Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamie Roda.
Hi Jamie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was always interested in the mind, but never really knew that I would work in this field as a career. In fact, when I first went to college I was an art major and I minored in psychology. My first degree was a BA in art with a minor in psychology. After college I got married and spent time time travelling; I even spent two months living in the USVI and working on an eco-friendly resort!
A few years after my first graduation, I decided to go back to college. I eventually went back and earned my bachelor’s degree in psychology and then continued to my master’s program where I earned my MS in clinical psychology. My first job was at an inpatient psychiatric hospital where I worked with clients who had several chronic and acute disorders. Honestly I thought I would keep doing this kind of work forever. However, two major things happened in my life during this time; one was COVID, and the other was that my spouse and I were expecting our first child.
Having a baby is terrifying, but doing it without my support network made it feel impossible. I felt isolated and scared, and I knew other women had to feel this way. I wasn’t someone who spent time with pregnant people or babies when I was younger, and I had no clue what I was doing and no one to talk to. I also felt the stigma associated with complaining! Of course pregnancy, delivery, learning a new baby, parenting, and rediscovering yourself are all incredibly hard tasks! But it felt like I wasn’t able to talk about the negative aspects because I would be a “bad mom” if I did!
After having my first child, I decided a I needed to transition to part-time outpatient work so I could have a better work/life balance. I soon noticed that more than half of my clients were parents who were struggling with stress, burnout, guilt, and lack of identity. These were all the things I personally experienced, and I knew there was a lack of knowledge and resources for this population. I wanted to be the one parents could complain to without judgement! And I wanted to help them navigate the stressors while also encouraging them engage in meaningful self-care and self-discovery without shame or guilt.
In 2025, after the birth of my second child, I was flooded memories of how hard this parenting thing is, and I knew I had to make this the focus of my career. I earned my perinatal mental health certification (PMH-C) and opened a practice focusing on helping people navigate all the life changes associated with preconception, pregnancy, postpartum, parenting, and self-discovery. I want parents to feel human again, and to recognize that being a good parent doesn’t mean losing themselves in the process.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I am a parent of two young children, so doing anything is hard some days!
I also recognized that graduate school doesn’t prepare us to understand exactly how to start a practice. Administrative tasks, insurance credentialing, business licensing, etc. were all aspects I had to learn on my own. Luckily, the mental health community is so strong and supportive. I was able to connect with colleagues, old friends, social media groups, other business owners, etc. to piece together a plan to get my practice started. The learning curve, and overcoming the general fear of trying something new, were the biggest struggles so far.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I opened my mental health practice to help moms (and dads!) navigate the struggles associated with the life transitions that come from thinking about/becoming parents. Doctors do a great job preparing parents for the practical; things like what to expect when trying to conceive, being pregnant, and delivery. There’s a step-by-step process for things like ultrasounds, medications, expectations, etc. It feels like your gearing up for a race, and you’re running that race throughout pregnancy. Your taking your vitamins and caring for your body and doing everything to get to the finish line, and then your baby is born! The race is over… except… it isn’t. You have a huge support network from preconception to delivery, but after delivery there’s no one. You’re left to run another marathon but without the support team.
I started my practice to be the support team for marathon number two. Your doctor will take care of the physical you, and your pediatrician will take care of the baby, but I want to be the one who helps heal the emotional you.
What does success mean to you?
That’s a hard question, because I don’t think there is a right answer. Success can be achieving your goals, sure. But it can also be knowing when to stop, when enough is enough, and when it’s time to redefine. To me, success is a fine line between creating goals, achieving or redefining them, while striving for a contentment that doesn’t turn into complacency. Success doesn’t necessarily mean comfort, growth often means discomfort.
So maybe success is growth without loss of self. Accepting achievements and failures as lessons, and experiencing gratitude for the journey.
Pricing:
- I accept several major health insurances.
- I accept self-pay clients.
- I will provide clients with a superbill for out-of-network providers.
Contact Info:
