Mansi Mehta, MS Ed., LSW – Staff Psychotherapist

My Background:

I have been very interested in working with the perinatal population for a long time for both personal and professional reasons. However, it has been a winding road to get here. After graduating from college, I became a middle school English teacher. I had a passion for working with children and believed in the power of education to make a difference in people’s lives. After having been a middle school teacher two years, I realized that what my students needed was more than I could give them in the classroom. In addition, the aspect of teaching I loved the most and excelled at was building relationships. I wanted to support children’s social-emotional development and their families. My career then took me down a path of exploring the complexity of what it meant to support children and adults this way. The many jobs that followed gave me the chance to work directly with people. Whether working with people who were struggling with loss from natural disasters or finding jobs after incarceration, these experiences transformed my understanding of perinatal and early childhood mental health and its importance.

Why I’m a Therapist:

At this stage of my life, so many of my friends and family members are going through or have recently gone through pregnancy and early motherhood. Watching them go through this experience has been humbling and inspiring – especially as they navigate through both the challenges and joys. What I enjoy the most about being a therapist is being present to each person and their unique story. It is an honor to be a part of your life and journey through a time that could be filled with many complicated feelings and experiences. I look forward to understanding what it is like to be you, from moment to moment, through curiosity and compassion. I value the therapeutic relationship because it involves trust, kindness, safety and acceptance – all of which are critical for the change and/or healing you’re looking for. I hope to be a partner in your healing process, whatever that might mean for you.

Education and Training:

I received my Master of Arts in Clinical Social Work from the University of Chicago. While in school, I worked at a high school with female adolescents in a group setting to develop social and emotional skills. During my second year, I transitioned to working with adults struggling with a variety of issues including but not limited to depression, anxiety, addiction and coming of age in the capacity of a therapist. I am currently doing a DBT fellowship with my former professor, Paul Holmes, PsyD, at the Emotional Management Program.