My career path
I started working in women’s health 15 years ago in the clinic at Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts in Boston. When I took that job, I thought I would eventually go to social work school, but I became more interested in systems of healthcare, access to health-related information, and reducing barriers to services, so I opted for public health school instead. After completing my Master of Science at the Harvard School of Public Health, I worked in the sexual health and anti-violence fields and oversaw education, training, and advocacy initiatives at Casa Myrna Vazquez, Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, and MIT. After my second child was born, I left my MIT job and began facilitating a new parents’ group in my community. I loved this work immediately--being with new parents and hearing their stories and experiences was powerful and transformative. After years of working in an abortion clinic and with sexual assault survivors, I was no stranger to speaking honestly about sensitive topics and empowering others to share their truths. I continued to build my skill set and became certified as a postpartum doula through CAPPA, and as a lactation counselor through the Healthy Children’s Center for Breastfeeding.
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A “macro” person in a “micro” world
Throughout my career, I have provided direct services and care--such as advocacy for survivors of violence, sex education, and lactation support--while also working to change the systems in which that type of care occurs. I think about how we can increase access to care and incorporate social justice frameworks into our direct services. When I started working at MIT, I noticed that services for violence survivors were disconnected and difficult to navigate. In order to reduce those barriers, I created the Program for Violence Prevention and Response.
As I began working as a postpartum doula, it was clear to me that perinatal emotional wellness is a public health issue, and I began thinking about how to integrate these services into existing healthcare systems in order to make them more accessible to all families. I thought about how to create perinatal community advocates to expedite new mothers’ connections with resources and services. I developed the Community Health Center Pilot Program as an initiative to promote perinatal emotional wellness. Similarly, I co-founded The Every Mother Project so that all women's health professionals would know how to screen for and respond to perinatal emotional complications and thus increase access to services for women and families.
I love--and always have loved--the work I do. I loved teaching sex ed in schools, connecting rape survivors with support services on campus, and conducting trainings for resident advisors on how to respond to assault disclosures. I love helping new moms nurse their babies, figure out a work-life balance, and think through different strategies for getting enough sleep. But, as much as I love direct service, I am constantly thinking about how we can create programs and change systems to make sure these services are more widely accessible. I am constantly linking direct postpartum support with larger public health initiatives.
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As I began working as a postpartum doula, it was clear to me that perinatal emotional wellness is a public health issue, and I began thinking about how to integrate these services into existing healthcare systems in order to make them more accessible to all families. I thought about how to create perinatal community advocates to expedite new mothers’ connections with resources and services. I developed the Community Health Center Pilot Program as an initiative to promote perinatal emotional wellness. Similarly, I co-founded The Every Mother Project so that all women's health professionals would know how to screen for and respond to perinatal emotional complications and thus increase access to services for women and families.
I love--and always have loved--the work I do. I loved teaching sex ed in schools, connecting rape survivors with support services on campus, and conducting trainings for resident advisors on how to respond to assault disclosures. I love helping new moms nurse their babies, figure out a work-life balance, and think through different strategies for getting enough sleep. But, as much as I love direct service, I am constantly thinking about how we can create programs and change systems to make sure these services are more widely accessible. I am constantly linking direct postpartum support with larger public health initiatives.
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My approach to working with new parents
I work from an empowerment-based approach and believe that every person is the expert of their own life and circumstances. New parents get so much information these days, and most find themselves overwhelmed by a glut of information that is accessible at all hours. I talk to folks every day who worry that they are “doing it wrong” or that they’re not “doing what they’re supposed to do”. Not only are new parents bombarded with information and images of seemingly perfect moms who "have it all together", they are often isolated and feel disconnected from their pre-baby lives. I love bringing new parents together so they can connect, feel less alone, and have some laughs. We aren't supposed to navigate parenthood-- especially the first few weeks and months of parenthood-- alone! I believe it’s our job as perinatal health professionals to provide mother-centered spaces where moms can speak honestly, hear each other, and break down the pervasive myths about motherhood.
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Massachusetts PPD CommissionIn 2016, I had the honor of being sworn in as a member of the Massachusetts Legislature's Special Commission on Postpartum Depression chaired by Representative Ellen Story and Senator Joan B. Lovely. The Commission was created in 2010 when Governor Deval Patrick signed into law “An Act Relative to Postpartum Depression” (Chapter 313 of the Acts of 2010), which established a special legislative commission with different stakeholders in order to study and report on research and policy initiatives on postpartum depression and make recommendations to address postpartum depression. Commissioners were appointed according to the law and in December of 2011 the first Commission meeting was held.
I began attending Commission meetings in 2012 and introduced the idea for the Pilot Programs, and I continued to attend meetings as a community member. It is a real honor to now have an official seat on the Commission, especially since Massachusetts is a true leader when it comes to advancing awareness of maternal mental health issues and creating sustainable systemic changes that support women and families. top |
"Divya was the mastermind and driving force behind the Postpartum Depression Commission's Community Health Center Pilot Program to provide a range of mental health and other support services to new mothers in Massachusetts. Thanks to her ideas and initiative, hundreds of at-risk moms across the state are receiving essential services. The Commission, and, more importantly, moms and families, couldn't be more grateful!" |