  • Birth Trauma, Complicated Births, and NICU Experiences

  • Infertility and Pregnancy Loss

  • Reproductive Trauma

  • Parenting a Medically-Complex or Disabled Child

  • Perfectionist, High-Functioning Moms Stuck In Survival Mode

  • Mothers Breaking Generational Cycles While Honoring Their Cultural Roots

Who I Work With

As a first-generation Latina and mother, I understand how layered motherhood can feel—especially when you're carrying cultural expectations, deep family ties, and a desire to break cycles with compassion.

I hold space for women of color, first-gen moms, and those who want therapy that honors both where they come from and who they’re becoming.

I also welcome moms from all walks of life, backgrounds, and belief systems. Whether you're spiritual or skeptical, grounded in evidence or guided by intuition—you’re safe here.

My approach blends evidence-based practice with intuition, softness, and a touch of woo. No judgment. No perfection required.

The Heart Behind MotherThrive Therapy

Jen Mendoza holding her new baby on her chest in a wrap on a walk

I’m a mom of three little ones, all under the age of five—and I know firsthand how overwhelming, disorienting, and emotionally tender those early years can be.

My own journey into motherhood wasn’t smooth. It was layered, unexpected, and at times, deeply isolating. I experienced postpartum anxiety that left me feeling ungrounded and unsure of myself—despite doing everything “right.” I have lived experience with infertility and a difficult birth experience that lingered for longer than I wanted.

But I’m not in that place anymore—and that’s part of what makes this work so meaningful for me.

Through therapy, support, and a lot of internal work, I found my way back to myself. I learned how to trust my intuition. How to quiet the inner critic. How to parent from a place that felt grounded, not guilt-ridden.

That’s what I want for you, too.

I became a therapist for moms because I believe motherhood is both a profound transformation and a tender reckoning.

MotherThrive Therapy was born out of this lived experience—my deep desire to help other moms stop white-knuckling their way through motherhood and start healing.

This is a healing space where you don’t have to prove anything, perform for anyone, or pretend to be fine.

A space where you can breathe, feel supported, and remember the mother—and the woman—you’re becoming.

If you’ve been holding it all together for too long, I want you to know that you don’t have to do this alone anymore

Collaboration

Empowerment

Authenticity

Collaboration ✿ Empowerment ✿ Authenticity ✿

My values

The credentials you want to know

  • I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and therapist in California and Oregon. I have advanced training in pregnancy and postpartum mental health and am a Perinatal Mental Health Certified (PMH-C) therapist through Postpartum Support International. I specialize in perinatal and reproductive mental health, and support clients struggling with infertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and early motherhood.

    I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Mindfulness. I have training and experience in supporting clients struggling with birth trauma, NICU parents, perinatal grief and loss, postpartum anxiety, and parenting a child with complex medical needs/disability. ​Because I feel strongly that women and families deserve specialized support, I prioritize continued growth as a therapist, and pursue advanced trainings and professional consultation to support the work I love to do.

  • Bachelor of Arts, Sociology, California State University Northridge, 2009

    Master of Social Work Degree, University of Southern California, 2013

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker #99808, California

    Licensed Clinical Social Worker #L6727, Oregon

    Certified in Perinatal Mental Health by Postpartum Support International

  • *EMDR for Grief and Loss, Kase and Co

    *EMDR for Recent Events & Early Interventions, Kase and Co

    *The Advanced Practice of EMDR for Perinatal and Infant Mental Health, Touchstone Institute

    *Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Basic Training, EMDR Institute, Inc

    *Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Core Skills Stage 1 & Stage 2

    *Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) 4 Day Externship

    *EMDR and Ego States, Kase and Co

    *Pregnancy and Infant Loss, Bindeman

  • Postpartum Support International (PSI)

    Postpartum Health Alliance (PHA)

    Perinatal Mental Health Alliance for People of Color

Guide for Anxious Moms

Guide for Anxious Moms

Download My Free Guide:
The Good Enough Mother Workbook

If you're a high-achieving, emotionally exhausted mom who feels like you're constantly falling short, this free workbook is for you.

Inside, you’ll find:

  • A nervous system-based breathing exercise

  • Gentle journal prompts to quiet your inner critic

  • A reset to help you reconnect with the mom you want to be

Feeling like you're ready to move forward?