Dr. Brower is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. After graduating at the top of her class from USC medical school, she went on to complete her Ob/Gyn residency and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility fellowship at UCLA. She served as an Assistant Clinical Professor at UCLA for several years where she developed a busy practice providing compassionate, personalized, patient centered care. Dr. Brower was recently recognized as one of LA’s Top Doctors by LA Magazine. Dr. Brower has multiple publications in the field of REI. Her areas of expertise include infertility, in vitro fertilization, fertility preservation, oocyte cryopreservation, recurrent pregnancy loss and PCOS.

Dr. Aimee Seungdamrong graduated cum laude with a degree in Chemistry from Cornell University. She earned her medical degree at The University of Texas Southwestern and did her residency at Parkland Memorial Hospital. She completed her training in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at New Jersey Medical School in Newark, New Jersey, where she continues to teach as an Assistant Professor at Rutgers Medical School. Dr. Seungdamrong has been practicing medicine for over 12 years. She loves providing excellent care to each and every one of her patients, as well as spending time with her family, her dog Luna, and doing dance aerobics.

Hyacinth Nicole Browne, MD is a board certified reproductive endocrinologist. She majored in Chemistry at Dartmouth College and graduated cum laude. She graduated from Yale University School of Medicine in 2002, and she completed her reproductive endocrinology and infertility fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Browne specializes in compassionate and personalized infertility care and she is devoted to helping couples achieve their dreams of having a family. She has authored numerous publications and is the recipient of various awards in medicine, research, and academics.

Lynn Marie Westphal, M.D., FACOG, graduated summa cum laude from Lawrence University, earned her M.D. degree at Stanford University, and did her residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at UCLA and Stanford University. She did a fellowship in molecular biology at Stanford University and completed her fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) at UCSF. Dr. Westphal joined the full-time faculty at Stanford University in 1998 and was a Professor in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Director of the Fertility Preservation Program, Director of the Third-Party Reproduction Program, and Director of the REI Fellowship. Her interest in fertility preservation for cancer survivors led her to set up one of the first oocyte cryopreservation programs in the country. She has held numerous national leadership positions and was the President of the Fertility Preservation Special Interest Group of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine from 2008-2009. She was the Director of Women’s Health at Stanford from 2005-2012. In 2012, she co-founded the Stanford Center for Health Research on Women and Sex Differences in Medicine (WSDM) and served as co-director of the program for two years.

Dr. Sasan is Kindbody’s Founding Physician and Chief Medical Officer of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Sasan is a board certified OB/GYN who completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC. She is an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and practiced there as a full time faculty member for 12 years prior to starting Kindbody. She has been rated one of NY Times Top Doctors. As a practicing clinician for 15 years she is dedicated to helping her patients with comprehensive care with a focus on providing an exceptional personalized experience. In clinics designed for the women of today, Dr. Sasan and her team provide fertility services, gynecology, low risk and high risk prenatal care, and wellness support – offering the first one-stop-shop for all women’s healthcare needs.

Dr. Nastaran Foyouzi is a board-certified subspecialist in both Reproductive Endocrinology and Medical Genetics by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) and American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ABMGG). Dr. Foyouzi completed her internship in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Yale University. Thereafter, she went on to complete her residency at Washington University in St. Louis, followed by her fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) at the University of California in San Francisco. After graduating from her fellowship training, Dr. Foyouzi was appointed to the faculty of the University of Michigan as a WRHR Scholar (NIH funded scholarship). In 2015, she decided to pursue training in medical genetics to add a new skill set to her expertise in REI. She completed her fellowship in Medical Genetics at UCLA, where she cared for patients with a broad range of genetic conditions. 

Dr. Foyouzi has authored and co-authored publications in leading peer-reviewed academic journals including Fertility and Sterility, Human Reproduction, and Obstetrics and Gynecology. She has also presented research at national conferences including those of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), the Society for Reproductive Investigation (SRI) and the Endocrine Society. Furthermore, Dr. Foyouzi is a reviewer for the Human Reproduction Journal and Obstetrics & Gynecology Journal (known as a Green Journal). She serves as an abstract reviewer for the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM).

Dr. Sicily Garvin joins Kindbody a Reproductive Endocrinologist, after completing her fellowship at Wayne State University. Her notable medical research continues to fuel her interest in embryo implantation and early pregnancy loss. She received her bachelor’s degree in biology from Emory University in Atlanta. After graduation, she worked at Emory University as a research assistant in a neurobiology laboratory. This sparked an interest in biomedical research and she earned a master’s degree in Biomedical Science from the Georgia-Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She then went on to receive a medical degree from Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. She became interested in the field of reproductive endocrinology and infertility while in medical school. As this specialty, combined her interests in endocrinology, women’s health and innovative research. Motivated by these interests she completed residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

Dr. Jasmine Pedroso, MD MPH, FACOG, grew up in San Diego, California as the daughter of Filipino immigrants. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley with a double major in Integrative Biology and Socio-Cultural Anthropology. After working for multiple nonprofit organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area, she attended the Harvard School of Public Health where she served as Harvard University Presidential Scholar and received her master’s degree in Public Health with a focus on Society, Human Development and Health, and a concentration in Women, Gender and Health. She then returned to California to attend medical school at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. After completing her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, which provides care to some of the most underserved populations in South Los Angeles County, she moved to Las Vegas to pursue more specialized surgical training through the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery. Jasmine has a special interest in the most minimally-invasive, technologically advanced, cosmetic, and fertility-preserving and enhancing approaches to chronic pelvic pain, endometriosis, female sexual dysfunction, fibroids, incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. She is especially passionate about women’s health advocacy and increasing access to minimally invasive surgery for underserved communities both nationally and internationally, having done work in the Philippines, Cambodia, Uganda, Mexico, Guatemala, and most recently Puerto Rico.

Dr Christie Messenger received her undergraduate degrees in Biochemistry and Psychology from the University of Missouri – Columbia where she then continued on to pursue her medical degree. She completed her residency at Mt Sinai Hospital fulfilling a lifelong dream of living and working in Manhattan. Dr Messenger is board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Prior to joining Kindbody, Dr Messenger worked with several underserved populations in New York City and most recently comes from a private practice. With over 10 years in the field, Dr Messenger looks forward to both bringing her expertise to the table and learning everything that Kindbody has to offer.  Outside of the office, Dr Messenger is an avid sports fan and theater supporter. In current times, you will find her catching a game on tv, but she is anxiously awaiting the time when she can safely return to stadiums and theaters.

Dr. Rebecca Nelken joins Kindbody as the Ob/Gyn in our Los Angeles market! Dr. Rebecca Nelken is a pelvic and reconstructive surgeon. She is one of the few physicians to be board certified in both OB/GYN and Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. She has two practice locations, Century City and Santa Monica. Dr. Nelken is also an Assistant Professor of Clinical Obstetrics & Gynecology and Resident Education Specialist at the USC Keck School of Medicine.

Dr. Nelken’s major areas of research include pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence and medical education. She has published extensively in peer reviewed journals, and authored book chapters on various subjects related to women’s pelvic health.
She is an active member of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Urogynecologic Society.

After graduating from Columbia College, Columbia University, in New York with a BA in history, Dr. Nelken earned her medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC). She went on to perform an internship and residency in obstetrics and gynecology and a fellowship in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery, all at USC.

Dr. Anupama Rambhatla, MD is an OB/GYN physician in the Bay Area. A native of Southern California, she attended University of California, Los Angeles where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychobiology as a College Honors graduate. She received her medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine where she was active in global healthcare and advocacy. She stayed on to complete her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Wayne State University/Detroit Medical Center, training in one of the most high-risk and underserved populations in Detroit. After completing her OB/GYN training, Dr. Rambhatla pursued a fellowship in Minimally Invasive and Reproductive Surgery through the American Society of Reproductive Surgeons/Society of Reproductive Surgeons in Palo Alto, CA, with a special emphasis on treating endometriosis with fertility-preserving techniques. She has authored several peer-reviewed papers in well recognized journals, including Fertility and Sterility and Reproductive Sciences. She is thrilled to be a part of the KindBody family, and excited to explore all the wonderful things sunny California has to offer.

Dr. Bendikson did her residency training in OB/GYN at Harvard and completed her reproductive endocrine and infertility fellowship training at Cornell. She is a California native, having graduated from UCLA with honors. After first leaving Los Angeles for NYU Medical School, she finally returned after training to become an assistant professor at the USC Keck School of Medicine.

Dr. Bendikson was a leader at USC Fertility for over a decade. Dr. Bendikson founded the Center for Pregnancy Loss for patients who have suffered from pregnancy loss and miscarriage. Dr. Bendikson also founded the Fertility Diagnostics Program at USC, to provide a way for young adults to better understand their reproductive potential to help them make educated choices for their future.

She is a nationally recognized leader in the fertility field. She has been the Chair of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine’s (ASRM) Patient Education Committee since 2016 and serves as a member of the ASRM Practice Committee. She is on the board of the ASRM Early Pregnancy Loss Special Interest group and served as President in 2020. She has been recognized for many years as one of LA’s Top Doctors by Los Angeles Magazine.

Dr. Bendikson has presented her award-winning research at both national and international conferences. She has authored numerous publications on a wide variety of topics including the effects of Vitamin D on implantation, IVF for women of advanced maternal age, egg freezing, IVF outcomes in women of different ethnicities, and sex selection of embryos.

It is her goal to provide the highest quality care for her patients and to help them fulfill their desire of having a healthy baby, whether that be now or in the future. In addition, she strives to guide her patients through what can be a trying and difficult journey by providing them with the support and personal attention they need and deserve.

Dr. Kristen Cain is a board-certified Ob/Gyn and Reproductive Endocrinologist who has worked in infertility since completing her fellowship at UCLA in 1995. She was an Assistant Professor at SUNY Stony Brook, before moving on to help start a private practice in Long Island, which grew to the largest infertility practice on Long Island, and the third largest in New York state. She also developed the donor egg and fertility preservation programs while there, opening the first egg bank on Long Island. Dr. Cain moved back to her home state of Minnesota in 2012 to be closer to her family, and was one of three REI doctors serving the entire region of North Dakota, northern Minnesota and eastern Montana. While there, she became a women’s health advocate at the state and national level, working toward improving access to care for infertility patients. Dr. Cain graduated from Jamestown College in North Dakota, and completed medical school at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She completed an internship in Internal Medicine at UVA in Charlottesville, VA before returning to Johns Hopkins for her residency in Ob/Gyn.

Dr. Melinda Henne is joining the Kindbody team with private practice, academic, and military experience. Dr. Henne always knew medicine was her calling, and became excited about caring for women with fertility struggles in high school as she watched her older brother and his wife struggle to conceive. She completed undergraduate education at Georgetown University with a degree in Government Studies before joining the military to complete her medical education at the Medical University of South Carolina. She completed her Ob/Gyn residency in the military and ultimately completed her Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Stanford University. While at Stanford, Dr. Henne also obtained a Master’s Degree in Health Services Research. She then served in the Air Force and gained experience as the Director of the Infertility Program at Walter Reed Military Medical Center. She was on faculty for the REI and Minimally Invasive Surgery fellowships at NIH and Uniformed Services University for Health Services. After retiring from the Air Force as a Colonel, she was appointed Associate Professor at University of South Florida before she moved to private practice. Dr. Henne is excited about the opportunity to improve access and provision of women’s health care and fertility treatment at Kindbody. She will be starting in Los Altos, but will ultimately have flexibility to travel and provide services supporting other clinics across the country. Outside of medicine, Dr. Henne is passionate about her rescue dogs, finding great vegan food, and spending time in the great outdoors. The top of her bucket list is to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro and visit Mt. Everest Base Camp.

Dr. Jennifer Mushtaler, affectionately known as “Ob Jen”, is an experienced and respected obstetrician, gynecologist and minimally invasive surgeon. She has been honored to be named a Top Doctor by Texas Monthly and Best of the Best by the Austin American Statesman. Patients say Dr. Mushtaler is warm and caring, but easy with a laugh and friendly smile. One of her lifelong patients explained, “I knew at that moment that she was really caring about me!”

Dr. Mushtaler graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin. Hook ’em! She earned her doctorate at UT Southwestern Parkland Memorial Hospital and completed her residency in Fort Worth, Texas, at John Peter Smith Hospital. In 2010 she founded a successful boutique private practice providing comprehensive care to women of all ages. During that time she completed her DaVinci robotics certification and was one of the first physicians in the country to offer the Acessa procedure for the treatment of uterine fibroids.

Dr. Mushtaler is married and she and her husband are proud parents of two daughters. They enjoy participating in triathlon and running events. Dr. Mushtaler has volunteered her service on a Medicaid advisory committee, the Texas department of Health and Human Services and as president of her limited district.

Dr. Lana Lipkin is a board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) with over 13 years of experience providing compassionate reproductive care to patients in the New York City metro area. She grew up in Brooklyn and after completing her residency in NorthShore University Hospital (now Northwell) she returned to New York City to practice Ob/Gyn: first, at Maimonides Medical Center and thereafter, at Columbia University. After seven years at Columbia University, her interest in female infertility and reproductive health lead her to make the transition to New Hope Fertility Center. After four years at New Hope Fertility, Dr. Lipkin is grateful for the opportunity to join the Kindbody team at such an exciting time.

Dr. Ikhena-Abel obtained her medical degree from the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and completed her residency in Ob/Gyn at the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine in Worcester, MA. She completed her fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Northwestern University. She considers it a privilege to help patients grow their families. Dr. Ikhena-Abel specializes in caring for several women’s health conditions including infertility, fertility preservation, polycystic ovarian syndrome, uterine fibroids, polycystic ovarian syndrome, recurrent pregnancy loss and irregular or absent periods. She is a reviewer for Fertility and Sterility and the Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics. She also serves as an abstract reviewer for the American Society of Reproductive Medicine.

Malgorzata E. Skaznik-Wikiel, MD is a board-certified Reproductive Endocrinologist. She graduated cum laude from the Medical University of Warsaw in 2002. She then completed postdoctoral fellowship in Reproductive Biology at Harvard Medical School followed by residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic. She completed her fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of Colorado where she then served as an Assistant Professor and a Reproductive Endocrinologist. During her time at the University of Colorado she received multiple prestigious grants and awards in the field of Reproductive Medicine.

She feels truly fortunate to be able to help her patients to achieve their dreams of becoming parents and realizes that each patient is unique. Her areas of expertise and research include diet and fertility, PCOS, fertility preservation, and access to fertility care. Dr. Skaznik-Wikiel has authored multiple publications in leading peer-reviewed journals and over 55 conference abstracts. She is the current Chair of the ASRM Nutrition Special Interest Group.

Dr. Cowan has specialized in treating men with infertility for over 20 years. He received his medical degree with honors and completed his urology residency and fellowship at Stanford University School of Medicine. He remains committed to helping couples who struggle with infertility issues. He has published multiple scientific articles and authored a chapter on a commonly read fertility book.

Dr. Rachel Blair Danis is proud to be a part of the Kindbody team as a Reproductive Endocrinologist. Dr. Danis graduated from Barnard College at Columbia University and earned her medical degree at Drexel University College of Medicine. She completed her residency training in Obstetrics & Gynecology at Hahnemann University Hospital at Drexel University and was appointed Chief Resident. She then completed her fellowship training in Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility at the University of Southern California while simultaneously completing a Masters of Science in Clinical, Biomedical, and Translational Investigation. Dr. Danis has a passion for academic medicine and research, which has led her to present at national conferences and publish in world-renowned journals. Dr. Danis believes in increasing awareness of women’s and reproductive health issues. She is devoted to providing the highest quality of care to her patients. In her spare time, Dr. Danis enjoys taking ballet classes and trying the latest HIIT workout.

Dr. Holly Mehr MD, MSEd, FACOG joins Kindbody as a Reproductive Endocrinologist and Reproductive Surgeon. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude from Wesleyan University with a degree in psychology and American ethnic studies. She then worked as a public school teacher in the Bronx, NY through Teach For America. She simultaneously earned her Masters Degree in Education at Bank Street School of Education. After making the difficult decision to transition to medicine, she went on to receive a medical degree from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Her passion for women’s health and reproductive justice lead to a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at New York University Medical Center. There, she discovered her love for family building, access to care and evidence based medicine which lead her to pursue dual fellowship training in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery and reproductive endocrinology. Her research interests include factors influencing embryo quality and embryo implantation, the effect of metabolism of ovarian function, as well as strategies to improve access to fertility care and patient education. She sees her role as an educator, partner and advocate for her patients along their fertility journey. Outside of work she enjoys spending time outdoors with her family in the California sunshine.

Dr. Kathiresan is board certified in both Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and Obstetrics & Gynecology. She is a native of Marietta, Georgia. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University and medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia (MCG). While at MCG, she was active in health disparities advocacy, which earned her a national leadership award from the American Medical Association. She went on to complete her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Miami/ Jackson Memorial Hospital and fellowship training in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Kathiresan has extensively published in many peer-reviewed scientific journals. After completing her training, she moved to Texas and developed a busy clinical practice committed to compassionate, individualized patient-centered care. She is devoted to helping couples achieve their dreams of building a family. She is also passionate about promoting fertility education awareness through various social media platforms (@anukathiresanmd on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Youtube). She was awarded “Rising Star Super Doc,” “Texas Top Doc,” and “Top Doctor” by Houstonia Magazine for several consecutive years. She has many years of experience in all areas of infertility including IVF, IUI, recurrent pregnancy loss, fertility preservation and oocyte cryopreservation.

Dr. Jackman is an accomplished board certified Ob/Gyn, with a passion for reproductive endocrinology and infertility. She has an intrinsic desire to help families meet their reproductive goals, while stretching the boundaries of modern medicine. Dr. Jackman obtained her Bachelor of Medical Sciences degree as well as her Medical Degree from the University of The West Indies St Augustine. She then specialized as an Ob/Gyn at The Brooklyn Hospital Center, graduating at the top of her class with research on reproductive health. She is an excellent skilled surgeon with extensive experience in performing both laparoscopic and robotic surgery and completed a fellowship in minimally invasive reproductive surgery with a focus on fibroids and endometriosis.

Dr. Jackman is an active researcher and honoree of many awards. She has published manuscripts in high-quality medical journals. She is passionate about patient education and is an avid patient advocate. She loves sharing knowledge. As such she teaches resident physicians and medical students alike as well as writes Board Preparation questions in OBGYN. She also hosts and participates in many patients’ education and awareness seminars both locally and internationally. Dr. Jackman strives daily to provide a comfortable and caring environment in order to ensure that her patients are fully able to get their reproductive needs and goals addressed ensuring that they fully understand the process and that they participate actively in their care.

Dr. Walker graduated from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, completed her Urology residency at University of California San Francisco, and her fellowship in male fertility and microsurgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Dr. Walker also received her MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. Her research focuses on quality improvement and tele-health to deliver exceptional male fertility care.

VIE HEALING was created by Mona Dan: Acupuncturist, herbalist, holistic lifestyle leader, and passionate health educator. VIE HEALING brings evidence based eastern wellness treatments, products, and practitioners together to comprise a holistic approach for the mind, body and spirit. 

Our curation gives our community a haven of relaxation to live happier, healthier, fuller lives — with pop-up and visiting partners constantly refreshing our perspective and keeping us current.

VIE HEALING represents a holistic lifestyle that goes far beyond health fads, juicing and quick fixes. It’s a healing medicine, merged together with the wisdom of the east and the knowledge of the west, offered for those seeking out wellness, healing and longevity.

People come to us to find the root of issues, gain a new perspective on health + wellness, and high-powered natural remedies.

Maya Grobel is a California Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and psychotherapist in private practice in West Los Angeles and for Kindbody fertility clinics in California, where she specializes in supporting individuals and couples struggling to conceive or building their family in alternative ways. Maya and her TV producer husband Noah made a feature length film documenting their tumultuous journey to parenthood, which ended with the birth of their daughter via embryo donation in 2015. The film, called One More Shot, debuted on Netflix in January 2018 and is now available on Vimeo on Demand. Maya recently received a grant through U.S. Health and Human Services Department to support an organization she co-founded called EM•POWER donation, an educational company focused on empowering choice in embryo donation.

Kristen Levitt is a graduate from Columbia University’s School of Social Work. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in NJ, specializing in women’s reproductive and maternal mental health issues including infertility, pregnancy loss, pregnancy termination, pregnancy after infertility and loss, third party reproduction, birth trauma and postpartum mood and anxiety disorders.

Kristen has worked in psychiatric inpatient unit, psychiatric outpatient program, partial hospital, intensive outpatient, middle school, high school and university settings inanition to the past nine years in private practice.

She has her Certification in Perinatal Mental Health, PMH-C, is a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the Mental Health Professional Group, Resolve: The National Infertility Association, National Association of Social Workers and Postpartum Support International. 

Dr. Sasan is Kindbody’s Founding Physician and Chief Medical Officer of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Sasan is a board certified OB/GYN who completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC. She is an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and practiced there as a full time faculty member for 12 years prior to starting Kindbody. She has been rated one of NY Times Top Doctors. As a practicing clinician for 15 years she is dedicated to helping her patients with comprehensive care with a focus on providing an exceptional personalized experience. In clinics designed for the women of today, Dr. Sasan and her team provide fertility services, gynecology, low risk and high risk prenatal care, and wellness support – offering the first one-stop-shop for all women’s healthcare needs.

Dr Christie Messenger received her undergraduate degrees in Biochemistry and Psychology from the University of Missouri – Columbia where she then continued on to pursue her medical degree. She completed her residency at Mt Sinai Hospital fulfilling a lifelong dream of living and working in Manhattan. Dr Messenger is board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Prior to joining Kindbody, Dr Messenger worked with several underserved populations in New York City and most recently comes from a private practice. With over 10 years in the field, Dr Messenger looks forward to both bringing her expertise to the table and learning everything that Kindbody has to offer.  Outside of the office, Dr Messenger is an avid sports fan and theater supporter. In current times, you will find her catching a game on tv, but she is anxiously awaiting the time when she can safely return to stadiums and theaters.

Hyacinth Nicole Browne, MD is a board certified reproductive endocrinologist. She majored in Chemistry at Dartmouth College and graduated cum laude. She graduated from Yale University School of Medicine in 2002, and she completed her reproductive endocrinology and infertility fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Browne specializes in compassionate and personalized infertility care and she is devoted to helping couples achieve their dreams of having a family. She has authored numerous publications and is the recipient of various awards in medicine, research, and academics.

Dr. Nastaran Foyouzi is a board-certified subspecialist in both Reproductive Endocrinology and Medical Genetics by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) and American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ABMGG). Dr. Foyouzi completed her internship in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Yale University. Thereafter, she went on to complete her residency at Washington University in St. Louis, followed by her fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) at the University of California in San Francisco. After graduating from her fellowship training, Dr. Foyouzi was appointed to the faculty of the University of Michigan as a WRHR Scholar (NIH funded scholarship). In 2015, she decided to pursue training in medical genetics to add a new skill set to her expertise in REI. She completed her fellowship in Medical Genetics at UCLA, where she cared for patients with a broad range of genetic conditions. 

Dr. Foyouzi has authored and co-authored publications in leading peer-reviewed academic journals including Fertility and Sterility, Human Reproduction, and Obstetrics and Gynecology. She has also presented research at national conferences including those of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), the Society for Reproductive Investigation (SRI) and the Endocrine Society. Furthermore, Dr. Foyouzi is a reviewer for the Human Reproduction Journal and Obstetrics & Gynecology Journal (known as a Green Journal). She serves as an abstract reviewer for the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM).

Dr. Aimee Seungdamrong graduated cum laude with a degree in Chemistry from Cornell University. She earned her medical degree at The University of Texas Southwestern and did her residency at Parkland Memorial Hospital. She completed her training in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at New Jersey Medical School in Newark, New Jersey, where she continues to teach as an Assistant Professor at Rutgers Medical School. Dr. Seungdamrong has been practicing medicine for over 12 years. She loves providing excellent care to each and every one of her patients, as well as spending time with her family, her dog Luna, and doing dance aerobics.

Dr. Jasmine Pedroso, MD MPH, FACOG, grew up in San Diego, California as the daughter of Filipino immigrants. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley with a double major in Integrative Biology and Socio-Cultural Anthropology. After working for multiple nonprofit organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area, she attended the Harvard School of Public Health where she served as Harvard University Presidential Scholar and received her master’s degree in Public Health with a focus on Society, Human Development and Health, and a concentration in Women, Gender and Health. She then returned to California to attend medical school at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. After completing her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, which provides care to some of the most underserved populations in South Los Angeles County, she moved to Las Vegas to pursue more specialized surgical training through the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery. Jasmine has a special interest in the most minimally-invasive, technologically advanced, cosmetic, and fertility-preserving and enhancing approaches to chronic pelvic pain, endometriosis, female sexual dysfunction, fibroids, incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. She is especially passionate about women’s health advocacy and increasing access to minimally invasive surgery for underserved communities both nationally and internationally, having done work in the Philippines, Cambodia, Uganda, Mexico, Guatemala, and most recently Puerto Rico.

Lynn Marie Westphal, M.D., FACOG, graduated summa cum laude from Lawrence University, earned her M.D. degree at Stanford University, and did her residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at UCLA and Stanford University. She did a fellowship in molecular biology at Stanford University and completed her fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) at UCSF. Dr. Westphal joined the full-time faculty at Stanford University in 1998 and was a Professor in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Director of the Fertility Preservation Program, Director of the Third-Party Reproduction Program, and Director of the REI Fellowship. Her interest in fertility preservation for cancer survivors led her to set up one of the first oocyte cryopreservation programs in the country. She has held numerous national leadership positions and was the President of the Fertility Preservation Special Interest Group of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine from 2008-2009. She was the Director of Women’s Health at Stanford from 2005-2012. In 2012, she co-founded the Stanford Center for Health Research on Women and Sex Differences in Medicine (WSDM) and served as co-director of the program for two years.

I am a clinical psychologist who loves to work with women in all stages of life, especially those who have struggled with reproductive challenges and infertility and those who are pregnant or postpartum after infertility struggles. I have professional training in maternal mental health and infertility and personal experience with the incredibly complicated and emotional world of assisted reproduction. I believe that you have the wisdom and clarity to make the best decisions in your life, and my role is to help you learn to listen to your mind and body to get in touch with what that is. I practice a combined approach that includes CBT therapy, EMDR, and mindfulness-based therapy techniques. I often find that women need help giving themselves permission to rest, receive, and recover and I aim to be a voice to encourage that. I would love to support you wherever you are in this process. LGBTQ and BIPOC affirming.

Kristen Kennard is a licensed professional counselor and psychotherapist specializing in Women’s Mental and Reproductive Health and Marriage/Relationship counseling. She offers compassionate, behavioral health services to address challenges related to: Adjustment/Life Transitions, Anxiety, Depression, Stress, Fertility & Gynecological conditions, Pre/Post-Pregnancy, Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders, Birth Trauma & Loss, Pre-Marital/Marital, Behavioral health provider-to-provider consultation.

Dr. Ciara Byrne completed her graduate studies at Columbia University and the University of Vermont, having studied as an undergraduate at University College Dublin. She has trained extensively in using Mindfulness based therapies, including the Mind/Body program for women experiencing infertility at the Domar Center, Boston IVF. She serves as the Clinical Director of Sage Fertility, and is also currently enrolled in the two-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training program, through the Awareness Training Institute with Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield.

Ciara has conducted research and published papers on the impact of mindfulness practices on reducing anxiety, depression, and increasing overall well-being.

Throughout the years I have been baffled and perplexed by the way society views speaking about reproductive issues as a form of taboo. Individuals are expected NOT to talk about their reproductive struggles; while others are allowed to ask about their family dreams. Even though this is sadly a common occurrence, there are not many places out there offering support to these individuals…until now!

During my master’s program, I spent my time reading, researching, and learning as much as I could about how to best counsel those experiencing reproductive losses &/or struggles. I have, also, completed Level 1 and Level 2 Gottman Couple’s Therapy. Because, reproductive issues DO NOT just affect one partner, it affects the couple as a whole.

I graduated with honors with my master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Even though my education has been completed, that does not mean I have stopped learning. I have made it my mission to read, learn, and participate in as much education & training’s, as I can, regarding reproductive issues and couples’ therapy.

I love what I do and specialize everything I do to fit with my clients’ preferences and unique needs to “Rediscover You”.

After more than a decade as a yoga teacher and studio owner and almost as long as a structural yoga therapist – Nicole’s own journey of trying to become pregnant, pregnancy, loss, rainbow pregnancy, home birth and getting back into her body after baby showed her just how little we support our women through fertility and made her decide to devote herself to pre and postnatal care and empowerment.

She profoundly shares the philosophy that pregnancy, birth and labor are spiritual and strength based actions and if we prepare for the marathon of motherhood we get to be present to it and enjoy it so much more!

Currently Nicole works with a small group of private clients working through all different aspects of the fertility and motherhood journey. When working with clients Nicole works to create customized whole life strength based practices tailored to the yogi/yogini she is working with. Nicole is also leading mom’s groups for Union Square Play, is their in-house expert on all things mama wellness and is in the process of planning the first Informed and Empowered Birth conference coming in the spring of 2022.

Sari Broda is a Certified Child Sleep Consultant whose mission is to empower parents to feel confident about their baby’s sleep. She is also a Certified Lactation Counselor and a Child Behavior Specialist, which allows her to provide parents and their babies with a very holistic and unique approach to sleep. Sari works with parents of children ages 0-6 years old.

Bonnie is a holistic functional nutritionist who specializes in women’s health. She addresses the root cause of troubling symptoms through diet and lifestyle modifications. Her private clients and program participants describe finding new awareness and tools to optimally fuel full-body wellness. Bonnie lives in Berkeley, CA where she serves an international client base through a 100% virtual consultancy.

Hi! I’m Emily. I am a midwife and lactation consultant with 10 years of experience working with birthing and growing families. I have a background in out-of-hospital birth, clinical lactation services and years of personal breastfeeding experience. I feel honored to have worked with hundreds of families to find real solutions to their baby feeding challenges, I am passionate about meeting parents where they are, connecting them to resources, and helping to create a sustainable support plan beyond one-on-one care.

I love adventuring in the forests of Washington with my 2 little boys, horseback riding, cooking, and drinking really good black coffee.

Tonya Wood is a licensed psychologist who has over 20 years of clinical and teaching experience. She earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Virginia and currently serves as the Director of Clinical Training in the Psy.D. program at Pepperdine University. She has a private practice in the greater Los Angeles area, with an emphasis on relationships, women’s health and infertility.

Throughout her career Dr. Wood has worked in a variety of academic and community settings with a particular focus on providing quality services to marginalized populations. She has extensive supervision and teaching experience and has provided numerous public presentations on various subjects such as cultural diversity, clinical supervision, community violence; adaptations of evidence based practices for community mental health, self-care and professional development. She is a member of the American Psychological Association, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and was 2020 President of the California Psychological Association.

Dr. Lindsey Buckman is a licensed psychologist in Phoenix, AZ. Dr. Buckman has an inclusive
and collaborative style, which allows patients to feel affirmed and empowered as they work
through their treatment goals. Dr. Buckman has specialties in the areas of anxiety, chronic
medical conditions, depression, fertility, LGBTQIA+ issues and weight management. In addition
to her practice, she is a faculty member in Counseling and Counseling Psychology at Arizona
State University and she is active in the American Psychological Association. She is an avid
traveler and endurance athlete.

Sofia Adler, M.A. is a meditation teacher and personal development coach who believes that we all have a higher version of self that’s waiting to be unleashed. That tapping into this version of self is how you unlock what’s holding you back to get unstuck, take action, and achieve your potential.

The way to do it? Leverage the power of your mind.

Sofia incorporates her Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology and Education (concentration in mind body practice), expertise in mindfulness and background working in the high-growth, fast-paced startup industry into all of her work with clients. 

Book with Sofia:
Guided Meditation – BOOK HERE
Return to Work Coaching – BOOK HERE

Amy Bennett believes that it takes courage to live authentically and to live authentically is to plumb the breadth and depth of human existence with all of its inherent joy and pain. We can
acknowledge that suffering is part of the human journey and that these struggles are inevitable, but also opportunities for growth and greater wellness. To Amy, it’s a privilege to
provide compassionate companionship in times of difficulty, struggle, and suffering and in times of
growth, change, and celebration.
Amy provides integrative clinical mental health counseling for individuals, couples,
families, and small groups. Counseling is provided from an eclectic theoretical perspective with an
emphasis in existential and cognitive-behavioral theory.
She believes holistic treatment is the most efficacious mode of therapy. Thus, a client’s
wellness is addressed inclusive of biological, psychological, social, and spiritual factors.

Amy Bennett, MA, LGPC, NCC is a Clinical Mental Health Therapist serving Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Her specialties include: Collaborative Problem Solving, Trauma Care, Integrative Counseling PTSD, Adoption and Attachment Related Issues, and Biofeedback.

I help people who dream about being that perfect mom while seeming to juggle it all on social media but in reality, you know you feel suffocated by mom guilt. I can teach you ways to ignore that inner critic so you can be gracious with yourself when you mess up.

I know from my own journey that being a mom can be completely overwhelming and you may feel like you are losing your identity. I’d love to help you through this time so that you can boost your confidence in your parenting skills and create memories that make you feel like you can handle life’s unexpected moments.

Motherhood doesn’t have to suck. I am honored to work with my clients to celebrate their wins, accept life’s difficulties, embrace our imperfections, and create a better community for the people in our lives.

I believe that moms who trust their own strength will change the world. If your inner critic is constantly telling you that you are a bad mom and you want to feel like yourself again, then please contact me.

Carmen is passionate about supporting women in childbirth, and captivated by the miracle of new life. Originally from Nicaragua, Carmen immigrated to San Francisco with her family when she was a little girl. Through her family’s challenges, she learned the power of supporting and being supported by others and comes from a family of strong, creative and resilient women who have inspired her to love people.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Santa Clara University and a master’s degree from the Wheaton College Graduate School where she studied spiritual formation. She has experience supporting birth at home, in the hospital and at free standing birth centers. She is happy to support you in whatever setting you choose. She is a DONA certified birth doula. She is Rebozo certified, Hypnobabies trained, and a new Evidence Based Birth® Instructor.

Marissa Nelson is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) and AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) and Sexuality Educator (CSE) who helps couples experiencing infertility to learn the specific psycho-emotional skills to break free from isolation, shame and fear, and start enjoying deep connection on their path to parenthood. Her extensive clinical knowledge of couples issues yet accessible and contemporary style makes couples and sex therapy conversational, warm and fun.

An internationally recognized expert, she is the creator of IntimacyIVF and IntimacyMoons Therapy Couples Retreats, rated by Women’s Health and Bustle Magazines as one of the top couples retreats worldwide. She has also been frequently featured in over 75 national and international media publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, CBC, CNN Health, Glamour, Latina and Black Enterprise.

Marissa graduated with a Master’s in Marriage & Family Therapy from Drexel University where she received the Department of Family Therapy Service Award. Marissa also pursued post-graduate studies, receiving a Certificate in Sexual Health & Sex Therapy from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. She is pursuing a second Masters Degree in Education Entrepreneurship from the University of Pennsylvania.

Toby Richman comes to Kindbody with a stunning whole-body approach to better movement. She has embraced guiding clients to learn ease of movement, mobility and strength through her skills as a Pilates rehabilitator and 20+ years in women’s health, specializing in pelvic floor health.

Book with Toby:
Pelvic Floor Bodywork – BOOK HERE
Healing Movement – BOOK HERE

Toby loves the daily challenge of matching client needs with unique personal solutions. Her focus is treating the whole person, going beyond the complaint of pain; paying close attention to learn how each person moves through the day and flows through their life.

Toby is a passionate lover of daily cycling and yoga, hiking, nordic skiing and snowboarding, her family, her friends, her gardens, laughing and all dogs! She adores helping women learn to move with unrestricted grace.

Natasha is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who works with families and individuals (adults and children). Her areas of clinical interest include working with adoption (fostering, kinship, and international), attachment, anxiety, and women’s health. Natasha is trained in Prepare/Enrich for premarital counseling and psychological first aid. When working with Natasha you can expect a provider who is compassionate, genuine, and nurturing. Natasha’s therapeutic style is focused on holistic, solutions-oriented care that allows you to address what feels more important to you.

Natasha has worked in a variety of settings, such as domestic violence shelters, schools, community-based, in-home, group home, and outpatient care since 2012. Her approach is influenced by attachment theory, experiential therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and systems theory.

Alissa Alissa (she/her) is a Women’s Health Expert & Motherhood Advocate, author of Unstuck: From Understudy To The Study Of Your Undercarriage, and host of the podcast Myth of Motherhood who is all about cracking open the taboo topics of pregnancy and motherhood. A former Broadway performer and certified Pilates instructor specializing in pelvic health, she uses movement, mindfulness, and good ol’ education to help you stop suffering in silence so that your journey to and through motherhood can be healing and empowering stages of life. By sharing women’s stories, she believes we can initiate change toward better reproductive care. Alissa is a very excited mom and loves practicing cartwheels and handstands with her son.

Karen is a mental health professional, licensed as a Marital and Family Therapist with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Education, and a Master’s degree in Marriage & Family Therapy. Combining her education and clinical experience with her passion for medical science Karen focused the last 25 years in Third-Party Reproduction ~ helping build families requiring gamete donation and/or gestational surrogacy.

The role and services of a mental health provider is subject to the unique needs of each client. People using ART/Assisted Reproductive Technology come with different histories, challenges, questions, and concerns. Talking through important emotional considerations helps provide both a solid foundation for medical efforts and a clear path forward in the midst of a complex journey.

Services provided include psychological interviews for all parties, IVF consultations, education, resources, and emotional support. In addition to meeting with clients Karen interacts with physicians, family law attorneys, donor/surrogate agencies, and clinical staff to offer each client the best “team” approach.

Building families is both a professional and personal endeavor. Karen with her husband Dennis share the joys and challenges of parenting their twin teens (a result of IVF and egg donation). The family resides in Orange County, California and together they enjoy traveling, sports, being in nature, and spending time with friends.

ADJUNCTIVE EXPERIENCE & MEMBERSHIPS:
ACADEMIC AFFILIATION:
Azusa Pacific University, Adjunct professor. Teaching several graduate courses for the Department of Professional Psychology, including Introduction to Clinical Practice and Legal, Ethical, and Moral Issues for Marital and Family Therapists.

MEMBERSHIPS:
AAMFT / American Association of Marital and Family Therapists
ASRM / American Society Reproductive Medicine/Mental Health Professionals
SEEDS / Society for Ethics, Egg Donation & Surrogacy

Deborah is a licensed Clinical Social worker,  licensed in NY and NJ. She works with women in all and any part of their fertility journey- From the beginning when learning about challenges and options, those going through treatments, those recovering from loss and more. Fertility struggles can cause a range of negative emotions and issues such as anxiety, anger, grief, guilt, blame and uncertainty. Your mind has such a great impact on your body and your fertility. She loves providing support and emotional tools for women going through their journey to motherhood.

Deborah is knowledgeable about fertility, the choices that need to be made and the range of emotions that accompanies this process. She works with women towards being on a healthy path towards emotional well-being and feeling more in control and less isolated.

Amber Lopez Molnar is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and psychotherapist for Kindbody Fertility Clinics in California.  She specializes in Infertility, LGBT Issues/Family Building and Perinatal Mental Health.  Amber and her wife Lindsay have a personal connection with infertility as they conceived their twin boys after undergoing years of infertility treatments using donor sperm.  After going through this process herself, Amber realized how crucial it is to have support for mental health during this time.  Additionally, she holds a Perinatal Mental Health Certificate from Postpartum Support International and has completed training at Postpartum Action Institute.  Amber is passionate and committed to helping individuals and families from conception through Postpartum. 

Dr. Aimee Seungdamrong graduated cum laude with a degree in Chemistry from Cornell University. She earned her medical degree at The University of Texas Southwestern and did her residency at Parkland Memorial Hospital. She completed her training in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at New Jersey Medical School in Newark, New Jersey, where she continues to teach as an Assistant Professor at Rutgers Medical School. Dr. Seungdamrong has been practicing medicine for over 12 years. She loves providing excellent care to each and every one of her patients, as well as spending time with her family, her dog Luna, and doing dance aerobics.

Dr. Brower is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. After graduating at the top of her class from USC medical school, she went on to complete her Ob/Gyn residency and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility fellowship at UCLA. She served as an Assistant Clinical Professor at UCLA for several years where she developed a busy practice providing compassionate, personalized, patient centered care. Dr. Brower was recently recognized as one of LA’s Top Doctors by LA Magazine. Dr. Brower has multiple publications in the field of REI. Her areas of expertise include infertility, in vitro fertilization, fertility preservation, oocyte cryopreservation, recurrent pregnancy loss and PCOS.

Hyacinth Nicole Browne, MD is a board certified reproductive endocrinologist. She majored in Chemistry at Dartmouth College and graduated cum laude. She graduated from Yale University School of Medicine in 2002, and she completed her reproductive endocrinology and infertility fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Browne specializes in compassionate and personalized infertility care and she is devoted to helping couples achieve their dreams of having a family. She has authored numerous publications and is the recipient of various awards in medicine, research, and academics.

Lynn Marie Westphal, M.D., FACOG, graduated summa cum laude from Lawrence University, earned her M.D. degree at Stanford University, and did her residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at UCLA and Stanford University. She did a fellowship in molecular biology at Stanford University and completed her fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) at UCSF. Dr. Westphal joined the full-time faculty at Stanford University in 1998 and was a Professor in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Director of the Fertility Preservation Program, Director of the Third-Party Reproduction Program, and Director of the REI Fellowship. Her interest in fertility preservation for cancer survivors led her to set up one of the first oocyte cryopreservation programs in the country. She has held numerous national leadership positions and was the President of the Fertility Preservation Special Interest Group of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine from 2008-2009. She was the Director of Women’s Health at Stanford from 2005-2012. In 2012, she co-founded the Stanford Center for Health Research on Women and Sex Differences in Medicine (WSDM) and served as co-director of the program for two years.

Dr. Nastaran Foyouzi is a board-certified subspecialist in both Reproductive Endocrinology and Medical Genetics by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) and American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ABMGG). Dr. Foyouzi completed her internship in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Yale University. Thereafter, she went on to complete her residency at Washington University in St. Louis, followed by her fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) at the University of California in San Francisco. After graduating from her fellowship training, Dr. Foyouzi was appointed to the faculty of the University of Michigan as a WRHR Scholar (NIH funded scholarship). In 2015, she decided to pursue training in medical genetics to add a new skill set to her expertise in REI. She completed her fellowship in Medical Genetics at UCLA, where she cared for patients with a broad range of genetic conditions. 

Dr. Foyouzi has authored and co-authored publications in leading peer-reviewed academic journals including Fertility and Sterility, Human Reproduction, and Obstetrics and Gynecology. She has also presented research at national conferences including those of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), the Society for Reproductive Investigation (SRI) and the Endocrine Society. Furthermore, Dr. Foyouzi is a reviewer for the Human Reproduction Journal and Obstetrics & Gynecology Journal (known as a Green Journal). She serves as an abstract reviewer for the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM).

Dr. Sicily Garvin joins Kindbody a Reproductive Endocrinologist, after completing her fellowship at Wayne State University. Her notable medical research continues to fuel her interest in embryo implantation and early pregnancy loss. She received her bachelor’s degree in biology from Emory University in Atlanta. After graduation, she worked at Emory University as a research assistant in a neurobiology laboratory. This sparked an interest in biomedical research and she earned a master’s degree in Biomedical Science from the Georgia-Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She then went on to receive a medical degree from Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. She became interested in the field of reproductive endocrinology and infertility while in medical school. As this specialty, combined her interests in endocrinology, women’s health and innovative research. Motivated by these interests she completed residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

Dr. Jasmine Pedroso, MD MPH, FACOG, grew up in San Diego, California as the daughter of Filipino immigrants. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley with a double major in Integrative Biology and Socio-Cultural Anthropology. After working for multiple nonprofit organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area, she attended the Harvard School of Public Health where she served as Harvard University Presidential Scholar and received her master’s degree in Public Health with a focus on Society, Human Development and Health, and a concentration in Women, Gender and Health. She then returned to California to attend medical school at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. After completing her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, which provides care to some of the most underserved populations in South Los Angeles County, she moved to Las Vegas to pursue more specialized surgical training through the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery. Jasmine has a special interest in the most minimally-invasive, technologically advanced, cosmetic, and fertility-preserving and enhancing approaches to chronic pelvic pain, endometriosis, female sexual dysfunction, fibroids, incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. She is especially passionate about women’s health advocacy and increasing access to minimally invasive surgery for underserved communities both nationally and internationally, having done work in the Philippines, Cambodia, Uganda, Mexico, Guatemala, and most recently Puerto Rico.

Dr Christie Messenger received her undergraduate degrees in Biochemistry and Psychology from the University of Missouri – Columbia where she then continued on to pursue her medical degree. She completed her residency at Mt Sinai Hospital fulfilling a lifelong dream of living and working in Manhattan. Dr Messenger is board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Prior to joining Kindbody, Dr Messenger worked with several underserved populations in New York City and most recently comes from a private practice. With over 10 years in the field, Dr Messenger looks forward to both bringing her expertise to the table and learning everything that Kindbody has to offer.  Outside of the office, Dr Messenger is an avid sports fan and theater supporter. In current times, you will find her catching a game on tv, but she is anxiously awaiting the time when she can safely return to stadiums and theaters.

Dr. Rebecca Nelken joins Kindbody as the Ob/Gyn in our Los Angeles market! Dr. Rebecca Nelken is a pelvic and reconstructive surgeon. She is one of the few physicians to be board certified in both OB/GYN and Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. She has two practice locations, Century City and Santa Monica. Dr. Nelken is also an Assistant Professor of Clinical Obstetrics & Gynecology and Resident Education Specialist at the USC Keck School of Medicine.

Dr. Nelken’s major areas of research include pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence and medical education. She has published extensively in peer reviewed journals, and authored book chapters on various subjects related to women’s pelvic health.
She is an active member of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Urogynecologic Society.

After graduating from Columbia College, Columbia University, in New York with a BA in history, Dr. Nelken earned her medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC). She went on to perform an internship and residency in obstetrics and gynecology and a fellowship in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery, all at USC.

Maya Grobel is a California Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and psychotherapist in private practice in West Los Angeles and for Kindbody fertility clinics in California, where she specializes in supporting individuals and couples struggling to conceive or building their family in alternative ways. Maya and her TV producer husband Noah made a feature length film documenting their tumultuous journey to parenthood, which ended with the birth of their daughter via embryo donation in 2015. The film, called One More Shot, debuted on Netflix in January 2018 and is now available on Vimeo on Demand. Maya recently received a grant through U.S. Health and Human Services Department to support an organization she co-founded called EM•POWER donation, an educational company focused on empowering choice in embryo donation.

Kristen Levitt is a graduate from Columbia University’s School of Social Work. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in NJ, specializing in women’s reproductive and maternal mental health issues including infertility, pregnancy loss, pregnancy termination, pregnancy after infertility and loss, third party reproduction, birth trauma and postpartum mood and anxiety disorders.

Kristen has worked in psychiatric inpatient unit, psychiatric outpatient program, partial hospital, intensive outpatient, middle school, high school and university settings inanition to the past nine years in private practice.

She has her Certification in Perinatal Mental Health, PMH-C, is a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the Mental Health Professional Group, Resolve: The National Infertility Association, National Association of Social Workers and Postpartum Support International. 

VIE HEALING was created by Mona Dan: Acupuncturist, herbalist, holistic lifestyle leader, and passionate health educator. VIE HEALING brings evidence based eastern wellness treatments, products, and practitioners together to comprise a holistic approach for the mind, body and spirit. 

Our curation gives our community a haven of relaxation to live happier, healthier, fuller lives — with pop-up and visiting partners constantly refreshing our perspective and keeping us current.

VIE HEALING represents a holistic lifestyle that goes far beyond health fads, juicing and quick fixes. It’s a healing medicine, merged together with the wisdom of the east and the knowledge of the west, offered for those seeking out wellness, healing and longevity.

People come to us to find the root of issues, gain a new perspective on health + wellness, and high-powered natural remedies.

Donor Concierge is a premium donor and surrogate consulting company that serves as a starting point for individuals and families exploring third-party fertility. The founder, Gail Sexton Anderson started Donor Concierge in 2006 with a single vision, to help alleviate the stress and complexity for those seeking third party fertility by offering a resource to help identify donors and surrogates with greater ease, higher quality matches, and the highest level of personalization available in the market. Through an extensive network of the best fertility industry connections, the Donor Concierge team of specialized fertility coaches guides clients through the matching process for egg donor, surrogate and sperm donors, tailoring each search to the needs of client families.

Amy Bennett believes that it takes courage to live authentically and to live authentically is to plumb the breadth and depth of human existence with all of its inherent joy and pain. We can
acknowledge that suffering is part of the human journey and that these struggles are inevitable, but also opportunities for growth and greater wellness. To Amy, it’s a privilege to
provide compassionate companionship in times of difficulty, struggle, and suffering and in times of
growth, change, and celebration.
Amy provides integrative clinical mental health counseling for individuals, couples,
families, and small groups. Counseling is provided from an eclectic theoretical perspective with an
emphasis in existential and cognitive-behavioral theory.
She believes holistic treatment is the most efficacious mode of therapy. Thus, a client’s
wellness is addressed inclusive of biological, psychological, social, and spiritual factors.

Amy Bennett, MA, LGPC, NCC is a Clinical Mental Health Therapist serving Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Her specialties include: Collaborative Problem Solving, Trauma Care, Integrative Counseling PTSD, Adoption and Attachment Related Issues, and Biofeedback.

Dr. Lindsey Buckman is a licensed psychologist in Phoenix, AZ. Dr. Buckman has an inclusive
and collaborative style, which allows patients to feel affirmed and empowered as they work
through their treatment goals. Dr. Buckman has specialties in the areas of anxiety, chronic
medical conditions, depression, fertility, LGBTQIA+ issues and weight management. In addition
to her practice, she is a faculty member in Counseling and Counseling Psychology at Arizona
State University and she is active in the American Psychological Association. She is an avid
traveler and endurance athlete.

Marissa Nelson is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) and AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) and Sexuality Educator (CSE) who helps couples experiencing infertility to learn the specific psycho-emotional skills to break free from isolation, shame and fear, and start enjoying deep connection on their path to parenthood. Her extensive clinical knowledge of couples issues yet accessible and contemporary style makes couples and sex therapy conversational, warm and fun.

An internationally recognized expert, she is the creator of IntimacyIVF and IntimacyMoons Therapy Couples Retreats, rated by Women’s Health and Bustle Magazines as one of the top couples retreats worldwide. She has also been frequently featured in over 75 national and international media publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, CBC, CNN Health, Glamour, Latina and Black Enterprise.

Marissa graduated with a Master’s in Marriage & Family Therapy from Drexel University where she received the Department of Family Therapy Service Award. Marissa also pursued post-graduate studies, receiving a Certificate in Sexual Health & Sex Therapy from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. She is pursuing a second Masters Degree in Education Entrepreneurship from the University of Pennsylvania.

I am a clinical psychologist who loves to work with women in all stages of life, especially those who have struggled with reproductive challenges and infertility and those who are pregnant or postpartum after infertility struggles. I have professional training in maternal mental health and infertility and personal experience with the incredibly complicated and emotional world of assisted reproduction. I believe that you have the wisdom and clarity to make the best decisions in your life, and my role is to help you learn to listen to your mind and body to get in touch with what that is. I practice a combined approach that includes CBT therapy, EMDR, and mindfulness-based therapy techniques. I often find that women need help giving themselves permission to rest, receive, and recover and I aim to be a voice to encourage that. I would love to support you wherever you are in this process. LGBTQ and BIPOC affirming.

Tonya Wood is a licensed psychologist who has over 20 years of clinical and teaching experience. She earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Virginia and currently serves as the Director of Clinical Training in the Psy.D. program at Pepperdine University. She has a private practice in the greater Los Angeles area, with an emphasis on relationships, women’s health and infertility.

Throughout her career Dr. Wood has worked in a variety of academic and community settings with a particular focus on providing quality services to marginalized populations. She has extensive supervision and teaching experience and has provided numerous public presentations on various subjects such as cultural diversity, clinical supervision, community violence; adaptations of evidence based practices for community mental health, self-care and professional development. She is a member of the American Psychological Association, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and was 2020 President of the California Psychological Association.

Karen is a mental health professional, licensed as a Marital and Family Therapist with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Education, and a Master’s degree in Marriage & Family Therapy. Combining her education and clinical experience with her passion for medical science Karen focused the last 25 years in Third-Party Reproduction ~ helping build families requiring gamete donation and/or gestational surrogacy.

The role and services of a mental health provider is subject to the unique needs of each client. People using ART/Assisted Reproductive Technology come with different histories, challenges, questions, and concerns. Talking through important emotional considerations helps provide both a solid foundation for medical efforts and a clear path forward in the midst of a complex journey.

Services provided include psychological interviews for all parties, IVF consultations, education, resources, and emotional support. In addition to meeting with clients Karen interacts with physicians, family law attorneys, donor/surrogate agencies, and clinical staff to offer each client the best “team” approach.

Building families is both a professional and personal endeavor. Karen with her husband Dennis share the joys and challenges of parenting their twin teens (a result of IVF and egg donation). The family resides in Orange County, California and together they enjoy traveling, sports, being in nature, and spending time with friends.

ADJUNCTIVE EXPERIENCE & MEMBERSHIPS:
ACADEMIC AFFILIATION:
Azusa Pacific University, Adjunct professor. Teaching several graduate courses for the Department of Professional Psychology, including Introduction to Clinical Practice and Legal, Ethical, and Moral Issues for Marital and Family Therapists.

MEMBERSHIPS:
AAMFT / American Association of Marital and Family Therapists
ASRM / American Society Reproductive Medicine/Mental Health Professionals
SEEDS / Society for Ethics, Egg Donation & Surrogacy

Carmen is passionate about supporting women in childbirth, and captivated by the miracle of new life. Originally from Nicaragua, Carmen immigrated to San Francisco with her family when she was a little girl. Through her family’s challenges, she learned the power of supporting and being supported by others and comes from a family of strong, creative and resilient women who have inspired her to love people.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Santa Clara University and a master’s degree from the Wheaton College Graduate School where she studied spiritual formation. She has experience supporting birth at home, in the hospital and at free standing birth centers. She is happy to support you in whatever setting you choose. She is a DONA certified birth doula. She is Rebozo certified, Hypnobabies trained, and a new Evidence Based Birth® Instructor.

Maya Grobel is a California Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and psychotherapist in private practice in West Los Angeles and for Kindbody fertility clinics in California, where she specializes in supporting individuals and couples struggling to conceive or building their family in alternative ways. Maya and her TV producer husband Noah made a feature length film documenting their tumultuous journey to parenthood, which ended with the birth of their daughter via embryo donation in 2015. The film, called One More Shot, debuted on Netflix in January 2018 and is now available on Vimeo on Demand. Maya recently received a grant through U.S. Health and Human Services Department to support an organization she co-founded called EM•POWER donation, an educational company focused on empowering choice in embryo donation.

Kristen Levitt is a graduate from Columbia University’s School of Social Work. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in NJ, specializing in women’s reproductive and maternal mental health issues including infertility, pregnancy loss, pregnancy termination, pregnancy after infertility and loss, third party reproduction, birth trauma and postpartum mood and anxiety disorders.

Kristen has worked in psychiatric inpatient unit, psychiatric outpatient program, partial hospital, intensive outpatient, middle school, high school and university settings inanition to the past nine years in private practice.

She has her Certification in Perinatal Mental Health, PMH-C, is a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the Mental Health Professional Group, Resolve: The National Infertility Association, National Association of Social Workers and Postpartum Support International. 

VIE HEALING was created by Mona Dan: Acupuncturist, herbalist, holistic lifestyle leader, and passionate health educator. VIE HEALING brings evidence based eastern wellness treatments, products, and practitioners together to comprise a holistic approach for the mind, body and spirit. 

Our curation gives our community a haven of relaxation to live happier, healthier, fuller lives — with pop-up and visiting partners constantly refreshing our perspective and keeping us current.

VIE HEALING represents a holistic lifestyle that goes far beyond health fads, juicing and quick fixes. It’s a healing medicine, merged together with the wisdom of the east and the knowledge of the west, offered for those seeking out wellness, healing and longevity.

People come to us to find the root of issues, gain a new perspective on health + wellness, and high-powered natural remedies.

Hi! I’m Emily. I am a midwife and lactation consultant with 10 years of experience working with birthing and growing families. I have a background in out-of-hospital birth, clinical lactation services and years of personal breastfeeding experience. I feel honored to have worked with hundreds of families to find real solutions to their baby feeding challenges, I am passionate about meeting parents where they are, connecting them to resources, and helping to create a sustainable support plan beyond one-on-one care.

I love adventuring in the forests of Washington with my 2 little boys, horseback riding, cooking, and drinking really good black coffee.

I am a clinical psychologist who loves to work with women in all stages of life, especially those who have struggled with reproductive challenges and infertility and those who are pregnant or postpartum after infertility struggles. I have professional training in maternal mental health and infertility and personal experience with the incredibly complicated and emotional world of assisted reproduction. I believe that you have the wisdom and clarity to make the best decisions in your life, and my role is to help you learn to listen to your mind and body to get in touch with what that is. I practice a combined approach that includes CBT therapy, EMDR, and mindfulness-based therapy techniques. I often find that women need help giving themselves permission to rest, receive, and recover and I aim to be a voice to encourage that. I would love to support you wherever you are in this process. LGBTQ and BIPOC affirming.

Marissa Nelson is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) and AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) and Sexuality Educator (CSE) who helps couples experiencing infertility to learn the specific psycho-emotional skills to break free from isolation, shame and fear, and start enjoying deep connection on their path to parenthood. Her extensive clinical knowledge of couples issues yet accessible and contemporary style makes couples and sex therapy conversational, warm and fun.

An internationally recognized expert, she is the creator of IntimacyIVF and IntimacyMoons Therapy Couples Retreats, rated by Women’s Health and Bustle Magazines as one of the top couples retreats worldwide. She has also been frequently featured in over 75 national and international media publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, CBC, CNN Health, Glamour, Latina and Black Enterprise.

Marissa graduated with a Master’s in Marriage & Family Therapy from Drexel University where she received the Department of Family Therapy Service Award. Marissa also pursued post-graduate studies, receiving a Certificate in Sexual Health & Sex Therapy from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. She is pursuing a second Masters Degree in Education Entrepreneurship from the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Lindsey Buckman is a licensed psychologist in Phoenix, AZ. Dr. Buckman has an inclusive
and collaborative style, which allows patients to feel affirmed and empowered as they work
through their treatment goals. Dr. Buckman has specialties in the areas of anxiety, chronic
medical conditions, depression, fertility, LGBTQIA+ issues and weight management. In addition
to her practice, she is a faculty member in Counseling and Counseling Psychology at Arizona
State University and she is active in the American Psychological Association. She is an avid
traveler and endurance athlete.

Natasha is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who works with families and individuals (adults and children). Her areas of clinical interest include working with adoption (fostering, kinship, and international), attachment, anxiety, and women’s health. Natasha is trained in Prepare/Enrich for premarital counseling and psychological first aid. When working with Natasha you can expect a provider who is compassionate, genuine, and nurturing. Natasha’s therapeutic style is focused on holistic, solutions-oriented care that allows you to address what feels more important to you.

Natasha has worked in a variety of settings, such as domestic violence shelters, schools, community-based, in-home, group home, and outpatient care since 2012. Her approach is influenced by attachment theory, experiential therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and systems theory.

Tonya Wood is a licensed psychologist who has over 20 years of clinical and teaching experience. She earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Virginia and currently serves as the Director of Clinical Training in the Psy.D. program at Pepperdine University. She has a private practice in the greater Los Angeles area, with an emphasis on relationships, women’s health and infertility.

Throughout her career Dr. Wood has worked in a variety of academic and community settings with a particular focus on providing quality services to marginalized populations. She has extensive supervision and teaching experience and has provided numerous public presentations on various subjects such as cultural diversity, clinical supervision, community violence; adaptations of evidence based practices for community mental health, self-care and professional development. She is a member of the American Psychological Association, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and was 2020 President of the California Psychological Association.

Sofia Adler, M.A. is a meditation teacher and personal development coach who believes that we all have a higher version of self that’s waiting to be unleashed. That tapping into this version of self is how you unlock what’s holding you back to get unstuck, take action, and achieve your potential.

The way to do it? Leverage the power of your mind.

Sofia incorporates her Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology and Education (concentration in mind body practice), expertise in mindfulness and background working in the high-growth, fast-paced startup industry into all of her work with clients. 

Book with Sofia:
Guided Meditation – BOOK HERE
Return to Work Coaching – BOOK HERE

I help people who dream about being that perfect mom while seeming to juggle it all on social media but in reality, you know you feel suffocated by mom guilt. I can teach you ways to ignore that inner critic so you can be gracious with yourself when you mess up.

I know from my own journey that being a mom can be completely overwhelming and you may feel like you are losing your identity. I’d love to help you through this time so that you can boost your confidence in your parenting skills and create memories that make you feel like you can handle life’s unexpected moments.

Motherhood doesn’t have to suck. I am honored to work with my clients to celebrate their wins, accept life’s difficulties, embrace our imperfections, and create a better community for the people in our lives.

I believe that moms who trust their own strength will change the world. If your inner critic is constantly telling you that you are a bad mom and you want to feel like yourself again, then please contact me.

Dr. Ciara Byrne completed her graduate studies at Columbia University and the University of Vermont, having studied as an undergraduate at University College Dublin. She has trained extensively in using Mindfulness based therapies, including the Mind/Body program for women experiencing infertility at the Domar Center, Boston IVF. She serves as the Clinical Director of Sage Fertility, and is also currently enrolled in the two-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training program, through the Awareness Training Institute with Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield.

Ciara has conducted research and published papers on the impact of mindfulness practices on reducing anxiety, depression, and increasing overall well-being.

Bonnie is a holistic functional nutritionist who specializes in women’s health. She addresses the root cause of troubling symptoms through diet and lifestyle modifications. Her private clients and program participants describe finding new awareness and tools to optimally fuel full-body wellness. Bonnie lives in Berkeley, CA where she serves an international client base through a 100% virtual consultancy.

Alissa Alissa (she/her) is a Women’s Health Expert & Motherhood Advocate, author of Unstuck: From Understudy To The Study Of Your Undercarriage, and host of the podcast Myth of Motherhood who is all about cracking open the taboo topics of pregnancy and motherhood. A former Broadway performer and certified Pilates instructor specializing in pelvic health, she uses movement, mindfulness, and good ol’ education to help you stop suffering in silence so that your journey to and through motherhood can be healing and empowering stages of life. By sharing women’s stories, she believes we can initiate change toward better reproductive care. Alissa is a very excited mom and loves practicing cartwheels and handstands with her son.

Throughout the years I have been baffled and perplexed by the way society views speaking about reproductive issues as a form of taboo. Individuals are expected NOT to talk about their reproductive struggles; while others are allowed to ask about their family dreams. Even though this is sadly a common occurrence, there are not many places out there offering support to these individuals…until now!

During my master’s program, I spent my time reading, researching, and learning as much as I could about how to best counsel those experiencing reproductive losses &/or struggles. I have, also, completed Level 1 and Level 2 Gottman Couple’s Therapy. Because, reproductive issues DO NOT just affect one partner, it affects the couple as a whole.

I graduated with honors with my master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Even though my education has been completed, that does not mean I have stopped learning. I have made it my mission to read, learn, and participate in as much education & training’s, as I can, regarding reproductive issues and couples’ therapy.

I love what I do and specialize everything I do to fit with my clients’ preferences and unique needs to “Rediscover You”.

Kristen Kennard is a licensed professional counselor and psychotherapist specializing in Women’s Mental and Reproductive Health and Marriage/Relationship counseling. She offers compassionate, behavioral health services to address challenges related to: Adjustment/Life Transitions, Anxiety, Depression, Stress, Fertility & Gynecological conditions, Pre/Post-Pregnancy, Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders, Birth Trauma & Loss, Pre-Marital/Marital, Behavioral health provider-to-provider consultation.

After more than a decade as a yoga teacher and studio owner and almost as long as a structural yoga therapist – Nicole’s own journey of trying to become pregnant, pregnancy, loss, rainbow pregnancy, home birth and getting back into her body after baby showed her just how little we support our women through fertility and made her decide to devote herself to pre and postnatal care and empowerment.

She profoundly shares the philosophy that pregnancy, birth and labor are spiritual and strength based actions and if we prepare for the marathon of motherhood we get to be present to it and enjoy it so much more!

Currently Nicole works with a small group of private clients working through all different aspects of the fertility and motherhood journey. When working with clients Nicole works to create customized whole life strength based practices tailored to the yogi/yogini she is working with. Nicole is also leading mom’s groups for Union Square Play, is their in-house expert on all things mama wellness and is in the process of planning the first Informed and Empowered Birth conference coming in the spring of 2022.

Toby Richman comes to Kindbody with a stunning whole-body approach to better movement. She has embraced guiding clients to learn ease of movement, mobility and strength through her skills as a Pilates rehabilitator and 20+ years in women’s health, specializing in pelvic floor health.

Book with Toby:
Pelvic Floor Bodywork – BOOK HERE
Healing Movement – BOOK HERE

Toby loves the daily challenge of matching client needs with unique personal solutions. Her focus is treating the whole person, going beyond the complaint of pain; paying close attention to learn how each person moves through the day and flows through their life.

Toby is a passionate lover of daily cycling and yoga, hiking, nordic skiing and snowboarding, her family, her friends, her gardens, laughing and all dogs! She adores helping women learn to move with unrestricted grace.

Kriszta Tiwari is a certified Holistic Nutrition Consultant, through Bauman College, Berkeley. She specializes in fertility nutrition and women’s health with a focus on preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum. Her entire career is centered around her passion and love towards food, well-being, and the eagerness to share everything she learned about ways of nourishing oneself.  Prior to her career in nutrition, Kriszta was a chef and entrepreneur. She owned a catering business as well as a food truck. Her philosophy has always been that nutritious food should be delicious. Her love for food, nature, herbs, and cooking comes from her roots in rural Transylvania (bring on the Dracula jokes!). She was raised by many generations of strong and wonderful women. She cherishes all the knowledge and passion she inherited from them, especially her grandmother who taught her to work from her heart, and with compassion.

Karen is a mental health professional, licensed as a Marital and Family Therapist with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Education, and a Master’s degree in Marriage & Family Therapy. Combining her education and clinical experience with her passion for medical science Karen focused the last 25 years in Third-Party Reproduction ~ helping build families requiring gamete donation and/or gestational surrogacy.

The role and services of a mental health provider is subject to the unique needs of each client. People using ART/Assisted Reproductive Technology come with different histories, challenges, questions, and concerns. Talking through important emotional considerations helps provide both a solid foundation for medical efforts and a clear path forward in the midst of a complex journey.

Services provided include psychological interviews for all parties, IVF consultations, education, resources, and emotional support. In addition to meeting with clients Karen interacts with physicians, family law attorneys, donor/surrogate agencies, and clinical staff to offer each client the best “team” approach.

Building families is both a professional and personal endeavor. Karen with her husband Dennis share the joys and challenges of parenting their twin teens (a result of IVF and egg donation). The family resides in Orange County, California and together they enjoy traveling, sports, being in nature, and spending time with friends.

ADJUNCTIVE EXPERIENCE & MEMBERSHIPS:
ACADEMIC AFFILIATION:
Azusa Pacific University, Adjunct professor. Teaching several graduate courses for the Department of Professional Psychology, including Introduction to Clinical Practice and Legal, Ethical, and Moral Issues for Marital and Family Therapists.

MEMBERSHIPS:
AAMFT / American Association of Marital and Family Therapists
ASRM / American Society Reproductive Medicine/Mental Health Professionals
SEEDS / Society for Ethics, Egg Donation & Surrogacy

Dr. Rebecca Nelken joins Kindbody as the Ob/Gyn in our Los Angeles market! Dr. Rebecca Nelken is a pelvic and reconstructive surgeon. She is one of the few physicians to be board certified in both OB/GYN and Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. She has two practice locations, Century City and Santa Monica. Dr. Nelken is also an Assistant Professor of Clinical Obstetrics & Gynecology and Resident Education Specialist at the USC Keck School of Medicine.

Dr. Nelken’s major areas of research include pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence and medical education. She has published extensively in peer reviewed journals, and authored book chapters on various subjects related to women’s pelvic health.
She is an active member of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Urogynecologic Society.

After graduating from Columbia College, Columbia University, in New York with a BA in history, Dr. Nelken earned her medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC). She went on to perform an internship and residency in obstetrics and gynecology and a fellowship in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery, all at USC.

Sofia Adler, M.A. is a meditation teacher and personal development coach who believes that we all have a higher version of self that’s waiting to be unleashed. That tapping into this version of self is how you unlock what’s holding you back to get unstuck, take action, and achieve your potential.

The way to do it? Leverage the power of your mind.

Sofia incorporates her Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology and Education (concentration in mind body practice), expertise in mindfulness and background working in the high-growth, fast-paced startup industry into all of her work with clients. 

Book with Sofia:
Guided Meditation – BOOK HERE
Return to Work Coaching – BOOK HERE

Maya Grobel is a California Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and psychotherapist in private practice in West Los Angeles and for Kindbody fertility clinics in California, where she specializes in supporting individuals and couples struggling to conceive or building their family in alternative ways. Maya and her TV producer husband Noah made a feature length film documenting their tumultuous journey to parenthood, which ended with the birth of their daughter via embryo donation in 2015. The film, called One More Shot, debuted on Netflix in January 2018 and is now available on Vimeo on Demand. Maya recently received a grant through U.S. Health and Human Services Department to support an organization she co-founded called EM•POWER donation, an educational company focused on empowering choice in embryo donation.

Kristen Levitt is a graduate from Columbia University’s School of Social Work. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in NJ, specializing in women’s reproductive and maternal mental health issues including infertility, pregnancy loss, pregnancy termination, pregnancy after infertility and loss, third party reproduction, birth trauma and postpartum mood and anxiety disorders.

Kristen has worked in psychiatric inpatient unit, psychiatric outpatient program, partial hospital, intensive outpatient, middle school, high school and university settings inanition to the past nine years in private practice.

She has her Certification in Perinatal Mental Health, PMH-C, is a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the Mental Health Professional Group, Resolve: The National Infertility Association, National Association of Social Workers and Postpartum Support International. 

VIE HEALING was created by Mona Dan: Acupuncturist, herbalist, holistic lifestyle leader, and passionate health educator. VIE HEALING brings evidence based eastern wellness treatments, products, and practitioners together to comprise a holistic approach for the mind, body and spirit. 

Our curation gives our community a haven of relaxation to live happier, healthier, fuller lives — with pop-up and visiting partners constantly refreshing our perspective and keeping us current.

VIE HEALING represents a holistic lifestyle that goes far beyond health fads, juicing and quick fixes. It’s a healing medicine, merged together with the wisdom of the east and the knowledge of the west, offered for those seeking out wellness, healing and longevity.

People come to us to find the root of issues, gain a new perspective on health + wellness, and high-powered natural remedies.

Kriszta Tiwari is a certified Holistic Nutrition Consultant, through Bauman College, Berkeley. She specializes in fertility nutrition and women’s health with a focus on preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum. Her entire career is centered around her passion and love towards food, well-being, and the eagerness to share everything she learned about ways of nourishing oneself.  Prior to her career in nutrition, Kriszta was a chef and entrepreneur. She owned a catering business as well as a food truck. Her philosophy has always been that nutritious food should be delicious. Her love for food, nature, herbs, and cooking comes from her roots in rural Transylvania (bring on the Dracula jokes!). She was raised by many generations of strong and wonderful women. She cherishes all the knowledge and passion she inherited from them, especially her grandmother who taught her to work from her heart, and with compassion.

Hi! I’m Emily. I am a midwife and lactation consultant with 10 years of experience working with birthing and growing families. I have a background in out-of-hospital birth, clinical lactation services and years of personal breastfeeding experience. I feel honored to have worked with hundreds of families to find real solutions to their baby feeding challenges, I am passionate about meeting parents where they are, connecting them to resources, and helping to create a sustainable support plan beyond one-on-one care.

I love adventuring in the forests of Washington with my 2 little boys, horseback riding, cooking, and drinking really good black coffee.

Carmen is passionate about supporting women in childbirth, and captivated by the miracle of new life. Originally from Nicaragua, Carmen immigrated to San Francisco with her family when she was a little girl. Through her family’s challenges, she learned the power of supporting and being supported by others and comes from a family of strong, creative and resilient women who have inspired her to love people.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Santa Clara University and a master’s degree from the Wheaton College Graduate School where she studied spiritual formation. She has experience supporting birth at home, in the hospital and at free standing birth centers. She is happy to support you in whatever setting you choose. She is a DONA certified birth doula. She is Rebozo certified, Hypnobabies trained, and a new Evidence Based Birth® Instructor.

Dr. Ciara Byrne completed her graduate studies at Columbia University and the University of Vermont, having studied as an undergraduate at University College Dublin. She has trained extensively in using Mindfulness based therapies, including the Mind/Body program for women experiencing infertility at the Domar Center, Boston IVF. She serves as the Clinical Director of Sage Fertility, and is also currently enrolled in the two-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training program, through the Awareness Training Institute with Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield.

Ciara has conducted research and published papers on the impact of mindfulness practices on reducing anxiety, depression, and increasing overall well-being.

Throughout the years I have been baffled and perplexed by the way society views speaking about reproductive issues as a form of taboo. Individuals are expected NOT to talk about their reproductive struggles; while others are allowed to ask about their family dreams. Even though this is sadly a common occurrence, there are not many places out there offering support to these individuals…until now!

During my master’s program, I spent my time reading, researching, and learning as much as I could about how to best counsel those experiencing reproductive losses &/or struggles. I have, also, completed Level 1 and Level 2 Gottman Couple’s Therapy. Because, reproductive issues DO NOT just affect one partner, it affects the couple as a whole.

I graduated with honors with my master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Even though my education has been completed, that does not mean I have stopped learning. I have made it my mission to read, learn, and participate in as much education & training’s, as I can, regarding reproductive issues and couples’ therapy.

I love what I do and specialize everything I do to fit with my clients’ preferences and unique needs to “Rediscover You”.

Kristen Kennard is a licensed professional counselor and psychotherapist specializing in Women’s Mental and Reproductive Health and Marriage/Relationship counseling. She offers compassionate, behavioral health services to address challenges related to: Adjustment/Life Transitions, Anxiety, Depression, Stress, Fertility & Gynecological conditions, Pre/Post-Pregnancy, Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders, Birth Trauma & Loss, Pre-Marital/Marital, Behavioral health provider-to-provider consultation.

Dr. Lindsey Buckman is a licensed psychologist in Phoenix, AZ. Dr. Buckman has an inclusive
and collaborative style, which allows patients to feel affirmed and empowered as they work
through their treatment goals. Dr. Buckman has specialties in the areas of anxiety, chronic
medical conditions, depression, fertility, LGBTQIA+ issues and weight management. In addition
to her practice, she is a faculty member in Counseling and Counseling Psychology at Arizona
State University and she is active in the American Psychological Association. She is an avid
traveler and endurance athlete.

Marissa Nelson is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) and AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) and Sexuality Educator (CSE) who helps couples experiencing infertility to learn the specific psycho-emotional skills to break free from isolation, shame and fear, and start enjoying deep connection on their path to parenthood. Her extensive clinical knowledge of couples issues yet accessible and contemporary style makes couples and sex therapy conversational, warm and fun.

An internationally recognized expert, she is the creator of IntimacyIVF and IntimacyMoons Therapy Couples Retreats, rated by Women’s Health and Bustle Magazines as one of the top couples retreats worldwide. She has also been frequently featured in over 75 national and international media publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, CBC, CNN Health, Glamour, Latina and Black Enterprise.

Marissa graduated with a Master’s in Marriage & Family Therapy from Drexel University where she received the Department of Family Therapy Service Award. Marissa also pursued post-graduate studies, receiving a Certificate in Sexual Health & Sex Therapy from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. She is pursuing a second Masters Degree in Education Entrepreneurship from the University of Pennsylvania.

I am a clinical psychologist who loves to work with women in all stages of life, especially those who have struggled with reproductive challenges and infertility and those who are pregnant or postpartum after infertility struggles. I have professional training in maternal mental health and infertility and personal experience with the incredibly complicated and emotional world of assisted reproduction. I believe that you have the wisdom and clarity to make the best decisions in your life, and my role is to help you learn to listen to your mind and body to get in touch with what that is. I practice a combined approach that includes CBT therapy, EMDR, and mindfulness-based therapy techniques. I often find that women need help giving themselves permission to rest, receive, and recover and I aim to be a voice to encourage that. I would love to support you wherever you are in this process. LGBTQ and BIPOC affirming.

Natasha is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who works with families and individuals (adults and children). Her areas of clinical interest include working with adoption (fostering, kinship, and international), attachment, anxiety, and women’s health. Natasha is trained in Prepare/Enrich for premarital counseling and psychological first aid. When working with Natasha you can expect a provider who is compassionate, genuine, and nurturing. Natasha’s therapeutic style is focused on holistic, solutions-oriented care that allows you to address what feels more important to you.

Natasha has worked in a variety of settings, such as domestic violence shelters, schools, community-based, in-home, group home, and outpatient care since 2012. Her approach is influenced by attachment theory, experiential therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and systems theory.

Tonya Wood is a licensed psychologist who has over 20 years of clinical and teaching experience. She earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Virginia and currently serves as the Director of Clinical Training in the Psy.D. program at Pepperdine University. She has a private practice in the greater Los Angeles area, with an emphasis on relationships, women’s health and infertility.

Throughout her career Dr. Wood has worked in a variety of academic and community settings with a particular focus on providing quality services to marginalized populations. She has extensive supervision and teaching experience and has provided numerous public presentations on various subjects such as cultural diversity, clinical supervision, community violence; adaptations of evidence based practices for community mental health, self-care and professional development. She is a member of the American Psychological Association, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and was 2020 President of the California Psychological Association.

Alissa Alissa (she/her) is a Women’s Health Expert & Motherhood Advocate, author of Unstuck: From Understudy To The Study Of Your Undercarriage, and host of the podcast Myth of Motherhood who is all about cracking open the taboo topics of pregnancy and motherhood. A former Broadway performer and certified Pilates instructor specializing in pelvic health, she uses movement, mindfulness, and good ol’ education to help you stop suffering in silence so that your journey to and through motherhood can be healing and empowering stages of life. By sharing women’s stories, she believes we can initiate change toward better reproductive care. Alissa is a very excited mom and loves practicing cartwheels and handstands with her son.

Amy Bennett believes that it takes courage to live authentically and to live authentically is to plumb the breadth and depth of human existence with all of its inherent joy and pain. We can
acknowledge that suffering is part of the human journey and that these struggles are inevitable, but also opportunities for growth and greater wellness. To Amy, it’s a privilege to
provide compassionate companionship in times of difficulty, struggle, and suffering and in times of
growth, change, and celebration.
Amy provides integrative clinical mental health counseling for individuals, couples,
families, and small groups. Counseling is provided from an eclectic theoretical perspective with an
emphasis in existential and cognitive-behavioral theory.
She believes holistic treatment is the most efficacious mode of therapy. Thus, a client’s
wellness is addressed inclusive of biological, psychological, social, and spiritual factors.

Amy Bennett, MA, LGPC, NCC is a Clinical Mental Health Therapist serving Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Her specialties include: Collaborative Problem Solving, Trauma Care, Integrative Counseling PTSD, Adoption and Attachment Related Issues, and Biofeedback.

I help people who dream about being that perfect mom while seeming to juggle it all on social media but in reality, you know you feel suffocated by mom guilt. I can teach you ways to ignore that inner critic so you can be gracious with yourself when you mess up.

I know from my own journey that being a mom can be completely overwhelming and you may feel like you are losing your identity. I’d love to help you through this time so that you can boost your confidence in your parenting skills and create memories that make you feel like you can handle life’s unexpected moments.

Motherhood doesn’t have to suck. I am honored to work with my clients to celebrate their wins, accept life’s difficulties, embrace our imperfections, and create a better community for the people in our lives.

I believe that moms who trust their own strength will change the world. If your inner critic is constantly telling you that you are a bad mom and you want to feel like yourself again, then please contact me.

Bonnie is a holistic functional nutritionist who specializes in women’s health. She addresses the root cause of troubling symptoms through diet and lifestyle modifications. Her private clients and program participants describe finding new awareness and tools to optimally fuel full-body wellness. Bonnie lives in Berkeley, CA where she serves an international client base through a 100% virtual consultancy.

After more than a decade as a yoga teacher and studio owner and almost as long as a structural yoga therapist – Nicole’s own journey of trying to become pregnant, pregnancy, loss, rainbow pregnancy, home birth and getting back into her body after baby showed her just how little we support our women through fertility and made her decide to devote herself to pre and postnatal care and empowerment.

She profoundly shares the philosophy that pregnancy, birth and labor are spiritual and strength based actions and if we prepare for the marathon of motherhood we get to be present to it and enjoy it so much more!

Currently Nicole works with a small group of private clients working through all different aspects of the fertility and motherhood journey. When working with clients Nicole works to create customized whole life strength based practices tailored to the yogi/yogini she is working with. Nicole is also leading mom’s groups for Union Square Play, is their in-house expert on all things mama wellness and is in the process of planning the first Informed and Empowered Birth conference coming in the spring of 2022.

Sari Broda is a Certified Child Sleep Consultant whose mission is to empower parents to feel confident about their baby’s sleep. She is also a Certified Lactation Counselor and a Child Behavior Specialist, which allows her to provide parents and their babies with a very holistic and unique approach to sleep. Sari works with parents of children ages 0-6 years old.

Toby Richman comes to Kindbody with a stunning whole-body approach to better movement. She has embraced guiding clients to learn ease of movement, mobility and strength through her skills as a Pilates rehabilitator and 20+ years in women’s health, specializing in pelvic floor health.

Book with Toby:
Pelvic Floor Bodywork – BOOK HERE
Healing Movement – BOOK HERE

Toby loves the daily challenge of matching client needs with unique personal solutions. Her focus is treating the whole person, going beyond the complaint of pain; paying close attention to learn how each person moves through the day and flows through their life.

Toby is a passionate lover of daily cycling and yoga, hiking, nordic skiing and snowboarding, her family, her friends, her gardens, laughing and all dogs! She adores helping women learn to move with unrestricted grace.