Dr. Marisa Perera | Miami Therapist | Postpartum Therapist

Meet Miami Therapist Dr. Marisa Perera, PhD

Dr. Perera is a clinical psychologist working with women.

Dr. Perera is also one of the country’s mental health experts in infertility, pregnancy, & postpartum.

Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Miami, FL, New York, & Michigan

Hello and Welcome.

I am so glad you are here! I am Dr. Marisa Perera, a clinical psychologist based out of Miami, Florida who works with women.

I was born and raised in Michigan. I’ve also lived in Chicago and have spent many years living in Miami.

I come from a South Asian background. My identities have deeply shaped my experiences and I am passionate about helping others navigate their various identities.

My mission is to empower women by helping them navigate the unexpected in stride so they can thrive.

Talk with Dr. Perera

Why choose to work with me?

Many of my clients come to me because they are having a hard time dealing with the unpredictability life is throwing their way.

It could be the end of a relationship with a partner they thought they’d grow old with.

It could be a job that isn’t valuing them the way at their full worth.

It could be injustice and unfairness they face because of the color of their skin.

It could be moving to a new city and feeling lonely.

It could be trying to get pregnant and being diagnosed with infertility.

It could be another failed IVF cycle.

It could be a miscarriage of a highly desired pregnancy.

If it feels like things are out of your control, I can help you handle the stress and unfairness of the unpredictability and lack of control you are facing so it doesn’t stop you from living your best life.

Get In Touch

Life may be throwing a lot at you. It may be overwhelming, lonely, and filled with moments where you feel like you just can’t win.

You don’t have to navigate it alone.

Reproductive & Perinatal Psychology

I also completed years of advanced training in reproductive and perinatal mental health and am one of the few reproductive psychologists in the country. As a reproductive psychologist, I pay extra care to the ways your reproductive health can impact your mental health.

As an example, many of my clients have had really painful periods throughout their life and notice that their mood changes based on where their cycle is at. They want to know how to handle this.

Others have been diagnosed with medical conditions like PCOS, endometriosis, or thyroid problems, and were told by doctors that they’d never get pregnant. These women see me when they want to be pregnant or find themselves unexpectedly pregnant.

My clients who are preparing for pregnancy or are pregnant often tell me they stopped or want to get off their mental health medications (like antidepressants or medications for anxiety). They want to know what is best for their baby’s health and non-medication ways to take care of their mental health.

I collaborate closely with medication-prescribing doctors who are also experts in reproductive and perinatal mental health and we all come up with a plan together that works best for you.

Because of my understanding of both women’s and men’s reproductive health and women’s mental health (including during pregnancy and postpartum), I can help you find healing if you’re experiencing something similar.

My Experiences

For myself, the stress of trying to figure out when to start trying to build a family, actually trying to conceive, having a high-risk pregnancy, being pregnant during the pandemic, parenting while trying to advance my career, and trying to keep the household together has been no picnic in the park during my own family building journey.

And I had years of specialty training working with women and moms before any of that!

My own reproductive journey and being a mother to my son and 2 dogs has made me even more certain that my mission is to help and empower as many women as I can, including women who want to be parents, and women who are parents.

Working With Me

Whatever life is throwing your way, I offer you a judgment-free, inclusive space to help you successfully navigate the current moment and move towards the future you imagine for yourself.

While our work may start with addressing uncomfortable symptoms you are experiencing, I believe my work doesn’t stop there. I make it my mission to help you not only reduce symptoms but also to truly thrive.

You are the expert in yourself and I believe in a highly collaborative experience. Therapy with me is curated to you, your needs, and your wants. Based on what you want from therapy, our therapy could include:

Gaining a deeper understanding of the root causes of the problems you are facing to stop them from continuing
How to finally overcome anxieties
Experiencing more meaningful relationships
Building a set of coping tools for difficult emotions, thoughts, and behaviors that you will have with you for the rest of your life
Resetting your body’s baseline to a more peaceful state

My approach is based in science, including affective neuroscience and attachment theory. The techniques I used are tailored to you and can include acceptance-commitment, cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, dialectical, mindfulness-focused, and/or trauma-focused approaches.

I care deeply about cultural dynamics and work to be sensitive to any showing up in your life. As a woman of a minority culture myself, the intersections of my personal identities have greatly impacted my life.

My Story

As a young student, I became confused by how much of our understanding about health has not considered the bodies or burdens of people with female reproductive organs or of minority identities.

My passion for supporting people in these groups just grew with time.

I sought out specialized training and was fortunate to become one of the few reproductive psychologists in the country.

My personal family building journey only made my passion for this work grow deeper.

Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI
PhD in Clinical Psychology from University of Miami in Coral Gables, FL
Chief Resident in Health Service Psychology at Bruce W. Carter Miami VA in Miami, FL where I helped start telehealth therapy services for pregnant people before the pandemic
Fellowship in Women’s Health at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, IL where I helped start fertility consultation and perinatal group therapy services
Prior to starting Natal Counseling, I worked as a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, treating people coping with fertility stress, postpartum and parenting stress, anxiety, depression, and trauma

Credentials

With a background of 10+ years of psychology research (see my research profile here), it is my mission to offer you therapy techniques that are backed by science.

I am certified in the below science-based therapies and skills and continue to get certified so I can keep providing you with the most up-to-date, evidence-based therapy.