Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach Certification: 12 Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re exploring FamilyWell’s Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach Certification, you likely want to know three things:
What does this role involve? Can I make a difference? How long will it take to complete? And what can I do with the certification?
Below are the most common questions about the PBHC program through FamilyWell Academy.
What is a Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach (PBHC)?
A Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach is a mental health and wellness coach who specializes in the perinatal period.
This includes supporting individuals:
During fertility journeys
After pregnancy loss
Throughout pregnancy
In the first year postpartum
PBHCs provide flexible, goal-oriented support focused on emotional regulation, coping skills, behavior change, and screening for Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders (PMADs). They work within a clearly defined scope of practice and collaborate with clinical providers when higher-level care is needed.
PBHCs do not diagnose or treat mental illness. They expand access to timely, skills-based support during one of the most vulnerable periods of life.
Is a Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach Certification effective?
Yes.
Research shows that coaching interventions can significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression in individuals with mild to moderate concerns, particularly within stepped-care or blended-care models (Grant & O’Connor, 2021; Henson et al., 2021; Wolever et al., 2013).
At FamilyWell Health, coaching is the center of the support provided to patients/clients, and it is integrated alongside therapists and medical providers.
Our internal data show that within three months, most perinatal patients engaged in our coaching-centered collaborative care model achieve clinical remission—meaning their anxiety and depression screening scores improve significantly into the non-clinical range.
These improvements are associated with:
Timely access (often within days)
Peer rapport building
Regular, goal-oriented coaching
Collaboration with or referral to with clinical care when needed
What can I do with a Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach Certification?
Graduates of the Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach Certification use their training in a variety of ways:
Start a new private coaching practice
Expand or specialize an existing wellness, health, or birth practice
Work in-house with an OB/GYN clinic or hospital
Join a behavioral health practice as part of a collaborative care team
Serve as a perinatal educator or community-based support professional
The PBHC credential can stand alone or be layered with other licenses and certifications, including nursing, social work, lactation consulting, or doula training. To learn more about launching your career as a Perinatal Behavioral Health processional, click here.
Many professionals use this certification to deepen their expertise and expand their impact within maternal and reproductive health. Read our article on “A Day in the Life of a PBHC” here.
Who is the Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach Certification designed for?
Our learners come from diverse professional backgrounds, including:
Doulas
Lactation consultants
Nurses
Social workers
Healthcare providers
Community health professionals
Parents and advocates with lived experience
The program is designed for professionals who support birthing people and families and want advanced training in perinatal behavioral health—within their scope of practice.
Do I need prior mental health training?
No prior clinical mental health training is required.
The Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach Certification provides foundational knowledge in:
Perinatal mental health conditions
Effective behavioral health coaching techniques
Scope of practice
Ethical care
Risk recognition
Referral pathways
Participants graduate with practical skills and a clear understanding of their professional boundaries.
What does the PBHC mentorship component include?
The PBHC program includes five 2-hour live virtual mentorship sessions (10 total hours).
Sessions:
Are held in small groups (3–10 participants)
Focus on case application and real-world scenarios
Encourage discussion and clinical reflection
Provide direct access to experienced perinatal coaches
You can select from multiple session times each month to fit your schedule.
How long does it take to complete the Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach Certification?
Most participants complete the program in approximately three months, though you can take up to a year if desired.
The course is self-paced but structured to maintain accountability, depth, and meaningful engagement.
Is the Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach Certification recognized nationally?
The PBHC is an independent certification program designed to provide specialized training in perinatal behavioral health.
Behavioral Health Coaching is not a licensed profession, so affiliation with a licensing board is not necessary to practice. However, as with any coaching certification, quality of the training is important from a practical, as well as an ethical perspective. The FamilyWell PBHC curriculum is grounded in:
Evidence-informed practice
Ethical standards
Culturally responsive care
Participants receive a certificate of completion after fulfilling all program requirements.
Does this certification count for continuing education (CE) credits?
We are currently pursuing continuing education (CE) approval.
Our goal is to offer CE credits for nurses, coaches, and additional clinical disciplines. Updates will be shared as they become available.
How many professionals have completed the Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach Certification?
To date, over 100 professionals have successfully completed the PBHC program.
Graduates now work in:
Collaborative care settings
Private practice
Community-based maternal health roles
Integrated behavioral health teams
Do I need to be a licensed clinician to enroll?
The FamilyWell Academy welcomes both licensed clinicians and non-licensed professionals.
Many birth workers, lactation consultants, and wellness professionals enroll to strengthen their skills in perinatal mental health support, and others will complete the certification to break into the perinatal health and wellness field.
Does completing the PBHC guarantee a job with FamilyWell?
Completion of the Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach Certification does not guarantee employment.
However, it allows us to become familiar with your training and commitment to women’s mental health. Graduates are encouraged to apply for open roles at:
familywellhealth.com/careersReady to Learn More?
If you’re ready to deepen your expertise in perinatal mental health and expand your impact, the Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach Certification offers structured training, live mentorship, and real-world application.
Explore the program and start learning today at:
familywellhealth.com/academy , academy@familywellhealth.com or
References
Grant, A. M., & O’Connor, S. A. (2021). Time for change: A systematic review of coaching psychology and mental health and well-being. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 719798. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8406100/
Henson, S. S., Wisniewski, H., Hollis, C., Keshavan, M., & Torous, J. (2021). Digital mental health apps and the therapeutic alliance: Initial review. JMIR Mental Health, 8(10), e32100. https://mental.jmir.org/2021/10/e32100
Schwartz, S. E. O., Rhodes, J. E., Chan, C. S., & Herrera, C. (2019). Real-world effectiveness of coaching support on digital therapeutic engagement among college students. Journal of Evidence-Based Mentoring. https://www.evidencebasedmentoring.org/real-world-effectiveness-of-coaching-support-on-digital-therapeutic-engagement-among-college-students/
Wolever, R. Q., Simmons, L. A., Sforzo, G. A., Dill, D., Kaye, M., Bechard, E. M., & Yang, N. (2013). A systematic review of the literature on health and wellness coaching: Defining a key behavioral intervention in healthcare. Global Advances in Health and Medicine, 2(4), 38–57. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4015179/
