Sexual Health

HVBN is a membership network only and not responsible for the opinions, practice, or health care services provided by individuals listed on this site. We recommend that clients confirm that a provider’s beliefs and practices are consistent with their own.


JULIETTA APPLETON, MPA, CCE, CHT
(914) 325-6011 (phone or text)
(Speaks Spanish and English) 

julietta@mindplusbodybirth.com
www.mindplusbodybirth.com
*Serving families in Northern Westchester and Putnam counties (NY) and Fairfield (CT)
*

JULIETTA APPLETON
 is a birth doula and hypnotherapist with more than 30 years of experience and attendance at over 200 births. She is the creator of mind+body birth, a unique, science-based system of birth hypnosis and childbirth education designed to help pregnant women achieve a calm, empowered birth. She has helped hundreds of people overcome their fears and limiting beliefs to create positive change and achieve their goals. She is a founding member of HVBN, and is the founder and former director of the first freestanding birth center in Westchester County, NY--The Birth Cottage. She possesses a Masters degree in Public Administration, has trained doulas, helped establish and operate two postpartum doula services, and has worked with individuals and couples as a sex educator, childbirth educator, birth doula, and postpartum doula. 

Julietta gave birth to both her children in birth centers, and is a fierce midwifery advocate. The experience of giving birth naturally was so powerful and deeply spiritual, it inspired Julietta to become a childbirth educator and doula.  In her role as doula, she helps create a sense of safety and calm surrounding the birthing mother, and provides her and her family with non-judgmental support. 


ZOE BIRNBAUM, MD
4 Chatsworth Ave, Suite 202
Larchmont, NY 10538
914-809-0940
zoe@zoebirnbaummd.com
www.zoebirnbaummd.com

DR. ZOE BIRNBAUM is a board-certified reproductive psychiatrist serving Manhattan and Westchester who is skilled in treating emotional difficulties across adulthood, with specialty training in perinatal mental health. Dr. Birnbaum's style of treatment is warm, compassionate, collaborative and personalized. She is now accepting new clients virtually and/or in person In Larchmont, NY.

Dr. Birnbaum completed her undergraduate education at Colgate University, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa in Behavioral Neuroscience. She earned her medical degree from NYU Langone School of Medicine, after being inducted into the AOA society. She completed her internship and residency training at NYU Langone Medical Center. She graduated from fellowship in Reproductive Psychiatry at NYU Langone Medical Center / Bellevue Hospital, with a training focus on treating women’s mental health across the life span, with an emphasis on the peripartum and postpartum. She also carried out a psychoanalytic psychotherapy fellowship at Columbia University. Dr. Birnbaum has taught and mentored medical students and residents at NYU Langone School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry. She also founded the psychiatry residency Wellness Committee and narrative medicine curriculum. Dr. Birnbaum is a member of Postpartum Support International, The Women's Mental Health Consortium, The American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Hudson Valley Birth Network, and The Marcé of North America Perinatal Mental Health Society.

Dr. Birnbaum believes that fruitful psychiatric care depends on a trusting and warm relationship. She cares for each of her clients with kindness, honesty, and curiosity. She works to support her clients in making substantial improvements in their lives along with gaining a deeper understanding of themselves and their relationships. Dr. Birnbaum has extensive experience in diagnosing and treating conditions that impact wellness and happiness including depression, anxiety, life stage transitions, relationship difficulties, and grief. She uses psychotherapy, medication, and lifestyle recommendations to help her patients find meaning.

Dr. Birnbaum has special expertise in treating women who are pregnant, who are thinking about becoming pregnant, or who are undergoing fertility treatments. She also works with women who suffer from postpartum related mood changes, menstrual cycle related mood changes, grief related to infertility and pregnancy loss, trauma related to childbirth, sexual difficulties, chronic pelvic pain, challenges in bonding and attachment to newborn, adjusting to parenthood, mood changes in menopause and other mental health difficulties that can present throughout women's lives. Sessions focused on medications and lifestyle while pregnant, postpartum, breastfeeding, or during fertility treatment are available as well.

Dr. Birnbaum has experience in advanced psychoanalytic and psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, sex therapy for couples, emotionally focused therapy for couples, motivational interviewing, and supportive therapy.


VICKI BLOOM
Birth Doula
Certified Lactation Counselor
Postpartum Doula
Full Spectrum Doula
Placenta Encapsulator
www.wholeselfdoula.com
www.westchesterplacenta.com
wholeselfdoula@gmail.com
914-450-9574


I believe that you don’t become a different person when you become pregnant, begin labor, enter your birthing space, or bring your baby home for the first time. As your doula, I take the time to learn who you are and what will help you and your family to feel comfortable, informed, prepared, and ready to engage with your birth, both in advance and through the ever-changing moments of the birth process.

I am passionate, flexible, and comforting, but also grounded, no-nonsense, and strongly evidence-based. My clients come from all walks of life, but I am especially drawn to support people who can fall through the cracks of the medical system or feel unheard through the process of standardized birth, such as younger and older parents, single parents, LGBTQIA+ parents, people in non-traditional careers, families in transition, and parents of size. I also specialize in supporting alternative parents who want a professional with whom they can share their family dynamics openly, such as polyamorous families and people in power-dynamic relationships. I bring a full-spectrum background that sees all of of the aspects our reproductive lives as connected, and additional training as a certified lactation consultant and Hypnobabies doula. My fascination with the placenta, the only organ that the human body creates for a temporary purpose, leads me to offer placenta encapsulation, photography and art.


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ARANTZAZU “ZAZU” CIOCE, PT, DPT, CAPP-OB
Certification in Pregnancy, Birth & Postpartum Physical Therapy
Certified Movement Specialist
Phoenix Physical Therapy
337 Blaisdell Rd
Orangeburg NY 10962
914.340.4623 (text or call)
zazu@phoenixpt.info
Treatment delivered from within the comfort of your home (mobile visits), in-gym clinic (Rockland Co) or virtual visits depending on each client's needs. Mobile visits offered in Rockland county, northern Bergen County and Westchester County.

DR. ZAZU CIOCE, PT, DPT, CAPP-OB believes in a whole-person centered approach when working with clients and empowers each individual to take control of their body with confidence and care. Together with her clients, she devises a plan that addresses each client's goals and helps them return to doing all of the things they love to do or have the best pregnancy/postpartum experience possible.

Client concerns include the following, but are not limited to: leaking urine/feces/gas with activities, core and pelvic floor health during or after pregnancy, Diastasis Recti, exercise in pregnancy and postpartum, pain in pregnancy or postpartum, preventative labor and delivery positioning for clients with pre-existing back, hip or other bodily pains, and addressing the concerns of female athletes returning back to exercise or sport (including specific sport, crossfit, running, etc).

If you are concerned about your pelvic floor but don't know where to start, take this free quiz to find out more about your pelvic floor health: https://forms.gle/KXfj6guZ9oUPDrHG6


JENNIFER DEMBO, LCSW (she/her/hers)
jenniferdembo@edparenting.com

JEN DEMBO, LCSW, studied social work at Simmons University and has completed advanced training in maternal mental health, perinatal loss, sexual pain, menopause, and challenges for pregnant/postpartum survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

Jen has provided support to women and their families for over two decades. She recognizes that every parent-child relationship is unique and honors various perspectives on pregnancy, adoption, assisted reproduction, sexual health, surrogacy, childbirth, parenting, grief and loss.

Jen is certified in both labor support doula practice and childbirth education, and has attended births in home, birth center and hospital settings around the NYC tri-state area. She is the former president of the Hudson Valley Birth Network and founding chair of its Social Justice Committee. She is a board member of Birth Education Beyond the Ordinary (BEBO), an organization that provides low-cost labor, postpartum, lactation and childbirth education support to families throughout Westchester County. Additionally, Jen is an adjunct faculty instructor and guest lecturer at the Simmons University School of Social Work.


KATHY HERRON, CNM
Midwifery at Harrison
(Full Circle Women's Health)
450 Mamaroneck Avenue, Suite 414
Harrison, NY 10528
(914) 421-1500 (office)
www.fullcirclewomenshealth.com

KATHY HERRON has been a midwife since 1986. She created her private practice, Full Circle Women's Health, in 2000 -- Westchester's only midwife-owned, independent, midwifery practice with hospital admitting privileges. Full Circle is now Midwifery at Harrison and part of the Northwell system, providing us with a strong infrastructure and enabling us to take most insurances. Our group of 5 midwives still offers the close relationships and personalized attention that is the foundation of our midwifery care. Office visits are at our center in Harrison, and births are at Phelps in Sleepy Hollow—a certified Baby-Friendly hospital with the most midwives and the lowest cesarean rates in the area.

Kathy took a 4-year break from caring for pregnant women to nurture the next generation of midwives as an assistant professor for the Midwifery Institute at Jefferson. During that time, she maintained a gynecology practice, providing gentle and empowering care to women from a teen's first visit through the post-menopausal years. Her special interest is helping women with sexual pain and dysfunction, collaborating with a pelvic-floor physical therapist. They take a holistic and caring approach to the diagnosis and treatment of the many conditions that can contribute to this issue.

Kathy is now back to full-time, full-scope practice, caring again for pregnant and birthing women and continuing her gynecology care as well.

Kathy welcomes new and existing clients for pregnancy, gynecology, or sexual health appointments.


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DR. MELISSA KERAS-DONAGHY, DPT, WCS, CLT
Board Certified in Women's Health Physical Therapy
In person and telehealth appointments available
@ Full Circle
450 Mamaroneck Avenue, Suite 414
Harrison, NY 10528
914-421-1001
kerasdonaghypt@gmail.com

Dr. MELISSA KERAS-DONAGHY, PT, DPT, WCS, CLT (she/her/hers) earned her doctorate in physical therapy from Simmons College and has over 30 years of physical therapy experience. She specializes in all aspects of pelvic floor dysfunction, including pelvic pain, treating adults and children of all genders. Other areas of interest include urinary incontinence and fecal incontinence, biofeedback assessment and treatment, post-surgical treatment, pre-natal and postpartum pain and dysfunction, diastasis recti rehab, new Mom guidance for return to running and fitness and post-mastectomy and breast cancer rehabilitation. Dr. Keras-Donaghy is board certified in women's health physical therapy from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). She is also a board-certified Lymphatic therapist, treating all aspects of lymphedema including upper extremity, trunk, and lower extremity lymphedema in adults and children. She has extensive teaching experience in pelvic floor physical therapy. She currently collaborates with her midwife colleagues to care for adults with sexual pain.


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ANGIE MORDECAI M.S., M.Ac., L.Ac., Dipl.OM (NCCAOM)
596 Warburton Avenue
Hastings on Hudson, NY 10706
(917) 670-8564
angie@ketermedicine.com
www.ketermedicine.com

ANGIE MORDECAI is a doctor of Chinese medicine, acupuncturist, and herbalist. She is especially skilled at creating highly refined customized herbal prescriptions, and using constitutional five element acupuncture for the treatment of anxiety, depression, digestive disorders, and menstrual and reproductive difficulties. Her interest in health and in the wider human experience began after discovering yoga and meditation at age 15. Since then, she has pursued training in yoga therapy, Ayurvedic bodywork and herbalism, Western herbalism, prenatal movement, birth support, and human development. She especially enjoys working with women prior to conception and during pregnancy to nourish strength and health for labor, birth, and the postpartum period. She sees patients in person for acupuncture, and virtually for health consultations and herbal medicine prescriptions. She is also available to make house calls for those who cannot travel in Westchester County.