Vanessa
therapist + coach for moms of color
I don’t help moms survive motherhood. I help them redefine it on their terms, so they can actually enjoy it.
You’ve read the books. Downloaded the checklists. Journaled, meditated, therapized yourself into a corner.
And still... a voice inside whispers: Why am I not okay? You’re not ungrateful. You’re not broken.
You’re just in the thick of early Matrescence—those first few years where everything shifts and no one hands you a map.
Your identity’s in flux. Your nervous system’s fried. And most days feel like pouring from a cup that’s somehow still in the dishwasher.
Motherhood doesn’t come with a parade. It comes with a diaper bag and a thousand invisible expectations. So if you’ve ever looked at your full, beautiful life and thought, “Why do I still feel so lost inside it?”—I made this space for you. To be seen. Held. Remembered. Because I believe motherhood isn’t something to “fix”, it’s something to honor.
And you don’t need more coping skills. You need someone who gets the nervous system and the cultural pressure. Who knows this isn’t just about healing—it’s about liberation.
You deserve to enjoy your motherhood and the life you worked so damn hard to build.
FINDING joy FROM
Slow mornings, time in nature, good lo-fi playlist, reading, working with my hands, and really great food.
helping you be more of you
I help ambitious, overwhelmed moms of color feel grounded, present, and whole—without disappearing into the pressure cooker burnout of modern motherhood.
For nearly 15 years, I’ve worked at the intersection of mental health and motherhood. I’m an holistic therapist (licensed in both MA and TX), trained in somatic therapy, nutrition for mental health, motherhood studies, and Matrescence-informed care. I’ve supported clients in clinical settings, private practice, and now—this corner of the internet that I built for the women no one warned.
Because when I became a mom, I realized what so many moms of color find out the hard way: the world doesn’t make space for our softness. It hands us coping skills and tells us to keep pushing. But I believe you deserve more than survival. You deserve a motherhood that feels like yours.
That’s why I created Matrescence in Color—the only mother-care brand that blends trauma-informed therapy, body-based healing, and culturally-rooted coaching for moms of color navigating the first five years of motherhood. I don't just hand you affirmations and hope for the best. I help you reclaim your body, your voice, your joy—on your terms.
Because the truth is, you can’t truly enjoy the life you’ve worked so hard to build if you’re burned out, overwhelmed, and disconnected from yourself.
I’m Vanessa—a mom, licensed therapist, Matrescence coach, and founder of Matrescence in Color.
Reclaiming Your Brain
That voice in your head telling you you’re not enough? It’s not yours. It’s programming.
In this work, we name the systems that shaped you—patriarchy, capitalism, all of it—and start untangling their grip.
You’ll learn to spot the invisible rules, rewrite the stories, and make space for thoughts that actually belong to you.
No more coping with what’s crushing you. This is liberation work.
Reclaiming Your Body
Burnout isn’t a mindset issue. It’s a body one.
We start with nervous system safety—but we don’t stop there. This work is about deep nourishment: rest, movement, food, sleep, and care that doesn’t feel like another to-do.
When your body feels safe, everything shifts. You mother differently. Move differently. Breathe like you finally have room.
You’re not just surviving. You’re inhabiting your life.
Reclaiming Your Joy
Joy doesn’t need a permission slip—or a performance. It’s not a reward for productivity or “good” motherhood. It’s yours. Period.
In this work, we stop waiting for someday and start choosing what lights you up—beyond your kids, beyond the roles, beyond what anyone else expects.
Because joy that belongs only to your motherhood… isn’t really yours.
This is about integrating your healing and expanding into the full, vibrant version of you. Not for the applause. Not for the highlight reel. But because you’re allowed to feel good just because you’re here.
how we do this together
Let's reclaim your life
Under the pressure. Under the performance. Under the perfect-mom mask. Here’s how we reconnect to what’s always been yours: your mind, your body, and your joy.
This isn’t healing as usual. This is reclamation—in 3 parts.
She helped me find myself beneath the chaos. Vanessa’s support was
the exhale I didn’t know I needed.
- Therapy client
getting personal
behind the therapist for moms
tea > coffee,
every time. just me?
I've ran 2 half marathons. and several short races + a Spartan race
happiest outdoors, and with nature
I LOVE A GOOD CAPSULE WARDROBE, ESPECIALLY IN MY MOM ERA
All about
lemon water, daily walks, pinterest + LTK, digital planners, traveling, psych thriller movies
NOT ABOUT
hustle culture, gossiping, small talk, long winters, mom-shaming, disorganization, small rodents + lizards
black
Favorite Color
football
Favorite Sport
taboo
Favorite Game
nessie
Favorite Nickname
fall
Favorite Season
butterfinger
Favorite Candy Bar
Favorites
So, now What?
You’ve seen behind the curtain. You know I’m not here to slap on coping skills and call it a day. If something stirred in you while reading this—if you felt even a flicker of “I want that too”—don’t ignore it. That’s not fluff. That’s your intuition.
→ Come see what working together looks like.
Whether it’s through deep 1:1 work or a guided group journey, your reclamation starts with a single (no-pressure) step. Click below to explore your options.
work with me