Dr. Shaenor I.
Maternal Mental Health Therapist at Inspired Counseling Center
Mental Health Care
Education: University of Central Florida - University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL, USA
Biography
Dr. Shaenor Ishmael maternal mental health therapist is passionate and dedicated to supporting the mental and emotional well-being of individuals during the perinatal period. She is the CEO and psychotherapist at Inspired Counseling Center, LLC. Dr. Shaenor has over ten years of experience in social work and brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to help women navigate the unique challenges and transitions during this period.
Passion
A fragmented and deeply unequal system of physical and mental health care during the perinatal period (before, during, and after pregnancy) fails women at one of the most vulnerable times of their lives. Your mental well-being during the perinatal period is as important as your physical/medical well-being.
I encourage women to follow up with a mental health professional to address the various life transitions during the perinatal period.
I am willing to travel
More than 100 miles
When it comes to payments
I sometimes get paid for speaking
Topics
Best Story
205/102, that was my blood pressure at midnight Thursday while 27 weeks pregnant moments before being wheeled into the operating room for an emergency c-section. My daughter was born at 7 am that morning.
Following my c-section, the nurses desperately used a vein finder to get IVs into me. However, with every vein they found, the vein would rupture.
It's quite a juxtaposition of emotions, realizing what is happening and navigating one's mental health following a traumatic childbirth. This heaviness and immense sense of grief linger, but there is also gratitude in knowing what "could have been."
At 27 weeks pregnant with a blood pressure of 205/102, I was completely coherent and able to move while in immense pain due to preeclampsia and placenta abruption.
Following the days after that moment up to today, I have had to navigate the ups and downs of my maternal mental health (the guilt, the grief, the gratitude, and so much more). As a maternal mental health professional, I encourage everyone to engage in the conversation. So many times as a mother, we often wear this "superwoman cape" that we neglect our own mental health needs. If you feel overwhelmed (feeling overwhelmed should not be a mother's baseline) or just need a talk space, please get in touch with a psychotherapist.
Origin Story
I entered the mental health profession over ten years ago. I have worked in the medical aspects of mental health and the care management aspects of mental health. I started my private practice to provide a space for women to navigate the challenges of various life transitions openly.
However, following the birth of my daughter at 27 weeks pregnant and 100 days in the NICU, and one week in the ICU for myself, my niche was born. I decided to focus on the mental health of the perinatal period (before, during, and after pregnancy).
During the perinatal period, women must follow up with a medical professional. However, how often do women follow up with a mental health professional during their perinatal period?
Mental well-being during this transition is as important as physical/medical well-being. Therefore, as a mental health professional, I have devoted my profession to maternal mental health, incorporating women's reproductive mental health.