A Day in the Life of a Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach: Gabriela Almeida-Altamirano
What does it take 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.
First, 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.
And 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 Gaby
Gaby is a mom of two. She holds a degree in Family and Child Studies. She is a certified Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach (PBHC) and has her Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C). Gaby has 10+ years of experience in working with families in the behavioral health field. Gaby is Latina and fluent in Spanish. She experienced postpartum anxiety which is what led her to this work. She has a passion for supporting and empowering mothers and families through their perinatal journey.
What inspired you to become a Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach, and how did you get started in this field?
I majored in Family and Child Studies and minored in Psychology back in college. I have always been passionate about mental health and supporting families. I have over ten years of experience working in different behavioral health settings with parents and children. However, my spark for working with mothers in the perinatal period came out of my own experience with miscarriage and postpartum anxiety.
Going through those experiences myself made me realize how much support and validation mothers need, and the lack of resources available for parents during the perinatal period. Once I processed my own experiences, I felt a calling to support other women going through similar situations. I started following FamilyWell on social media and became interested in the idea of coaching.
I completed their certification program and got my PMH-C. I applied for the perinatal coaching role right away. It has been my biggest pleasure to be able to meet weekly with mamas and help support them through this vulnerable time. It feels like I finally found my purpose.
Can you describe a typical day in your life as a Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach?
My day usually starts with getting my own children ready. My girl is in kindergarten and my son is in preschool 3 mornings a week. Once they are in school, I make some tea or coffee and then log in a few minutes ahead of time to review which patients I am meeting with that day.
I try to check the date of their last screenings and their latest scores. I briefly look at my notes from the previous sessions in case there is anything I need to follow up on. Once it’s time for sessions, I usually start by doing a quick check-in on how their day/week is going. I ask my patients if there is anything they are struggling with or would like support with. I provide them with a safe space to bring whatever they need to unload to the session.
Before ending every session I always end with some positive affirmation for patients to take with them. I reminded them that they are “a good mom,” that they “can do hard things,” and that doing their best is enough. We schedule our next meeting and then log off. Once I am done with all my sessions for the day, I go back to clean up the notes that I took during sessions and complete collaborative care plans, and case reviews when needed.
Throughout the day I also keep in communication with my FamilyWell team. After work is done I go back to full-time mom duty. It is the best of both worlds!
What are the most common challenges that your clients face during the perinatal period?
The most common challenge that I see is the “mom guilt.” There is a lot of self-doubt and questioning of their abilities as mothers. There is a lot of pressure in trying to get everything right and be able to handle it all that it ends up making them feel inadequate.
We work hard to reframe this thought process into understanding that matrescence is a huge transition that changes bodies, minds, and souls and I normalize not having the answers for everything. I validate the challenges.
“I remind moms that they are growing alongside their babies and that parenting is a work in progress. We try to work on “grace over guilt” to help them feel less alone in these feelings. ”
How do you personalize your approach to meet the unique needs of each client?
I want my patients to feel seen rather than feeling like they’re just a case. I’m good at remembering things they tell me and the names of their children and partners and make an effort to listen and let them direct the conversation.
I think I do a good job of making them feel like they are in charge of their treatment and that empowers them. I also make an effort to relate to their challenges from my own experiences in my motherhood journey. I think this makes them feel less alone and makes me more relatable to them.
What are some of the most rewarding aspects of your job?
The most rewarding part of coaching is when I hear a mama say “I haven't thought about it that way.” I think that sometimes when we are in those trenches of pregnancy or postpartum it is really hard for us to see things from a different perspective.
“I love helping moms reframe their mindset so it can make things more manageable. ”
I also love when patients tell me that they use one of the coping skills I taught them and it worked during a stressful situation. One more thing that brings me so much joy is celebrating “mom wins” or parenting milestones. Making mamas see that the work they do every day is so powerful and meaningful and helping them celebrate all their progress.
Can you share a memorable success story/proud moment from your coaching practice?
Yes, I had a mama who was struggling with PPD and was nervous about medication. We did a lot of work processing where her fears were coming from. We also talked about depression being a mental illness that needs to be treated just like asthma or diabetes would.
I did my best to eliminate the stigma for her regarding medication. She finally agreed to meet with one of our FW PCs and once she got on medication she became a different person. She is functioning well and she feels like “the cloud lifted off of her” which makes me so happy!
What types of techniques or strategies do you use to support your clients' mental and emotional well-being?
I am really big on mindfulness and spending time outside. I encourage my patients to accept that self-care will not look the same in the perinatal period. I help them see that there are other ways to nurture themselves in little mindful moments throughout the day. I encourage:
Wholesome nutrition and hydration
Walks
Movement
Music
Journaling
Grounding exercises
Breathwork
Connection with loved ones
And most of all, fresh air and sunshine
I also do a lot of normalizing feelings and experiences and validation of how challenging the perinatal period is. I know that I cannot “fix” their struggles but I can offer a safe space to process and release their thoughts and emotions so that they are not internalizing them.
What’s your #1 piece of advice for new or expecting parents?
Be a flexible planner!! Prepare for birth, do not go in there just hoping for the best. Birth is physiological and not a medical emergency (with exceptions of course) You have a voice and a choice in your birth and educating yourself, asking questions, communicating your preferences, and building a strong birth support team are so important to mitigate the risk of birth trauma.
Plan for postpartum too, plan for who will give you practical help, who will be there for emotional support, plan to protect sleep, plan for how you will handle setting boundaries with family and friends. With all this said, you can never fully be ready for parenthood, so remain flexible. Babies come with their own personalities and temperaments. Babies are not always easy to feed or put down to sleep, and that is OK.
Just be flexible and open to troubleshooting things. You are not supposed to know everything. You learn as you go and as you follow your baby’s cues. Reach out for support if you need to. Don't suffer alone! There are wonderful lactation consultants, pelvic floor therapists, perinatal mental health supports, mom groups, etc. that can help you when things are not going right. Just ask for help if you need it. We are here for you!
How do you stay updated with the latest research and developments in perinatal mental health?
I attend a lot of trainings to better support my patients. I havelearned a lot from listening to other perinatal professionals to get ideas and interventions that I can use in my practice.
What advice do you have for individuals considering a career as a Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach?
If you’re a parent with a passion for helping other parents then you are perfect for this role. You will experience a really rewarding career and you will see that you are making a difference. I strongly believe that when a mother thrives then the whole family thrives, which results in happier communities. Being a part of this process is amazing.
How do you manage your own well-being and mental health while supporting others through such a significant period in their lives?
I try to practice what I preach to my patients. I do my best to spend time outside every day and get some sunshine. I stay connected with my mom friends which has been healing for me. I rely on my faith as well which encourages me. I try to remind myself that I am also still learning and growing with my kiddos.
I have learned to prioritize my “glass balls” over my “rubber balls” which is something that I learned from a fellow, and amazing, coach. I know some things can wait until tomorrow while making time for rest which is essential for my well-being.
Read more from our Day in the Life series:
