Today we’d like to introduce you to Shari-ann James.
Hi Shari-ann, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I always knew that whatever career I chose would be in service of others. Whether it was in the creative arts or working directly with people. It was in the field of Psychology that I found my true passion. I earned a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Georgia in 2005, and in the 17 years since then, my interests and focus has shifted along with the changes in my own life.
When I began my career, I worked with college students and international students at the University of Central Florida. I was also a former international student from Trinidad and Tobago.
Today, I work with individuals and couples who are trying to conceive, women who have experienced a pregnancy loss, and the emotional challenges that occur during pregnancy and postpartum. This specialization evolved as I became a mother to my two girls. My career is now focused on creating a safe space for people to express their emotions, gain insight and heal from whatever may have come their way through their journey.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
In building my private practice, there was the question of whether I should be a generalist or focus on the specialization of reproductive and perinatal mental health. At the time I was one of a few perinatal mental health providers in the community. While I knew that there was a need for mothers to process and heal through their experiences, I was unsure if my practice would be successful. What I learned since then is that there is a great need for trained perinatal mental health providers.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
My psychotherapy practice focuses on women, with a special emphasis on reproductive and perinatal mental health and the unique challenges related to the transition to motherhood (e.g., perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and issues related to infertility, perinatal loss, trauma, pregnancy, and childbirth). I also work within the area of third-party reproduction and provide psychological evaluations for surrogates/ gestational carriers and egg donors. And I provide psychological consultations for intended parents utilizing egg, embryo, and sperm donors. In addition, I provide consultations and trainings on the subject of perinatal mental health within my community. On a national level, I present at conferences on the emotional complications during the perinatal period and I am engaged in several initiatives with Postpartum Support International (PSI). And I am one of the co-founders and President of the Central Florida Postpartum Alliance.
I am grateful for being able to build awareness of mental health within the reproductive time period and help those who may be struggling in my community.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I host the wellness pod podcast, which focuses on reproductive and maternal mental health and wellness.
Personally, I am from the twin-island of Trinidad and Tobago. I have been a competitive swimmer since the age of 5 through college where I received a swimming scholarship.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.perinatalwellness.net
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/perinatalwellnessorlando
- Other: www.pinterest.com/drshariannjames
