Nurturing Mental Health

According to SARAH HESS, owner and founder of Nurture Wellness in Wilmington, maintaining good mental health is equally as important as maintaining physical health.

“When our mental health isn’t doing well, it impacts so many facets of our lives – relationships, quality of life, and ability to engage in the completion of tasks,” Hess says, adding that stressors stemming from the pandemic, politics, and finances have contributed to societal issues with mental health.

On the flip side, she says there has been a reduced stigma in seeking help for mental health concerns and more advocacy from those who are visible in the social media sphere. Media conversation about the importance of mental health has increased as well.

With the aim of helping those struggling with mental health, Hess opened Nurture Wellness in August 2022. She says becoming a mother directed her career path. “After having my first child, experiencing birth trauma myself and observing what I perceived as a gap in pregnancy and birth support and resources, I was drawn to those in the peri/postnatal population,” she says.

While the importance of services has been more in the forefront of conversation, particularly postpartum depression and parental leave policies, a gap still exists in available services. Hess brings pregnancy and birth-related support to the Wilmington population through her lens as a systematically trained and licensed marriage and family therapist.

Serving her hometown is important, says Hess, who grew up in Wilmington. After graduating high school, she lived in Arizona and New Mexico for 15 years, attending Arizona State University for a Bachelor of Science in psychology and a Master of Advanced Study in marriage and family therapy. She moved back to Wilmington to be closer to family and the beach. “Being a native Wilmingtonian, I have always had the drive to give back and grow the community that nurtured my own growth,” she says.

In her practice, Hess primarily addresses women’s and peri/postnatal issues, phase-of-life issues, grief and loss, depression, anxiety, and relationship issues. She typically works with individuals ages 18 to 65 with a solution-focused approach that considers the interconnected relationships, patterns, and dynamics within a client’s life system. New parents, she says, often benefit from extra support.

“New parenthood can be a very overwhelming phase of life – relationship dynamics, potential lack of social or familial support, and demands of work or being a stay-at-home parent,” Hess says. “The stronger the foundation of the parents, the more beneficial it is to the entire family structure. It is important for parents to be supportive of their own mental health and also the mental health of their partner.”

Hess also holds a certification as a RETAIN Parental Leave Coach, is a recent graduate of the WILMA’s Leadership Institute and holds a certification in peri/postnatal mental health and grief counseling. She received a national scholarship to American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy Leadership’s Certificate of Leadership program. The association’s North Carolina branch for Distinguished Service to Families recognized her, and she recently spoke at the state annual conference on the needs of peri/postnatal LGBTQ families.

Hess was named Family Favorite Counselor in Wilmington Parent Magazine for three consecutive years, 2021 through 2023. “It personally felt so nice for our community to believe that my services have been deserving of this title,” she says. “Each time I received this recognition I felt extreme gratitude. It is an absolute privilege to work with clients on their journey for improvement, understanding, and healing.”

To view more of photographer Aris Harding’s work, go to arisharding.com.

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