Janet Medrano, LCSW (she/her) is North Star’s Clinical Intake Supervisor and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over ten years of experience in school and community mental health settings. As the first point of contact for new clients, Janet offers empathy, insight, and clarity to help individuals and families organize their needs and connect with the right therapist.

Janet began her career as a school-based therapist, consultant, trainer, workshop facilitator, and clinical supervisor. These roles and experiences shaped her integrative style—combining psychoeducation with practical strategies that empower clients and strengthen their emotional wellbeing.

Grounded in a culturally sensitive and trauma-informed lens, Janet models curiosity and self-compassion to help children, adolescents, adults, and parents identify patterns, defenses, and risk factors while developing tools for growth. She draws upon her expertise in resilience-informed care to help clients increase their reflective capacity and explore the underlying stressors affecting their physical, emotional, and behavioral health.

In sessions, Janet is playful, reflective, flexible, direct, and attuned. Through a relational approach, she collaborates with clients to explore lived experiences, build on existing strengths, and foster meaningful change.

Janet earned her master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from UCLA. Her clinical work integrates Attachment Theory, Psychodynamic Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Mindfulness within a person-centered, trauma-informed framework. She holds certifications in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Reflective Parenting Program (RPP), Managing and Adapting Practice (MAP), and Seeking Safety.

Fluent in Spanish and born in Mexico, Janet is passionate about addressing intergenerational trauma and chronic cultural stress. Outside of sessions, she enjoys marathon training, discovering new restaurants, visiting loved ones, and planning her next travel adventure.