Founder and Psychotherapist, Whole Heart Maternal Mental Health
The reproductive journey can be challenging and emotionally exhausting. Asking for help takes great courage but can lead to powerful results.
As a Board Certified, Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 20 years of experience in Maternal Mental Health, I will work with you to explore your feelings, thoughts, and behaviors around reproductive health and beyond, in an effort to foster growth and positive change.
I use a psychodynamic approach to create a warm, nurturing and secure environment for my patients. Your confidentiality and comfort are of utmost importance to me. I treat a range of issues across the reproductive journey including general anxiety and depression, postpartum anxiety and depression, birth trauma, pregnancy loss and grief, fertility challenges, abortion & adoption support, life changing events such as divorce, loss, grief and intimacy issues. I also have a subspecialty of working with people who have left a cult or the Evangelical church.
Together we will work to help you free yourself from the familial, social and cultural expectations which often constrain us and become internalized truths.
Credentials:
B.A., Boston University
M.S.S., Bryn Mawr Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research
License No. and State: CW016052 Pennsylvania
Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work, BCD# 57887
Expert for the Expert Chat for Postpartum Support International
Treasurer, PSI-PA.
Certified in Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders & Pregnancy Loss & Grief
Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator
Member ASRM, CSWA, PSCSW, NAMS
Philadelphia Family 2024 Woman of Influence Award Winner
Therapy is an investment into your own well-being. It’s not selfish or self-indulgent to take care of yourself. Good therapy is about helping you access your own strength, insight, and wisdom. By creating a warm, safe, and non-judgmental environment we can tackle these challenges and help alleviate your emotional pain.
I specialize in maternal mental health, including Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders, pregnancy grief, loss, and fertility challenges. I also provide Egg and Sperm Donor Psychological Evaluations (in English and/or Spanish).
I offer Psychodynamic Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, and Emotionally-Focused Therapy.
Together we can decrease stress, find ways to heal pain, and make the changes you want for yourself, your family, and your life.
Credentials:
B.S., Emerson College
Masters of Social Work Hunter College School of Social Work- 2008
License No. and State: CW021843 Pennsylvania
Telehealth Provider in Florida https//flhealthsource.gov/telehealth/
Fluent in Spanish, Native Speaker
Certified in Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders & Pregnancy Loss & Grief
"When we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak." - Audre Lorde
I provide a space dedicated to encouraging the wellness of individuals. Specifically specializing in marginalized groups. I place a strong emphasis on co-creating an environment where clients feel safe, supported and challenged to become the best versions of themselves in a world that may feel isolating.
My primary areas of experience focuses on depression and anxiety disorders, life transitions, identity development, trauma, LGBTQ+ issues, and womxn's issues including maternal mental health issues.
Credentials:
B.S., West Chester University
M.S.Ed., University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education
License No. and State: PC014687 Pennsylvania
PSI Perinatal Mental Health 2-Day Certificate Course July 2020
Nationally Certified Counselor, NBCC
Pennsylvania Certified School Counselor PreK-12
Struggling with mental health issues and life transitions can feel isolating and overwhelming. My goal as a psychotherapist is to help you feel less alone and empowered to make meaningful changes in your life. I emphasize the therapeutic relationship and work from a place of empathy, authenticity and compassion for the self.
My areas of experience include anxiety, depression, grief and loss, relationship issues, life transitions, addiction, and PTSD. Additionally, I am experienced in postpartum and perinatal anxiety and depression. I work with individuals, couples and families.
I am a Certified Gestalt Therapist and have extensive training in Mindfulness-based techniques, EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders.
When you are looking for a therapist, finding the right fit is essential. I invite you to reach out to ask questions, discuss your concerns, and get a sense of whether I may be the right fit for you. I look forward to hearing from you.
Credentials:
B.S., Skidmore College
M.S.S., Bryn Mawr Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research
License No. and state: CW018858 Pennsylvania
Certified Gestalt Therapist, The Gestalt Therapy Training Institute of Philadelphia
Certified in Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders & Pregnancy Loss and Grief
My hope as a therapist is to create a warm and safe therapeutic space where you will feel supported in processing your difficulties and empowered in working towards resolutions. I am passionate about working with individuals, couples, and families to overcome the challenges that lead them to seek therapy. I am also passionate about working with parents that might need some extra support in navigating the good and the challenging that comes with parenthood.
My work with clients has focused on addressing issues such as anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, adjustment to life transitions, and identity issues. I work from a systemic perspective and recognize that many of these challenges occur within the context of relationships and I work with my clients to identify both individual and relational solutions. In my therapeutic work, I strive to highlight my client’s strengths and utilize them to facilitate change.
As a certified RETAIN parental leave coach, I use evidenced based methodologies and practical tools to support working parents and managers to navigate their parental leave transition. The goal of parental leave coaching is to help the working parent and manager approach this transition with thoughtfulness and intentionality, with the hope of ensuring a smooth transition away from work and a smooth return to work after leave. This support is customized to meet the specific needs of the working parent, manager, or organization. Please inquire for more information.
Credentials:
B.A., The Catholic University of America
M.S., University of Delaware
MAMFT, La Salle University
License No. and State: MF001126 Pennsylvania
FT-0010065 Delaware
Fluent in Spanish, Native Speaker
Certified in Mindfulness Based Play Family Therapy, Family & Play Therapy Center
Certified in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, DBHIDS
PSI Perinatal Mental Health 2-Day Certificate Course July 2020
Certified RETAIN Parental Leave Coach, 2024
As a licensed clinical psychologist, I work with adults, couples, and groups facing a range of concerns including anxiety, depression, relationship issues, and life transitions. My primary specialty is reproductive mental health including infertility, pregnancy loss, postpartum and perinatal depression, and anxiety. I seek to create a compassionate and accepting space in which clients feel safe to process their emotional challenges and make meaning from their reproductive experiences.
My approach is rooted in psychodynamic and psychoanalytic psychotherapies including attachment, self-psychology, and object relations theories. Additionally, I incorporate techniques from other schools of thought, such as mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy when appropriate. Above all, I am invested in tailoring treatment to meet each client’s individual needs. I believe that building a strong and collaborative therapeutic relationship is essential to the healing process. Working together, I aim to enable personal growth, acceptance, greater joy, and fulfillment in life.
Credentials:
Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles, CA
M.A., Clinical Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles, CA
B.A., Political Science with a minor in Psychology, Union College, NY
License: PS019328
Fluent in Hebrew, Native Speaker
I believe all individuals have inherent skills and wisdom to heal. As a Psychotherapist, I hope to create a compassionate, collaborative, and trusting relationship where you feel seen, heard, and valued. Our work will be a balance of exploring past experiences and relationships, building new skills to reduce distress, highlighting the strengths you already possess and building confidence, increasing awareness and choice, as well as addressing and normalizing fears.
I am Perinatal Mental Health Certified (PMH-C), specializing in Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) and working with individuals and couples all along (and outside) the reproductive life cycle who are navigating the very difficult transition into parenthood. That can include, but not limited to, individuals who are thinking about or trying to become pregnant, going through fertility treatments, postpartum, experiencing anxiety, depression, and relationship issues, grieving, who have been through traumatic experiences, struggling with a loss of identity, and feeling alone.
My approach to therapy utilizes evidence-based practices, including Psychodynamic Theory, CBT, Interpersonal Psychotherapy, and Person-Centered Theory.
I will be an active member in the therapy process, making sure you never feel alone and sitting in each moment with you. It is my hope that we can work together to heal your pain and help create the change you desire.
Credentials:
B.S.Ed., West Chester University
M.S.Ed., University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education
Seleni Institute Perinatal Mental Health 16hr Certificate Course April 2022
Certified in Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders & Pregnancy Loss & Grief
License No. and State: PC016051 Pennsylvania
License No. and State: 37PC01059900 New Jersey
Pennsylvania Certified School Counselor PreK-12
Nationally Certified Counselor, NBCC
Going through challenges in reproductive health is so common and yet so many people do not discuss it. We compare ourselves to what we see on social media and we feel we must be "doing it wrong."
I can assure you: You are not doing it wrong.
It really is just that hard.
It is my life’s passion to normalize and validate the challenges and hardships of the reproductive journey.
Together, we will build a safe, supportive relationship and create an environment where you feel comfortable enough to be your authentic self - without judgment. I personalize therapy to you and your unique strengths and needs. I use a humanistic, relational and client-centered approach to bring compassion and warmth to our time together.
I am honored to sit beside you and help you navigate your reproductive journey.
Credentials:
B.S. Early Childhood Education, The College of NJ, 2010
M.A. Special Education, Arcadia University, 2012
M.A. Mental Health Counseling, Trauma Concentration, Arcadia University
Perinatal Mental Health Specialist, PMH-C, PSI Perinatal Mental Health Certificate
12 Hour Advanced Training: the Art of Holding Perinatal Women in Distress, Trained by Karen Klienman
Postpartum Support International, Peer Mentor
Co-Founder Choosing Kind, Maternal Mental Health Nonprofit and 2022 AMCHP Replication Project Grant Recipient
ASRM Mental Health Professional Certificate (expected 2023)
MotherWoman Peer Facilitator (now WOCHEC)
MotherWoman Peer Facilitator Trainer (now WOCHEC)
Russian Language Proficient
Supervisor: Ana Gelman, LCSW, PMH-C
Life transitions can be unsettling and isolating. My hope as a therapist is to support and empower my clients on their path towards healing.
Utilizing a trauma-informed, non-judgmental space, I specialize in helping individuals, couples and families build a strong connection during their reproductive and parental journey, rooted in trust and acceptance. We will work together to build the knowledge and skills necessary to support what wellness looks like for you and your relationships during these major life transitions.
I am passionate about reproductive mental health and cherish my work in supporting people and couples through the challenges that may arise in their own reproductive journey. Using strategies garnered from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Emotionally-Focused Therapy and Attachment theory, I work collaboratively with my clients to develop the insight, awareness, and tools that will support them in achieving their goals.
I firmly believe you are not broken or damaged, you are on a complex journey, and together we can help you embrace change and spark new moments of self-discovery and joy. I look forward to joining you on your path to wellness.
Credentials:
B.A., School of Visual Arts
Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy, La Salle University
PSI Perinatal Mental Health 2-Day Certificate Course, August 2023
Certificate in Understanding Perinatal Mood Disorders: The Myth of Maternal Bliss
Supervisor: Luisa Silva-Casullo, LMFT, PMH-C
I have worked with women, partners, and families for over 30 years.
I am a compassionate and empathetic Psychologist with a defined clinical style which involves simultaneously aligning with and challenging patients and their families. I meet the patient where they are in their journey.
I specialize in treating women across the reproductive lifespan and specifically work with body image distortion during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. I studied Strategic Family Therapy at the Washington Family Therapy Institute where I learned to teach couples how to create new and pleasurable interactions while they go through the journey of pregnancy and new parenthood. I help patients understand that their needs can be different at different times in their lives and work with them to learn the right tools to utilize appropriately when needed.
In addition to my training and experience working with couples and reproductive mental health issues, I am an eating disorder specialist. I have extensive experience working with individuals of all ages and their families both in the in-patient and outpatient settings. I am available to present on topics such as; how to speak the language of your child, understanding irrational rules related to body image, healthy communication leads to better prognosis, and teaching parents to be a corrective mirror for anorexics. I educate teachers, nurses, guidance counselors, parents and children in public and private schools about recognition and treatment of eating disorders.
Credentials:
Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
M.A., Counseling Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
B.A., Psychology, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
License: PS006858L Pennsylvania License
Bachelor of Hebrew Literature Degree/ Hebrew Teacher’s Diploma, Gratz College, Philadelphia, PA
Certification in Sexual Function and Dysfunction, Marriage Council of Philadelphia
Certification in Strategic Family Therapy, Washington Family Therapy Institute
Certification in Maternal Mental Health Intensive: Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders, Seleni Psychology Counseling and Support
Fluent in Hebrew, Native Speaker
I strive to empower individuals to cultivate self-compassion and resilience as they navigate their therapeutic path. My goal is to equip clients with adaptive coping strategies to effectively manage life's challenges and transitions. The fact that you are even considering getting support is already a brave and powerful step in the right direction.
Recognizing the unique needs of everyone, I tailor my approach accordingly. I draw from modalities such as Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Compassion Focused Therapy to create a personalized and holistic treatment plan for you, based on what you want to get out of therapy.
My clinical expertise spans various areas across the Reproductive Life Span including Depression, Anxiety Disorders, Trauma, and Grief & Loss. In addition, I specialize in helping individuals navigate body image concerns and self-esteem issues.
Credentials:
B.S. Psychology, St Joseph's University
M.S.Ed., University of Pennsylvania
Certified in Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders and Perinatal Loss & Grief, Seleni Institute
Supervisor: Ana Gelman, LCSW, PMH-C
Lottie Hanson is WholeHeart’s Practice Manager. Originally from the UK, Lottie has a background in academia and a PhD in Philosophy. She is passionate about supporting women and families and has worked as a Volunteer Babywearing Educator for several years. She is a problem solver who likes to make the workplace run as efficiently as possible and loves facilitating the work of the therapists by providing administrative support. When not working for WholeHeart, Lottie can be found tending to her garden, hiking, and creating things with knitting and crochet.
Inbar Polak is WholeHeart's administrative assistant with a bachelor’s in Psychology. Inbar comes to us from Israel, and she strongly believes in organization, collaboration between co-workers, and hard work. When she is not working for WholeHeart, she is working towards becoming a therapist herself. In her free time, she likes to surround herself in nature and dabble in art, and Yoga.
ענבר פולק היא המנהלת האדמיניסטרטיבית של Wholeheart. ענבר מגיעה אלינו מישראל. היא בעלת תואר ראשון בפסיכולוגיה ועם תודעת שירות גבוהה. ענבר מאמינה בארגון, ועבודת צוות ועובדת על מנת להטמיע ערכים אלו בחברה. בנוסף לעבודתה ב- Wholeheart ענבר עובדת על פיתוח השכלתה לקראת קריירה של מטפלת בעתיד. בזמנה החופשי, ענבר אוהבת לבלות זמן בטבע, לעשות עבודות יד שונות, ויוגה.