Bess Hart, MA

Perinatal Mental Health Specialist

Birth & Postpartum Doula

I have been working in reproductive health throughout my 15+ year career. I have experience in the full spectrum of reproductive care, and have a passion for this part of our development, our human rights, and our reproductive power. I was a licensed clinical social worker for 15 years and have specialized training in reproductive health, trauma, perinatal mood & anxiety disorders, and as a doula.

Some of the best learning experiences that inform my work include my work in a feminist health collective, working with LGBTQ and non-traditional families, listening to countless stories of both the joy, overwhelm, and trauma of birth and parenthood. I have had great joy working in many mental health positions in New Orleans, training social work students and interns, and teaching about death & grief. I am currently passionate about my birth & postpartum work with families, as a board member with the Louisiana Chapter of Postpartum Support International, and a partnership with Saul’s Light to facilitate a Stillbirth and Infant Loss Group.

I seek to find balance in teaching and empowering. You are the expert in your own life. You are embarking on a journey into parenthood that is highly intuitive, instinctual, genetic, and familial. And yet, you still need and seek concrete information. Knowing who and what information is right for you can be tricky. Together, we will focus on truly informed decision-making for your healthcare and your family, as well as practical information regarding childbirth, postpartum, and parenting. I will help you understand and think about how outside information and pressures influence how you may be reacting to your pregnancy, birth and parenthood. We will look at the medical birthing system, your family values and history, and practical and emotional pressures about parenting, in order to find a strong and wise intuition to call on through this journey. I will provide you with current, evidence-based information about pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care, and will bring you current mental health information about creating healthy families.

I live and work in New Orleans, LA. In addition to my professional experience, I have 3 growing children, and experiences with miscarriage, abortion, the NICU, and birth trauma.