Top Perinatal Therapists in California

A few of my favorite California perinatal therapist and mental health referrals

I regularly get asked if I know other therapists who specialize in perinatal mental health, relationships, reproductive mental health, or the transition into parenthood.

So I've put together some of my favorite people and practices to refer to.

These are clinicians and colleagues I trust for different reasons and different types of support. Finding the right therapist isn't about finding one "best" therapist. It's about finding the person who is the right fit for you.

Christina Klein, LMFT, PMH-C

Christina is a mom of two, an LMFT, and PMH-C. She is trained in CBT and EMDR and works with new moms who feel like they are drowning in postpartum life and need support and space to figure out who they are in this enormous transition.

Because of her EMDR training, she's an excellent referral for women working through birth trauma. She's also wonderful with postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, and the emotional challenges that come with becoming a mother.

Christina has a warm, grounded approach and understands that sometimes you need both a place to process what you're experiencing and practical support for figuring out what comes next.

Kylie Hempy, LMFT, PMH-C

I'm a mom of four, and I transitioned from the corporate world into therapy after walking through pregnancy loss about 10 years ago.

I love working with women who are used to being "good" at things and suddenly find themselves struggling to balance the desire to perform in multiple areas of their lives.

Motherhood can be particularly disorienting for women who have spent years building successful careers, managing demanding jobs, and feeling competent in most areas of their lives.

My approach incorporates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which means we spend a lot of time looking at the patterns, habits, expectations, and routines that may no longer be working—and figuring out what meaningful change could actually look like.

I work with women throughout California via telehealth and offer in-person therapy in Petaluma for clients in Sonoma and Marin counties.

Angela Sitka

Angela is one of my go-to referrals for men.

Often, a postpartum woman will begin therapy for herself and eventually realize that her partner could use some support, too. The transition into parenthood can be complicated for dads as well, even when their experience looks very different from their partner's.

Angela specializes in men's mental health and works with partners and new parents as they navigate the challenges of fatherhood, relationships, and life in 2026.

Kodos Couples Counseling

If you're looking for couples counseling in Marin or Sonoma County, Kodos Couples Counseling is one of the practices I regularly recommend.

Their therapists are trained in Relational Life Therapy (RLT) and Gottman methods, and they specialize in helping couples understand the patterns that have developed between them and create healthier ways of relating.

One of the things that comes up frequently in postpartum couples therapy is the question: "How did we go from being best friends to constantly fighting about dishes, sleep, and who is doing more?"

Having a baby changes the structure of a relationship in profound ways. Sometimes couples need help finding their way back to one another.

Kodos is a resource I trust when couples are looking for that kind of support.

Libby Orrick, LMFT, PMH-C

Libby is a graduate school colleague of mine and a LMFT and PMH-C. She's based in San Francisco and sees clients throughout California via telehealth.

She's someone I have absolute trust in when I'm looking for a therapist for friends, family members, or professional referrals. She has specialized knowledge of perinatal mental health and is someone I feel confident sending clients to when I know they need a different type of support than I provide.

Dr. Catherine Schmidt, PsyD

Dr. Schmidt is a PsyD specializing in reproductive mental health.

She's particularly experienced in supporting women through the complicated emotional experience of infertility and reproductive challenges, and she's also someone I trust as a resource for professional consultation around complex cases.

If you're navigating infertility or the emotional complexity of reproductive treatment, finding someone who understands that experience specifically can make a meaningful difference.

Kaitlin Soule, LMFT

Kaitlin is an LMFT who specializes in supporting moms and women navigating ADHD.

She's particularly interested in late-diagnosed adults and helping women understand the masking patterns they may have developed throughout their lives, as well as processing the experience of finally receiving an ADHD diagnosis.

For women who have spent years wondering why things that seem easy for everyone else feel so difficult, working with someone who understands both ADHD and motherhood can be incredibly helpful.

Finding the right therapist doesn't have to be overwhelming

When you're postpartum and already stretched thin, you don't need another research project.

Start with the basics:

Look for someone who is licensed.

Look for specialized experience with perinatal mental health and the specific issue you're experiencing.

Consider additional training or credentials, such as a PMH-C.

Look at their therapeutic approach, but don't get too hung up on the alphabet soup.

And then pay attention to how you feel when you talk to them.

You don't have to know exactly what's wrong before you make an appointment. You don't need to have a diagnosis. And you definitely don't need to figure out whether you have postpartum anxiety, postpartum depression, birth trauma, or "just" a really hard adjustment to motherhood before reaching out.

That's part of what therapy is for.

If you're looking for a perinatal therapist in California, you can learn more about California Perinatal Therapy and our team, or reach out to see whether one of us might be a good fit for what you're experiencing.