The Wellness Pod: Recent Episodes
Dr. Shari-ann James
A journey into mindfulness, wellness, and women's health with Dr. Shari-ann James. Exploring aspects of maternal mental health such as postpartum depression, anxiety, and infertility
On this episode of the Wellness Pod, I chat with Philippa Cox, a globally experienced midwife, pregnancy coach, and advocate for empowered birthing. Drawing from her experience in midwifery, bodywork modalities, and coaching, Philippa created the Pathway to Radiant Motherhood.
For more information about Philippa and her work, visit her website https://www.philippacoxpregnancycoach.com
For perinatal resources and downloads to aid your journey, check out https://perinatalwellness.podia.com
On this episode of the Wellness Pod, I chat with Valerie Kvita and Bilge Apak Sato. We talk about their workbook "I Am Magic", empowerment, choice, and self-love during fertility challenges. You can find out more about Valerie and Bilge at https://thetinypea.com.
For perinatal resources, downloads, and products, visit https://perinatalwellness.podia.com
On this episode of the Wellness Pod, I talk with Shannon Bonardy. Shannon is a hearing loss advocate and influencer who is passionate about empowering other hard-of-hearing individuals, especially new mothers. Having navigated the challenges of motherhood with hearing loss, Shannon shares her personal journey and offers support and encouragement to others. To connect with Shannon, check out her Instagram @shanb_mamasqd.
For further perinatal resources, free downloads, worksheets, and other materials for providers, mothers, and birthing individuals, visit my store at https://perinatalwellness.podia.com
On this episode of the Wellness Pod, I have a lively conversation with Ramona Spence Riley, the CEO of Cosmic Womb-Man. Ramona is a mother of three and is a womb wellness specialist who focuses on healing the reproductive system amongst other things. For more information about Ramona, visit https://www.cosmicwombman-usa.com or reach out to her @cosmicwombman on Instagram/Facebook/TikTok.
For further perinatal resources, free downloads, worksheets, and other materials for providers, mothers, and birthing individuals, visit my store at https://perinatalwellness.podia.com
On this episode of the Wellness Pod, I chat with Dr. Jill Zechowy, a physician and perinatal psychotherapist. We talk about her practice and her dedication to the well-being of women and mothers. Dr. Jill is the author of the book "The Motherhood Survival Manual". You can learn more about Dr. Jill at https://www.motherhoodsurvivalmanual.com and follow her on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/motherhood_survival_manual
For further perinatal resources, visit https://www.perinatalwellness.net
On this episode of the Wellness Pod, I chat with Michelle Gauthier about her journey from juggling motherhood and a demanding career to finding balance and becoming a Life Coach. To learn more about Michelle, vist her website at:
https://www.michellegauthier.com
Also check out Michelle's podcast "The Overwhelmed Working Woman Postcast" on Apple or Spotify
For further perinatal resources, visit https://www.perinatalwellness.net
On this episode of the Wellness Pod, I chat with Elisabeth Schellekens, founder of Elle's Corner. Elisabeth created Elle’s Corner to provides online classes and counseling for moms, as she believes that every mom deserves to be seen and heard.
To learn more about Elle's Corner, visit https://www.elles-corner.com
For further resources, visit https://www.perinatalwellness.net
On this episode of the Wellness Pod, I chat with Aliya Allen-Valley and Khalida Saalim, co-founders of the Caribbean Coalition for Maternal and Reproductive Health (CCMRH). They created CCMRH after realizing how difficult it was to access data related to maternal and reproductive health in the Caribbean region.
You can learn more about CCMRH at https://www.ccmrh.org
For further resources about maternal mental health, visit
https://www.perinatalwellness.net
On this episode of The Wellness Pod, I talk with author Keegan Prue about his family's journey with IVF. Keegan shares his inspiration to write "The IVF Dad", and the emotional challenges faced by him and his wife.
You can learn more about "The IVF Dad" here https://www.theivfdad.com
For further maternal mental health and perinatal wellness resources, visit
https://www.perinatalwellness.net
On this episode of the Wellness Pod, I welcome back Maureen Fura to chat about Mammha - A health tech startup on a mission to provide a complete and comprehensive maternal mental health solution.
You can find out more about Mammha and the work they do here https://www.mammha.com
For further resources visit https://www.perinatalwellness.net
On this episode of the Wellness Pod, I chat with Ali Prato, creator of the podcast Infertile AF and founder of the Infertile AF Group. We talk about her journey with secondary infertility and how it led her to contribute her talents to infertility awareness.
You can listen to Ali's podcast at Infertile AF
and find more info about Ali and her work at Infertile AF Group
also, check out Ali's new book Work of ART
On this episode of the Wellness Pod, I chat with Lisa Hendrickson-Jack, creator and host of the Fertility Friday podcast and blog. We talk about her work as a Fertility Awareness Educator and a Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner.
Check out Lisa's How to Interpret Virtually Any Chart Your Client Throws at You!
and her book Real Food for Fertility
You can find out more about Lisa at https://fertilityfriday.com
For further perinatal resources, visit
https://www.perinatalwellness.net
On this episode of the Wellness Pod, I chat with Lisa Collins, the co-founder of The Hospital Doulas, an Orlando agency providing select expectant parents with premium Evidence Based Birth® childbirth education, birth doula care exclusively in the hospital setting, and in-home postpartum doula care.
For more information on The Hospital Doulas and Lisa's work, visit https://thehospitaldoulas.com
and for further perinatal resources, visit https://www.perinatalwellness.net
On this episode of the Wellness Pod, I chat with LaTasha Reece and Rachel Brown from Postpartum Peace of Mind, where they work to provide evidence-based, equitable, community-focused postpartum care, resources and education for Women of Color at no cost to them or their families.
To learn more about Postpartum Peace of Mind, visit https://www.postpartumpeace.org/home. You can also follow them on Instagram at @postpartum_peacemakers
For further perinatal resources, visit
https://www.perinatalwellness.net
On this episode of the Wellness Pod, I chat with Dr. Catherine Minto-Bain, Medical Director of the Trinidad & Tobago IVF & Fertility Centre. Dr. Catherine has been a fertility specialist for over two decades, and has experience working in both her native UK and her adopted home of Trinidad and Tobago. She has been the Medical Director at Trinidad and Tobago IVF and Fertility Centre since 2008.
To learn more about Dr. Catherine and IVF in Trinidad & Tobago, visit https://trinidadivf.com. You can follow on Intagram at @trinidadfertility.
For further perinatal resources, visit https://www.perinatalwellness.net
On this new episode of the Wellness Pod, I chat with Dr. Tania Paredes, a licensed clinical social worker in Miami, FL. Dr. Paredes is also a specialist in postpartum depression in women and men. We talk about her journey into the field of perinatal mental health.
You can find out more about Dr. Paredes at https://www.taniaparedes.com and follow her on instagram at @4th_trimester
For further resources or more info about my practice, please visit
https://perinatalwellness.net
On this episode of the Wellness Pod, I chat with Stephanie Mair, a specialist perinatal mental health midwife based in Scotland. We talk about her journey into this field and the importance of midwifery in maternal mental health. You can follow Stephanie on Twitter at @mwstephmair
For further resources, please visit https://www.perinatalwellness.net
On this episode of the Wellness Pod, I chat with Dr. Meyleen Velasquez, a licensed clinical social worker. We talk about infant attachment and infant mental health.
To learn more about Dr. Velasquez, please visit https://www.hummingbirdcounseling.com
For more info about Dr. Shari-ann James, and resources for maternal mental health, please visit https://www.perinatalwellness.net
On this episode of the Wellness Pod, I chat with Dr. Erin King-Mullins, a Colorectal surgeon in Atlanta who created the blog Corona Mamas after delivering her first child in February 2020, and experiencing the isolation of shelter-in-place due to COVID-19.
On this episode of the Wellness Pod, I chat with Regina Townsend, infertility awareness advocate and the founder of The Broken Brown Egg. Regina works tirelessly to provide women and families with the resources and tools to navigate their journeys through infertility and towards parenthood, especially in under-served and under-represented minority communities.
For more info on Regina and the Broken Brown Egg, visit https://thebrokenbrownegg.org/
Welcome back to the Wellness Pod! It's been a while since we've uploaded any interviews, but we're back with a great guest.
On this episode of the Wellness Pod, I talk to Paola Sur, and author, journalist, and blogger. We talk about her new book, "The Anxious Mom Manifesto". You can learn more about Paola and her new book at the urls:
https://www.paolasur.com
https://momxious.com
For more info about the Wellness Pod and maternal mental health, visit Perinatal Wellness and Psychological Services:
https://www.perinatalwellness.net
Hey everyone,
In this episode, I chat with actor/director/film-maker Taromi Lourdes from Trinidad & Tobago, my home country! Taromi wrote, directed and stared in the film "Hush-a-Bye", a story about postpartum depression. We talk about her motivations for making this great film and shedding light on the postpartum depression.
"Hush-a-Bye"
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8991562/?ref_=nmbio_mbio
On this episode, I speak with Jennifer Summerfeldt. Jennifer holds an MA in counselling psychology and is a Certified Canadian Counsellor with over 17 years of experience in maternal health and psychology studies. Located in Edmonton, Canada, she uses her expertise and voice to help advance the dialogue on motherhood and healing. Her deep desire is to inspire women and mothers to discover lasting peace in their hearts.
For more info on Jennifer, visit her website at
https://www.jennifersummerfeldt.com
In this episode, I talk to Dr. Kendra Flores-Carter, the CEO of Caribbean Moms Network. Dr. Flores-Carter is a Prof. of Social Work and a researcher in the social and behavioral science field. She is an expert in maternal mental health and has dedicated her career to bringing awareness to issues affecting women and children.
Caribbean Moms Network https://caribbeanmomsnetwork.com/ California Baptist University https://calbaptist.edu/faculty-directory/profileview?id=596 Postpartum Support International http://www.postpartum.net/ http://www.postpartum.net/en-espanol/ Emilia Ortega-Jara Corazon Counseling http://www.corazoncounseling.com/ Inland Empire Maternal Mental Health Collaborative http://iemmhc.org/ San Bernardino County Mental Health http://wp.sbcounty.gov/dbh/mental-health-services/
In this episode, I talk with Helen Adrienne. She is the author of On Fertile Ground: Healing Infertility. Helen is a licensed clinical social worker in general private practice since 1979, with a speciality in infertility. She uses her training in mind/body therapy and clinical hypnosis to provide powerful stress reduction strategies to individuals and couples.
You can learn more about Helen and her work at
https://helenadrienne.com
You can also pick up her book on Amazon at
https://www.amazon.com/Fertile-Ground-Healing-Infertility
Hey everyone, in this episode I had a lively chat with Dyane Harwood, the author of "Birth of a New Brain. Healing from Postpartum Bipolar Disorder".
Birth of a New Brain, is a gripping account of the awful juxtaposition of childbirth and the onset of bipolar illness. Check out her book and other resources in the links below.
Resources:
Forest Bathing Link:"Pine Soul" - a great and brief article that explains
how amazing walking in the woods is for holistic health.
http://goodtimes.sc/columns/wellness/pine-soul/
International Bipolar Foundation: "Campfire" Online Support Groups:
http://ibpf.org/resource/campfire
The Inspiration Behind Founding "Campfire " -this blog post interesting &
was written by a young man with bipolar disorder for the Intl. Bipolar
Foundation
http://ibpf.org/blog/inspiration-behind-founding-campfire
My Postpartum Bipolar/Postpartum Psychosis Webinar for the Intl. Bipolar
Foundation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9lW_F87DUI
Dr. Mohammad Alsuwaidan's "Exercise and Mood: From Science to Action"
guidelines
https://medium.com/@MoAlsuwaidan/exercise-mood-part-iii-from-science-to-action-4f668e96c83a
Dyane's Blog "Birth of a New Brain" — although I'm taking a hiatus from
blogging, it's still active and has 440 posts about a variety of topics.
https://proudlybipolar.wordpress.com
Dyane's book on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Birth-New-Brain-Postpartum-Disorder-ebook/dp/B075GXM6CV/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524006492&sr=1-1&keywords=Dyane+Harwood
Dyane's email: dyane@baymoon.com
In this episode, I chat with Lisa Tremayne. She is the founder and director for the Center for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders at Monmouth Medical Center in NJ. This Center is one of the few mother/baby programs for PMADs in the United States. Lisa also started the Bloom Foundation as a response to the extraordinary lack of maternal mental health resources, support and treatment available to pregnant and new moms. As a survivor of postpartum anxiety and OCD after the birth of her triplets and then fourth child, Lisa is dedicated to using her voice to decrease the stigma surrounding postpartum anxiety and depression.
New mom mental health checklist:
http://www.postpartumprogress.com/download/new-mom-mental-health-chec
Center for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders at Monmouth Medical Center:
https://www.rwjbh.org/monmouth-medical-center/treatment-care/womens-health/perinatal-mood-and-anxiety-disorder-center/
The Bloom Foundation:
http://www.thebloomfoundation.org
In this episode, I had a lovely chat with Anna Gannon. Anna is a mom, the Community Guide and Editorial Lead at Expectful, a Writer and a Yoga & Meditation Guide. Her work has been featured on The Huffington Post, MindBodyGreen, Yoga Today and The Expectful Blog. Anna is passionate about the importance of the mind, body, and sometimes baby connection.
You can find Anna at:
https://www.annagannon.com
https://www.expectful.com
In this episode, I chat with Lauren DePaola who is the co-founder of the Florida Maternal Mental Health Collaborative. We talk about the great work being done in the state of Florida to bring awareness to maternal mental health. Lauren is also the founder of the Alachua County Perinatal Mental Health Coalition, and the FL chapter liaison for Postpartum Support International. Lauren is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) with a private practice in Gainesville, Florida.
Lauren's private practice:
http://pwandfc.com
Florida Maternal Mental Health Collaborative:
https://www.flmomsmatter.org
Alachua County Perinatal Mental Health Coalition:
https://www.acpmhc.com
In this episode, I chat to Aurélie Athan, Ph.D. Aurélie is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and member of the faculty in the Department of Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University, my Alma Mater. Aurélie is a co-founder of the Sexuality, Women, & Gender Project with its first graduate-level training certificate in Reproductive & Maternal Well-being. Her scholarly interests center on women’s development across the lifespan, with a current emphasis on the transition to motherhood, or matrescence. She researches the psychosocial risk and resilience factors of women who become mothers and has presented her findings in numerous conferences and journals. Her hope is to contribute to the creation of an educated workforce able to address the much-needed and complex questions arising from the changing procreative lives of 21st century women and families locally and globally.
On this special episode of the Wellness Pod, I am joined by my five year old daughter Maya. Maya is an energetic and full of life kindergartener, who had much to say on her podcast debut about school and home life.
On this episode, I chat with Andrea Schneider, MSW, LCSW. Andrea is a licensed clinical social worker in private practice in San Dimas, CA.
She specializes in maternal wellness, narcissistic abuse recovery,
special needs parenting, and grief/loss. She is also a co-coordinator for Postpartum Support International in her state of CA, and provides volunteer phone support and resources for women and families
experiencing perinatal/postpartum mood challenges.
Andrea also has experience in helping children and families
deal with loss and trauma issues and she integrates art
intervention in her treatment with both children and adults. She is credentialed in Trauma-Informed Expressive Arts
therapies.
Additional Resources:
http://www.andreaschneiderlcsw.com
https://www.expressiveartworkshops.com
https://www.cathymalchiodi.com
https://www.trauma-informedpractice.com
On this episode, I talk to Maureen Fura, the writer and director of the very important film, "Dark Side of the Full Moon".
"Dark Side of the Full Moon delves into the unseen world of maternal mental health in the U.S. It will uncover the disconnect within the medical community to effectively screen, refer, and treat the 1.3 million mothers affected each year, giving a face and voice to the countless women who have suffered in silence." - http://www.darksideofthefullmoon.com
Maureen shares her experiences with perinatal mood disorder, that eventually led her to become an advocate for maternal mental health, and to make her groundbreaking documentary.
On this episode, we turn our attention to infertility and how it relates to aspects of womanhood and maternal mental health. I interview Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Amber Rukaj. Amber specializes in the treatment of perinatal mood disorders, infertility, and reproductive psychology. She was instrumental in the integration of mental health programs in OB/Gyn, Reproductive Endocrinology, and Infertility clinics at the Univ. of CA, San Diego. For more info on Amber and her practice, visit http://www.ambertrukaj.com
On this episode, I chat to Paige Bellenbaum LMSW. She is the program director of the brand new Motherhood Center of New York. They provide supportive services for new and expecting moms, including a range of treatment options for women suffering from perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs).
For more than 20 years, Paige has been committed to social work and focuses her efforts on direct service to have a micro impact, and on public policy to have a macro impact. Paige shares her personal story with me, one that many women can identify with, and how that story has led her to the important work she does today.
For more info on the Motherhood Center of New York, visit https://www.themotherhoodcenter.com
In this episode, I interview Dr. Amanda Bouque, a board certified Acupuncture Physician in the state of Florida. We talk about her journey into Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine, and her special interest in women's health including infertility, pre and postnatal care.
You can find out more about Traditional Chinese Medicine at
https://nccih.nih.gov/health/whatiscam/chinesemed.htm
Dr. Bouque also recommends the following resource for integrative medicine
https://www.drweil.com
For further resources on Perinatal Wellness and Psychological Services, visit
https://www.perinatalwellness.net
In this episode, I interview Dr. Susan Liipfert Shelton, nurse educator and researcher. She is interested in the well-being of mothers as they transition from pregnancy and birth to motherhood. She is a coordinator for the Tallahassee chapter of Postpartum Support International (PSI). She is also an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Florida State University, where her research focuses on exercise and other non-pharmacological interventions for Postpartum depression symptoms.
Postpartum Support International (PSI), http://www.postpartum.net
For further resources, visit https://www.perinatalwellness.net
In this episode, I interview Suzannah Neufeld, MFT, RYT. She is a psychotherapist and yoga therapist in Berkeley, CA. She specializes in supporting women’s mental health through evidence-based psychotherapy, mindfulness, and yoga. She is a co-founder of Rockridge Wellness Center in Oakland, where she has a private practice. She leads yoga therapy workshops for those recovering from eating disorders and body image struggles, and issues related to pregnancy/motherhood. Suzannah is currently working on a book on mindfulness in pregnancy and early motherhood for Parallax Press. Visit her website and learn more at www.suzannahneufeld.com
For further information and resources, visit
https://www.perinatalwellness.net
In this episode, I interview Dr. Wendy Davis. She is the Executive Director for Postpartum Support International (PSI) www.postpartum.net, where she coordinates PSI services, programs, and 300 U.S. and International Support Volunteers. Wendy is the Founding Director of Baby Blues Connection www.babybluesconnection.org, Oregon’s first perinatal mental health support organization, and now serves as their clinical advisor and volunteer training consultant. She chaired Oregon's Maternal Mental Health Workgroup convened by legislation in 2009, and the subsequent committee that wrote Oregon’s Maternal Mental Health Patient and Provider Education Act in 2011. She is a founding member of the National Coalition for Maternal Mental Health, and consults to community, clinical, and public health systems. She is the mother of two children and a survivor of postpartum depression and anxiety. She is dedicated to improving public awareness and provider capacity to increase resources for pregnant, post-loss, and postpartum families.
For further info on PSI, visit http://www.postpartum.net
For additional resources, visit https://www.perinatalwellness.net
On this episode, I interview Maria Fontanez, the founder of Aisha Neris Postpartum Depression Awareness foundation. Maria loss her daughter Aisha to postpartum depression, and is committed to increasing awareness of maternal mental health disorders. She shares her daughter's story, hoping it will help another family avoid this kind of loss.
You can find more information about Maria's foundation at:
https://www.facebook.com/AishaNPPDAwareness
http://aishanerisppdaware.wixsite.com/help
For further resources on Postpartum depression and other maternal mental health disorders, visit
http://www.perinatalwellness.net
On this episode, I interview Allika S. Alce, IBCLC. She's a Board Certified Lactation Consultant, practicing in Orlando, FL. Allika shared her inspiring story as a young mother breastfeeding for the first time, and how the challenges she endured and her triumphs led her to become a lactation consultant and an advocate for breastfeeding.
Apart from her lactation consulting practice, Allika also runs a free breastfeeding support group, Lika's Leaking Ladies. You can find her support group on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/156822814480602
For further resources, visit http://www.perinatalwellness.net
In this episode, I talk to Dr. Beatriz Reyes-Foster, an Anthropologist at the University of Central Florida. We talk about her journey into the field, and her work with the milk sharing initiative and breastfeeding support and awareness in the community. We talk about birth and VBAC (vaginal birth after c-section), and maternal health and wellness. It was a very enjoyable and enlightening conversation, and I hope you enjoy.
For further resources, visit http://www.perinatalwellness.net
In this episode I welcome my sister to the podcast. We take some time from our holiday vacation together, to talk about her experiences with pregnancy - the ups, downs, joys and challenges.
For more information,
visit http://www.perinatalwellness.net
In part 2 of my introduction to mindfulness, I will focus on mindfulness and motherhood. I will guide you through several exercises to de-stress and become more balanced, as well as an exercise for moms and partners to be more mindful with themselves and your baby.
For more information, visit http://www.perinatalwellness.net
In this episode, I talk briefly about what led me to the field of Psychology and maternal mental health.
We begin exploring the topic of mindfulness. What is it? How can you find it?
Look out for Part 2 of my exploration of mindfulness: Mindfulness and motherhood.
For more information, visit http://www.perinatalwellness.net
I am Dr. Shari-ann James, licensed psychologist. I specialize in maternal mental health, wellness, and women's mental health in general. Please subscribe to my podcast and look out for future episodes. For more information on maternal mental health and helpful resources, visit http://www.perinatalwellness.net