About Beth Brown, LICSW, PMH-C, RPYT

Postpartum and Perinatal Therapist

Seacoast NH & North Shore MA

I’ve been working with new and pregnant moms since 2005, working as a birth doula, lactation counselor, prenatal yoga teacher and finally as a psychotherapist. I co-founded and coordinate the Pentucket Perinatal Mental Health Coalition, whose mission is to improve maternal emotional health in the Newburyport through Haverhill area through education, collaboration, support and advocacy. I am certified in perinatal mental health by Postpartum Support International, Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) by the EMDR Institute and in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy by the Institute for Integrative Psychiatry. I have my 200-and 300-hour teacher certifications from YogaLife NH in Exeter, NH and my 85-hour prenatal yoga certification from Pranakriya Yoga at Kripalu. I am an EMDR consultant-in-training providing case consultation to other EMDR therapists and have taken all 3 levels of training in Deep Brain Reorienting. I engage in ongoing training and professional consultation and am an active member in the perinatal mental health community both locally and nationally.

I am a married mother to two grown sons and the very best Golden Retriever named Maggie. I love to hike, snorkel, scuba dive, ski and snowshoe and be at the beach, in the ocean, and in the woods. I am passionate about supporting women at their most vulnerable and empowering them to the feel like strong and competent mothers. I am rather nerdy about neuroscience and am endlessly fascinated by the body’s capacity to heal. I also really, really like babies. And humor. I love to laugh.

Approach

I take a unique approach that goes beyond traditional talk therapy. With a focus on attachment and fundamental change, I guide my clients in unraveling the defenses that may have been established early in life. These defenses, learned as coping mechanisms, can distort our view of ourselves and obstruct our natural healing mechanisms. By addressing these underlying patterns, beliefs and behaviors, we create a supportive environment for profound transformation.

Often, the root causes of our distress stem from old stressful experiences. To address this, I utilize the latest neuroscience-backed approaches and cutting-edge therapeutic modalities to tap into my client’s innate healing intelligence. This facilitates healing and growth, empowering clients to achieve lasting change.

Additionally, I’ve walked the same path of healing and growth that I guide my clients through. Through my own therapeutic journey, I intimately understand the challenges of unraveling defenses and the importance of fostering an environment of compassion and empathy. Utilizing the same techniques and approaches that I employ with my clients, I’ve experienced my own personal transformation, becoming less defensive, more flexible and open. This journey has equipped me to better support my clients on their paths to healing and growth, for which I’m deeply grateful.

Community Served

My practice focuses on providing specialized support to women throughout their childbearing journey, spanning from prenatal care to postpartum and early parenting stages. I assist women facing a spectrum of challenges, including infertility, pregnancy loss, birth trauma, and perinatal mood disorders such as depression, anxiety, and OCD. Additionally, I offer guidance in healing generational trauma and fostering positive relational dynamics to enhance parenting skills.

Professional Publications

EMDR in the Perinatal Period

Professional Credentials

  • Certified in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute (IPI)
    • Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Training
    • Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy with Psilocybin
    • MAPS MDMA-Assisted Therapy Training
  • Certified EMDR Therapist, EMDR Consultant-in-Training (EMDRIA)
  • Completed all 3 Levels of Deep Brain Reorienting Training
  • Certified in Perinatal Mental Health (PMH-C) through Postpartum Support International (PSI)
  • Specialized training in the treatment of dissociation and OCD
  • 500-hour Registered Yoga Teacher and Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher
  • Co-founder and Coordinator of the Pentucket Perinatal Mental Health Coalition

Education

  • Fairfield University, BA, 1990
  • University of New Hampshire, MSW, 2015

Why Stillwater?

The inspiration behind naming my business Stillwater comes from a cherished children’s book called Zen Shorts, which I read to my own children. In the story, three children encounter Stillwater, a gentle giant panda, who shares ancient Zen tales. Through these tales, Stillwater imparts wisdom on topics like the value of material possessions, the complexities of morality, and the importance of letting go of frustration.

For me, Stillwater embodies the ideal mother figure – serene, wise, and brimming with love and enlightenment. It symbolized the kind of mother I aspired to be and the nurturing presence I aim to cultivate in my practice. My hope is to guide you towards embracing your own inner Stillwater, empowering you to mother from a place of authenticity and strength, whatever that may mean for you.