Today we’d like to introduce you to Niketa Pèchan.
Hi Niketa, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up on the island of Jamaica watching my grandmother serve our local community without stepping foot outside of her home. She loved her home yet she loved the community and everyone knew Mrs. Francis. By the time I got to college and was choosing my career path I thought “if my grandmother made such an impact in our community without leaving her front gate then I can change the world!”
My fascination with understanding social problems and finding solutions lead me to the path of social work which leads to psychotherapy. For most of my career, I worked with people in addictions and recovery. Recovery is probably one of the most rewarding work there is because you see people at their absolute worst become empowered to be their absolute best.
I moved to Mississippi and birthed my daughter in 2018 and the maternal mortality rates of black women in Mississippi and the U.S. were alarming. To keep myself alive during childbirth, I hired a doula for support and this was the beginning of a shift in my career. Through my pregnancy and birth experience, I realized how this country is failing pregnant and postpartum women.
I opened my private practice and shifted to treating women with depression, anxiety, and trauma in pregnancy and postpartum. I enjoyed my experience with my doula so much that I too became a doula. Like clients in the recovery process, mothers are rediscovering themselves, healing, and striving to be the best version of their new selves.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road I must say! Mental health is a bit more normalized but we are not fully there yet.
Maternal mental health still holds stigma and mothers are still having issues accessing these services for a variety of reasons. For one, childcare will always be a concern for mothers with young children and this is why my practice is still virtual post covid. I want moms to feel comfortable in their space as they process whatever is going on.
I encourage moms to boldly breastfeed in session, and be accepting of the chaos they might feel when redirecting their toddlers throughout the session. I want moms to feel normal because society makes us feel like we don’t belong in certain spaces. Mom deal with stares and judgment when they want to breastfeed or their toddler is having a meltdown. A part of my work is to help moms feel unapologetic about where they are in motherhood.
There has been this leap to create more doula programs to support moms at a low cost but it has been a challenge partnering with these programs and getting them to add maternal mental health. The reality is that doulas are amazing for birth and postpartum support but many moms have childbirth-related trauma and other mental health challenges and they need a licensed therapist specializing in this work.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Golden Aura Wellness Co. is a Black Woman-led wellness practice that was founded in response to the need for healing and holistic maternal wellness care in Florida and Mississippi. Our specialty is to support mothers and families on their motherhood journey with quality embodied mental health services. Every mother is a GOLDEN and vital piece to society; when moms suffer, society suffers.
We help mothers find balance and healing in their Minds, Body, and spirits. We offer counseling that incorporated mindfulness, meditation, and yoga. We guide mothers through reconnecting to the stories of their childhood and discovering ways to heal their stories through rewriting their narratives. Our doula work helps support pregnant and postpartum mothers in this journey to motherhood.
As a practitioner, I am set apart from many because I combine the three pillars of mental wellness, yoga, and birth work and utilize all skills to inform my work with moms and families. I am proud that I came to facilitate healing in creative ways that go beyond talking to a therapist on the couch. We can dance, do yoga, brunch, and drum to heal. Healing has many faces.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Finding a mentor was absolutely a challenge for me over the years. I then learned that if you don’t find a mentor they choose you. I think the best thing a person can do is show up in the spaces they want to be mentored. Keep showing up and share what you are doing and where you want to go and people will eventually choose you.
Pricing:
- Maternal Mental Health Therapy $185
- Maternal Wellness Coach $185
- Doula Services $900-$2500
- Yoga Services $20-$250
- Workshops $150 +
Contact Info:
- Website: https://goldenaurawellnessms.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.doula.therapist/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoldenAuraWellnessCo/
Image Credits
Ashley Warren and Niketa Pechan
