About Me

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Welcome, I am Dr. Jess Coleman (she/her), a licensed psychologist based in Durham, North Carolina. I provide evidence-based, trauma-informed, affirming therapy for adults navigating reproductive and perinatal mental health concerns. These concerns include: anxiety, OCD, PTSD, grief, depression, and identity changes during pregnancy, postpartum, parenthood, family building decision-making, fertility treatment, grief and loss, and medical treatment for reproductive health-related medical conditions. My practice is affirming and inclusive of LGBTQ+ individuals and communities, including those navigating trauma, OCD, mood concerns, medical care, and identity.

I also work with people who are preparing for, recovering from, or living with the impact of stressful or traumatic medically complex care. This includes obstetric and gynecology care, oncology care, NICU or PICU care, and additional medical experiences that can feel frightening or dehumanizing, such as invasive medical procedures.

My training includes a specialized Residency in Reproductive Psychology at the UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine — one of very few programs in the country with this dedicated clinical focus — and I hold the Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C) through Postpartum Support International.

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Why I Do This Work

I joined the field of psychology to support people whose experiences have historically been misunderstood, minimized, pathologized, or met with silence. This includes: reproductive mental health concerns, reproductive decision-making, LGBTQ+ family building, pregnancy loss, traumatic childbirth, sexual violence, and medical trauma.

My work is grounded in reproductive justice and patient-centered care. I aim to be part of a culture shift in which reproductive experiences and trauma are unburdened from shame, stigma, and rigid expectations about how to feel and behave.

It is fulfilling for me to serve as a trusted therapist and to bear witness to my clients’ dreams, hardships, and growth. I strive to be experienced as warm, open-minded, and validating. My hope is that my clients feel seen for who they are and supported in what they are moving through.

Walking alongside my clients as they develop a deeper connection with themselves, more self-acceptance, and greater meaning in their lives are some of the most meaningful parts of this work for me.

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Tending and being tender are some of my strengths and central parts of how I define myself as a human. Definitions of tending are “to pay attention; to care for; to cultivate; to foster”. Being tender can be defined as “kind; loving; gentle; sensitive; showing care; expressing softer emotions”. These qualities shape how I innately and intentionally show up in my life and work.

When not working, I enjoy building community, dancing, walking outside, reading, and appreciating music and art. I grew up in northern California and have been living in North Carolina for the last 8 years. I recharge at the ocean and in the redwoods, and with my partner, friends, and two cats.

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Brief Biography

  • I completed postdoctoral training within the Veterans Affairs healthcare system, with a focus on 1) process improvements in an integrated health system, and 2) specialized reproductive mental health care.

    • Completed training in data driven approaches to quality assessment and rapid improvement of health services.

    • Provided psychotherapy in the Women’s Health-Mental Health Clinic for pregnant and postpartum veterans with a focus on PTSD, OCD, anxiety, adjustment to parenthood, and infertility.

    • Worked within Women’s Health Integrated Primary Care-Mental Health, proving therapy to women-identifying veterans presenting with concerns across the reproductive lifespan. Developed and facilitated a perinatal mental health group with staff.

    • Completed the Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C) with Postpartum Support International.

  • *Received the UNC Wallach Award for exceptional work as a clinician.

    I completed a specialized Residency in Reproductive Psychology at the UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine — one of very few programs in the country offering dedicated, expert-level clinical training in the assessment and treatment of various mental health concerns across the full reproductive lifespan. This was not a general psychology residency but a specialized program that allowed me to establish a depth of expertise that few psychologists have.

    Provided evidence-based psychotherapy in the:

    • Perinatal Behavioral Health and Psychotherapy Program

    • Full Model Perinatal Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Program

    • Perinatal Inpatient Unit (one of three units specifically for pregnant and postpartum people in the U.S.)

    • Menopause Consultation and Therapy Clinic

  • Provided evidence-based psychotherapy approaches for adults, with a focus on third-wave cognitive behavioral therapies. Led and collaborated on program development and research projects.

    Worked in Duke clinics including:

    • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Clinic

    • Stress, Trauma, and Recovery Treatment Clinic

    • Duke Cancer Institute

    • Duke Psychology Clinic

    Received the Steiner Young Investigator Award from the North American Society for Psychosocial Obstetrics & Gynecology in 2024.

  • Graduated Summa Cum Laude with minors in Women’s Studies and English

Experience and Credentials

    • North Carolina Psychologist and Health Service Provider License #6736

    • California Psychologist License #36394

    • Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (PSYPACT): E.Passport #21926

    • National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology

  • I am a clinical psychologist with expertise in assessment and therapy for the full-spectrum of reproductive mental health concerns, reproductive transitions, and reproductive stressors. I have generalist and specialized health psychology training in evidence-based assessment, psychotherapy, and consultation in outpatient, inpatient and residential settings. I enjoy providing short-term and longer-term psychotherapy using cognitive behavioral therapies.

    I am a member of national and state organizations, through which I stay connected to licensed professionals and engage in ongoing learning to enhance my care. These organizations include:

    • North American Society for Psychosocial Obstetrics and Gynecology

    • Association for Contextual Behavioral Science

    • American Society for Reproductive Medicine

    • International OCD Foundation

    • North Carolina Psychological Association

    • American Psychological Association

    • Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C) by Postpartum Support International, a nationally recognized credential for clinicians with demonstrated expertise in perinatal mental health

    • Perinatal Grief and Loss by the Seleni Institute

    • Fertility, Treatment Interventions and Counseling for Contemporary Family Building by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine

    • Prolonged Exposure by the Durham VA

    • Circle of Security Parenting by Circle of Security International

    *This list is not comprehensive

  • I am passionate about creating synergy between my clinical work, research, and healthcare improvement work - so that each informs the others.

    My research centers on developing, implementing and evaluating practices and protocols to improve health outcomes and experiences in medical care. My areas of focus are: 1) obstetric and gynecologic health care 2) and trauma-informed and gender-sensitive practices in medical care.

    I led several research projects during my PhD, which focused on creating and testing interventions to help patients cope with reproductive and sexual health concerns and distress related to OB/GYN procedures. For my doctoral dissertation, I developed and piloted a trauma-informed CBT skills intervention for anxiety related to pelvic exams to detect cancer recurrence after gynecologic cancer treatment.

    I have published peer-reviewed scholarly articles and book chapters. To read more, follow this link

  • I am passionate about improving healthcare using my expertise in patient care and health services data collection and analysis. Types of improvements that culminate in improved healthcare include patient-centeredness, equity, effectiveness, efficiency, timeliness and safety.

    My quality improvement work focuses on improving mental health screening processes, trauma-informed care, and team communication in medical clinics without disrupting workflows and efficiency. During my VA fellowship, I led and contributed to local and national VA initiatives to improve quality and access to care for women Veterans.

I have deep gratitude for the privilege of having a career that I love. I am honored to work with people during challenging and transformative times of their lives.

I am grateful to the individuals that have supported me personally and professionally. Thank you to family, friends, community, clinician colleagues, and mentors for supporting me on my journey of growth, coming into myself, and trying to make a gentle and loving mark on the world.

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