A Day in the Life of a Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach: Joanna

Ever wondered what it takes to support parents through one of the most transformative periods of their lives? Our Day in the Life blog and webinar series shares the inspiring stories of Perinatal Behavioral Health Coaches who have cultivated meaningful careers supporting the mental health of new and expecting parents.

What is a Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach?

A Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach provides essential mental health support for parents during the transformative journey of pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. Trained through FamilyWell’s specialized certification program, these coaches focus on the unique emotional challenges and stressors of motherhood. 

Their approach is rooted in empathy and expertise, offering validation, practical coping tools, mental health education, and evidence-based strategies to promote well-being.

Who Can Become a Coach?

Anyone with a passion for supporting families can become a Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach! Coaches come from a variety of backgrounds, including doulas, lactation consultants, sleep coaches, and parents who have experienced the impact of perinatal mental health challenges. No prior clinical experience is necessary to enroll in the certification program.

With 1 in 5 birthing mothers experiencing postpartum depression or other perinatal mental health conditions—and 75% unable to access adequate care—there has never been a greater need for Perinatal Behavioral Health Coaches.

A Day in the Life: Coach Joanna

Joanna’s background as a career coach in corporate America, PMAD survivor and thriver, and mom to a spirited daughter helps inform her work as a Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach. She’s completed her Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach training through FamilyWell’s Certification program, and volunteers as a Peer Mentor with Postpartum Support International. 

She holds degrees (BA/MA) in international affairs and has significant experience living and working abroad, which helps her provide culturally aware and compassionate care to parents from a variety of backgrounds and walks of life. 

What inspired you to become a Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach, and how did you get started in this field?

Prior to becoming a Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach (PBHC) I worked in a hybrid HR program management and coaching role at a tech company, which was my first exposure to the coaching discipline - and I was hooked from day one. Like so many others in this field, I was inspired to become a PBHC because of lived experience. I struggled with severe postpartum depression and anxiety after the birth of my daughter in 2018. 

Despite living in one of the biggest cities in the world, it was nearly impossible and prohibitively expensive to find mental health providers that were perinatally trained, accepting new patients, and also taking insurance. I decided to get certified as a PBHC through FamilyWell because I wanted to make sure that other birthing parents didn’t face the same barriers to care as I did during that very vulnerable time.  

Can you describe a typical day in your life as a Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach?

I typically see anywhere from four to eight patients a day for 30-minute one-on-one coaching sessions. My patients are at a variety of different points in their perinatal journeys. Some are trying to conceive, others could be processing a recent loss, and still others are currently pregnant, or anywhere up to a year postpartum. 

I love that I get to hear from and support birthing persons from every walk of life and provide them with support, validation, and coping strategies as they navigate through each stage. 

What are the most common challenges that your clients face during the perinatal period?

I talk to many parents who are either pregnant or newly postpartum and experiencing anticipatory anxiety - or anxiety about the future and the unknown. This is very understandable - especially for first-time parents - since there is so much change during pregnancy and postpartum. 

For pregnant patients, this may manifest as rumination over the health of their baby, and birth experience, and for postpartum patients, it often relates to baby’s development, sleep, feeding, and changing routines. No matter the source of the anxiety, I try to work with my patients to help them build the confidence that they are capable of making it through every challenge they may face in the future. 

How do you personalize your approach to meet the unique needs of each client?

As a default, I like to spend the first few sessions doing far more listening than talking. Every client has their own story to tell and a unique set of external and internal circumstances that are coinciding to shape their experiences. It is part of my job as their coach to give them the opportunity to share that story, and then help them move forward at whatever pace works for them. 

As coaches we have various tools at our disposal to support our clients - we can listen, we can offer support and validation, and we can provide strategies and coping mechanisms to name a few. While I enjoy leveraging all of these tools in my coaching practice, I think it’s particularly critical to start by trying to understand each client’s unique set of circumstances, and I do that by first and foremost opening my ears and my heart. 

What are some of the most rewarding aspects of your job?

The most rewarding aspect of my job is watching new parents begin to feel more confident and at ease in whatever stage of pregnancy or postpartum they are in. It’s extremely gratifying to hear that the validation you provided or a strategy you suggested helped change a client’s perspective or experience for the better. I don’t think it will ever get old hearing clients tell me that the support they are receiving from the FamilyWell team - coaches, psychiatrists, therapists, and OBs - is making them feel more confident, capable, and more ‘like themselves.’ 

Can you share a memorable success story/proud moment from your coaching practice?

I worked with one Mom who had experienced severe postpartum anxiety with her first baby and was concerned about falling into that same pattern after giving birth to her second child. We worked together to identify some of the “non-negotiables” that she’d need to prioritize to help keep her anxiety at bay this time around, and then created a plan to leverage her support system to ensure that she’d be able to attend to her own needs. 

We worked together at each session to help her hold herself accountable for these non-negotiables and become much more comfortable asking for help. Together we were able to make sure she kept her anxiety in check after the birth of her second child. I was so thrilled when she came to one of our last sessions, happy to report that her plan was helping her transition with much more ease to becoming a mom of two!

What types of techniques or strategies do you use to support your clients' mental and emotional well-being?

It’s very easy to fall into the habit of being excessively hard on yourself during the perinatal period. This is only exacerbated by rapidly changing hormones and sleep deprivation. When I see this happening, I will encourage clients to speak to themselves the same way they would speak to a close friend who was struggling or needed support. 

I ask them to imagine a situation where their best friend, family member or partner was distressed and think about what they’d say and how they’d provide comfort and encouragement. From there, I’ll encourage the client to speak to themselves with the same love and kindness that they’d normally reserve for that friend or family member. 

I try to remind my clients that they are doing the best they can and they deserve the same compassion and kindness that they typically reserve for others. 

What’s your #1 piece of advice for new or expecting parents? 

You are going to hear a lot of stories about pregnancy, labor and delivery and postpartum and be on the receiving end of copious amounts of unsolicited (and solicited!) advice. While these stories and pieces of advice can be valuable sources of information and support, I also want to remind you that every experience and every baby is different. 

There is no “one size fits all” way to be pregnant or a parent, and so much of becoming a new parent involves learning as you go and copious amounts of trial and error. The ‘best way’ to parent is the way that works for you and your family!

How do you stay updated with the latest research and developments in perinatal mental health?

My colleagues at FamilyWell are a fantastic resource in terms of staying up to date with research and developments. I also have news alerts set that keep me informed of any major changes to legislation or policy that might impact birthing parents. 

Postpartum Support International is also a great resource for peer-reviewed studies and research as well as relevant training that help me improve and expand my capabilities as a perinatal coach. 

What advice do you have for individuals considering a career as a Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach? 

“Dare to dream a little.” I had a very important mentor during one of my corporate stints who constantly challenged me to not pigeon-hole myself into certain types of roles just because they were what I’d always done, or what I thought was expected of me. She encouraged me to take risks and explore areas that I was passionate about, even if those areas were outside of my narrow ‘area of expertise.’

She rightly pointed out that “every expert was a beginner at some point.” We all have to start somewhere, so if this is an area you are passionate about and you’re interested in a career as a Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach, trust yourself and take the leap. 

How do you manage your own well-being and mental health while supporting others through such a significant period in their lives?

Being a perinatal coach has really helped me hold myself accountable for practicing what I preach to my patients. In particular, I make time to practice “box-breathing” on a daily basis, which helps me calm my mind and center myself, especially when it has been a particularly emotional day. 

As a mom of a young and very active little girl I have to be really intentional about taking time for myself. I ‘fill-up-my-cup’ by prioritizing exercise - cycling, pilates, or walks at the beach with my dog and husband - because I’ve learned that I feel my best when I take time out to move my body.