Perinatal Wellness

What Perinatal Wellness Is

Perinatal Wellness and Psychological Services is a solo clinical practice run by Dr. Shari-ann H. James, a Florida-licensed psychologist with over 20 years of experience in reproductive mental health. Dr. James holds a PhD in counseling psychology from the University of Georgia and is a Certified Perinatal Mental Health Professional (PMH-C), a credential awarded by Postpartum Support International that requires specialized training in the mental health conditions of pregnancy and postpartum. She is also trained in third-party reproduction, meaning she conducts psychological evaluations for people considering or moving forward with surrogacy, egg or sperm donation, or other assisted reproductive arrangements. The practice operates from Orlando, Florida, but Dr. James is authorized through the PSYPACT interstate compact to provide telehealth to residents in 31 participating US states and territories, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

What You Actually Get

Perinatal Wellness offers individual therapy, couples counseling, and group services all focused on the mental health aspects of fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum life. Sessions can be conducted in person in Orlando or via secure telehealth video for people in PSYPACT participating states. The practice's areas of specialization include postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, postpartum OCD, postpartum PTSD, and postpartum bipolar disorder. Dr. James also treats infertility and miscarriage grief, with explicit mention of counseling for "grief and loss concerns (miscarriage, stillbirth, or other neonatal loss)." The practice addresses pregnancy challenges including depression and anxiety in pregnancy, birth trauma, and the transition to parenthood. Beyond mood and anxiety, the practice offers "parenting consultation and support" and works on "parent-child attachment and bonding." For couples, the practice addresses "relationship concerns" and the strain that postpartum challenges and fertility struggles place on partnerships. The practice also offers "work-life-family balance" support, recognizing that postpartum recovery happens within the context of returning to work.

Dr. James describes her therapeutic approach as "compassionate, evidence-based methods" with a "focus on growth, healing, and wellbeing during major life transitions" within a "safe, supportive environment." The practice also provides consultations and workshops for other healthcare providers, including OB/GYNs, midwives, doulas, lactation consultants, psychiatrists, and pediatricians. This suggests Dr. James works within a collaborative care model and educates other professionals about perinatal mental health. The practice also has an email address for scheduling consultations and evaluations, and Dr. James maintains professional memberships in Postpartum Support International and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, connecting her to communities of specialists in these fields.

What the Pages Prove

Dr. James's credentials are documented on the site: PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Georgia, EdM and MA in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University, and a BA in Psychology from St. Peter's College. She holds the Certified Perinatal Mental Health Professional (PMH-C) credential through Postpartum Support International and has completed "Maternal Mental Health Certificate Training" through PSI and the 2020 Mom Project. She completed "Bereavement Training on Perinatal Loss" through Resolve Through Sharing (RTS). She is a "Gottman Trained Educator" in the "Bringing Baby Home Program," a couples counseling approach designed for new parents. These credentials and trainings are all named on the site and represent specialized postpartum and reproductive mental health training.

Pricing is published for third-party reproduction evaluations and consultations. Egg donor evaluations cost $600. Gestational carrier (surrogate) evaluations cost $800. Intended parent consultations cost $300. The site states these include "clinical interviews" and "standardized psychological assessments" for donors and surrogates, and for intended parents they address "the psychological aspects of collaborative reproduction." The site says evaluations follow "ASRM guidelines" (American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the professional standard for reproductive medicine), meaning the assessments meet professional standards for this specialty.

The site lists all PSYPACT participating states explicitly, naming 31 states and territories. It distinguishes between in-person services in Orlando and telehealth services across PSYPACT states. The practice description states it offers "individual therapy, couples counseling, and group services." The site does not mention crisis services, medication management, or psychiatric hospitalization. For telehealth, the site specifies "secure telehealth sessions."

What the Service Does Not Say

The site does not publish hourly rates for ongoing therapy, only the rates for third-party reproduction evaluations and consultations. It does not state whether the practice accepts insurance or how payment works for ongoing therapy. It does not mention a cancellation policy, session length, or frequency recommendations. The site does not state how quickly a new client can be scheduled or typical wait times.

The site does not name specific mental health conditions beyond postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, postpartum OCD, postpartum PTSD, postpartum bipolar disorder, infertility, and miscarriage grief. It does not state whether Dr. James treats other conditions like general anxiety, depression not related to postpartum, or other diagnoses. The site does not say whether Dr. James can prescribe medication, though the practice does mention psychiatrists as a group the practice consults with, suggesting collaboration rather than in-house prescribing.

The site does not specify appointment length, whether Dr. James offers emergency/crisis support between sessions, or how to reach her outside business hours. It does not state her availability in terms of how many new clients she is currently accepting. The practice does not mention whether group services are ongoing support groups or structured programs, and who they are designed for.

Who It Fits and Who It Does Not

Perinatal Wellness fits someone in a PSYPACT state or in-person in Orlando who is struggling with postpartum depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, or bipolar disorder and prefers therapy from a psychologist deeply specialized in these conditions. It suits someone navigating infertility or processing the grief of miscarriage with a therapist who has specific training in perinatal loss. It fits couples whose relationship is strained by fertility struggles or the early postpartum period and want couples work from someone trained in postpartum issues.

It fits someone who needs a psychological evaluation for third-party reproduction (as a surrogate, egg donor, or intended parent) and wants to work with someone trained in ASRM guidelines and reproductive psychology. It fits someone looking for a practitioner with deep expertise rather than a general therapist.

Perinatal Wellness does not fit someone seeking psychiatric medication management (a psychiatrist would be needed). It does not fit someone outside the PSYPACT states and not in Orlando. It does not fit someone in acute crisis looking for same-day availability or hospitalization; a crisis line or emergency department would be appropriate. It does not fit someone whose insurance requires in-network providers unless the practice accepts that insurance.