Welcome, and thank you for visiting.

I am a licensed psychologist specializing in reproductive mental health.

  • 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.

  • Completed specialized training in the assessment and treatment of mental health concerns occurring across the reproductive lifespan.

    Provided psychotherapy in an outpatient pregnancy and postpartum mental health clinic, perinatal Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) program, Perinatal Inpatient Unit (one of three in the U.S.), and perimenopause clinic.

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

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

    Provided psychotherapy for pregnant and postpartum veterans with a focus on PTSD, OCD, anxiety, adjustment to parenthood, and infertility.

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

I provide psychological assessment and therapy to clients throughout North Carolina and 42 PSYPACT affiliated states. I specialize in third-wave cognitive behavioral therapies which incorporate change and acceptance-oriented approaches, and focus on living a meaningful life in alignment with one’s values.


I bring health service research and quality improvement experience to my consultation services for medical providers, health systems leaders, and researchers. I develop, implement, and evaluate innovative practices focusing on 1) pregnancy and postpartum health care, and 2) trauma-informed and gender-sensitive care.

My psychotherapy and consulting practice will open Fall 2025

If you are interested in therapy or consulting services, more information about my offerings and contact information can be found below.

It is an honor to be trusted and part of each client’s journey tending to their mental health and well-being.

I am passionate about walking alongside people experiencing distress related to reproductive decisions, life transitions, or reproductive mental health challenges. Reproductive health stressors and life events are often layered with cultural norms and expectations, uncertainty, and identity questioning. I believe that each client is the expert on their own experience, and I partner with them in moving toward their goals.

I approach this work with a collaborative, open-hearted and compassionate style. I use evidence-based therapeutic approaches and personalize them to my clients’ needs and preferences. I help my clients explore what may be contributing to their distress, leverage their strengths, and create new sustainable patterns of change. Through this process, my clients often report that our work together has supported them in living with greater ease, meaning, self-trust, and agency.

✺ What encompasses reproductive mental health? ✺

  • PMADs include symptoms of depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, or bipolar spectrum illness that occur during the perinatal period. The perinatal period refers to pregnancy and up to 1 year postpartum.

    About 1 in 5 birthing parents experience PMADS, making them the most common complication of childbirth. They can impact people who have never had mood or anxiety concerns before, including partners. Symptoms can range from mild to severe. They are treatable, and I use various cognitive behavioral approaches with clients.

    I also work with clients experiencing mental health concerns prior to pregnancy, who want to take a proactive approach to managing symptoms or preventing worsening of symptoms.

  • Trauma survivors can experience re-activation of traumatic stress symptoms when encountering reminders of trauma, which can include: pregnancy, labor and delivery, feeding, and caregiving.

    Medical complications, losses or events that evoke fears for the safety of the birthing person or fetus/infant during the perinatal period can also be experienced as traumatic.

    Not all people who experience trauma will develop PTSD, though some will. I provide Prolonged Exposure, an effective trauma treatment.

  • Pregnancy, neonatal, or infant loss (e.g., miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal or infant death) can impact people profoundly. Grief is a normal, non-linear journey through loss. I often utilize Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) approaches in therapy focused on loss because ACT is anchored in each person’s values and uses them as a guide in both processing emotions and identifying coping behaviors.

    I also work with parents considering pursuing and navigating pregnancy after loss.

  • Making decisions regarding family building can often be challenging and stressful. It is common to feel ambivalent about pregnancy or the decision to have a child, have difficulty weighing important factors, and question one’s decisions or preferences.

    These decisions also include considering LGBTQ+ family building options, childfree living (by choice or not by choice), pregnancy termination, choosing single parenthood, fertility preservation, pursuing assisted reproduction, or considering selective reduction; I welcome and support all types of family building related decisions.

  • Hormonal fluctuations and menstruation can impact mental health throughout female reproductive years. This work can focus on managing: premenstrual symptoms (including Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder), lactation/weaning, symptoms of perimenopause (natural or due to health conditions), and medical conditions that can impact reproductive health (e.g., Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, autoimmune conditions, thyroid conditions, cancer).

    Cognitive behavioral therapy approaches can support clients in navigating hormonally related mood and anxiety symptoms and physical symptoms.

  • Navigating medical systems and procedures can be difficult. I provide therapy to people who experience anxiety about invasive OB/GYN procedures (e.g., pelvic exams, blood draws, epidurals, cesareans, endometriosis surgeries). Additionally, I work with people experiencing complications with pregnancy, managing comorbid conditions during pregnancy, caregiving for infants in the NICU or PICU, and navigating a medical treatment decision making process for their child.

    I also support clients who have previously had distressing experiences with medical care (e.g., poor patient-provider communication, medical trauma, mistreatment, discrimination) and are wanting to build their coping skills when trying to stay engaged in their OB/GYN care.

Upcoming Offerings

  • Personalized evidence-based individual therapy for adults

  • Therapy groups with a focus on a specific perinatal stressor impacting mental health (e.g., pregnancy loss, postpartum OCD)

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

  • Quality improvement consulting for OB/GYN clinics

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

  • Providing content expertise and program development consultation for research grants

Jess Coleman, PhD, PMH-C

Questions? I’d love to connect with you.

Please reach out to: contact@drjesscoleman.com