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Therapy for Pregnancy, Postpartum, Infertility, and Loss | Reproductive and Perinatal Mental Health Specialist | Jess Coleman, PhD

Licensed psychologist based in Durham, NC, providing telehealth therapy to adults in 40+ states nationwide. I specialize in evidence-based therapy for adults navigating fertility concerns, pregnancy and postpartum anxiety and OCD, postpartum depression, birth trauma, grief after pregnancy and neonatal loss, breast and gynecologic cancer, hormonal changes, menstrual concerns, medical anxiety and trauma, and parenting stress.

Welcome, and thank you for visiting.

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Holding space for you during sensitive and transformative chapters of your life

Historically, our culture has taught people to quietly endure reproductive experiences that are emotionally and physically stressful.

Challenges with fertility, loss, pregnancy, birth, medical procedures, menstruation, infant feeding, identity changes, and parenting are often treated as common or expected.

Something being common does not make it healthy, normal, or something that should be endured without support. Conditions like PTSD after birth, postpartum anxiety or OCD, or depression activated by hormonal changes are common challenges and still deserve support and care.

Reproductive experiences can increase the risk of new or worsened grief, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, low mood, traumatic stress, anger, and questions about identity. These are understandable human responses that deserve care, not dismissal in our society. There are effective therapies that can support people’s mental health during these experiences.

I strive to create an open-hearted and collaborative therapeutic space where my clients feel seen, heard, and cared for. My approach is emotionally attuned, culturally conscious, and grounded in evidence-based care. I work with each client to explore what they are struggling with, map out what may keep them stuck, and plan to make changes that align with their values. Together, we leverage their strengths while building new skills that can be sustained in daily life. We work toward clients feeling connected to who they are, living out their values, and experiencing greater personal agency and more ease.

A note on inclusivity and belonging:

My work is grounded in my belief in reproductive justice. I believe that all people should have bodily autonomy, safety, and choices about having or not having children, and in how they parent.

Everyone is welcome in my practice, including people and communities who have experienced violations of bodily autonomy (e.g., people of color, LGBTQ+ communities, people with disabilities). I recognize that many people, across gender identities and expressions, experience reproductive health related stressors, pregnancy, loss, and parenthood.

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Areas of Specialization

I specialize in:

  • Mood and anxiety concerns during pregnancy and postpartum, which include: depression, anxiety, and OCD (intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors)

  • Birth trauma and traumatic medical experiences in prenatal, delivery, NICU, oncology, and gynecologic care settings

  • Grief after pregnancy loss, stillbirth, neonatal loss, and terminating a pregnancy for medical reasons

  • Pregnancy after loss

  • Stress related to fertility concerns and family building decision-making

  • Adjustment to parenthood and navigating identity shifts

  • Chronic overwhelm, self-criticism, guilt and perfectionism in parenthood

  • Stress related to navigating medical systems and coping with stressful procedures

  • Hormonal and menstrual concerns, including premenstrual symptoms (PMS), perimenopausal symptoms, and medical conditions that can affect reproductive health such as breast and gynecologic cancer, PCOS, endometriosis, and Hashimoto’s

I am an out-of-network practice; 50-minute sessions are $220 for clients in PSYPACT states and $250 for clients in California, with higher rates for extended intake, PTSD, or OCD sessions. I accept credit cards, HSA, and FSA cards and provide superbills for out-of-network insurance reimbursement.

If you are seeking therapy for fertility concerns, pregnancy and postpartum mood and anxiety concerns, birth trauma, parenting stress, grief after pregnancy and neonatal loss, breast and gynecologic cancer, hormonal concerns, medical anxiety, PTSD, and OCD, I invite you to reach out. I meet with clients Tuesday through Thursday.

Practice Offerings

  • Close-up of an orange and yellow flower with water droplets on its petals, surrounded by green foliage.

    Personalized individual therapy for adults looking for a therapist specializing in: 1) Reproductive and perinatal mental health, 2) Sexual violence and medical trauma, providing evidence-based PTSD treatment, 3) OCD and ERP, and 4) LGBTQIA+ affirming care.

  • Tall redwood trees in a lush forest with green undergrowth and sunlight filtering through the canopy.

    Therapy groups with a focus on 1) specific perinatal stressors impacting mental health (e.g., pregnancy after infertility or loss, pregnancy loss, postpartum anxiety and intrusive thoughts, birth trauma), and 2) secondary trauma and burnout among medical providers

  • A dirt trail running through a forest with tall trees and green foliage, under a clear blue sky.

    Circle of Security courses: teaching parents about fostering secure attachment with their children in a non-judgmental, community-oriented space

  • A lush green forest with tall trees, ferns, and fallen logs, illuminated by natural sunlight filtering through the canopy.

    Quality and process improvement consulting for medical clinics and health systems

  • Scenic view of green hillside with trees, a blue sky, and a body of water in the distance.

    Workshops and trainings in trauma-informed care and reproductive mental health for medical providers

  • Clear shallow ocean water over sandy beach with small gentle waves.

    Program development consultation in my areas of expertise for funded research grants

Personalized therapy for adults located in North Carolina, California, and the following PSYPACT states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, DC, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Northern Marianas, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

I’d love to connect with you.