Who We Are
Haven Wellness is dedicated to supporting individuals and families through periods of growth and adjustment, ensuring that each individual feels supported along the way.
We seek to address the gap in care for parents and caregivers during the perinatal period - whether it’s addressing fertility challenges, birth trauma, loss, or perinatal mood concerns. Our therapists also have expertise in generalized anxiety, other kinds of trauma, and mood concerns and see clients from the teenage years through older adulthood. We aim to create a healing environment in which clients of all identities can feel supported and affirmed.
Meet our founder
Kirby Paterson (she/her), is a psychotherapist and postpartum doula based in Ann Arbor, MI. As both a therapist and a doula, she seeks to provide a warm, steady, supportive environment for clients as they navigate through big transitions or challenges.
Kirby graduated from the University of Michigan School of Social Work in 2010 and for the last decade has been doing clinical work in various settings including a trauma center, a school-based health center, group practice, and a large hospital system. Kirby holds a certificate in integrated behavioral health and primary care, as well as a certificate in perinatal mental health (PMH-C). She is especially passionate about working with expectant and new parents during the perinatal period, particularly around issues of adjustment to parenthood, mood concerns, and trauma.
Kirby also has a strong interest in working with adolescents and adults experiencing chronic illness, and has spent several years supporting families living with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) in her clinical role at Mott Children’s Hospital. Kirby became interested in birth and postpartum work after attending a birth for one of her friends in 2009. The births of Kirby’s own children several years later brought her attention to the large gap that exists in postpartum care.
Kirby began working as a postpartum doula after training with Lifespan Doulas and becoming certified. Since that time, she has aimed to support families with a compassionate, non-judgmental, and trauma-informed approach in the time immediately after the birth of a baby. Kirby feels honored to be working with families during this time of intense adjustment and change and takes great joy in seeing her clients grow with confidence in their new roles as parents.
In her free time, you can find Kirby cooking, practicing yoga, and spending time with her friends and family.
LMSW, PMH-C, CPD
Therapist & Postpartum Doula
Kirby Paterson
Meet the team
Frances Martin
Frances Martin (she/her), LLMSW, CPD is a psychotherapist and postpartum doula committed to supporting individuals and families.
Frances completed her master’s degree in social work at the University of Michigan in 2011. As a therapist, Frances works with clients who are navigating life transitions, relational difficulties, and the effects of early developmental trauma. She has a special interest in supporting parents and those in the perinatal period (preconception through postpartum). Frances’ therapeutic approach is relational, reflective, and strengths-based, and is deeply informed by attachment theory and neurobiology.
With her postpartum care, Frances works to create a nonjudgmental environment that promotes peace and joy for the whole family. By providing emotional and practical support, she helps build contexts for healing and bonding. From processing the birth experience, to working out family sleep strategies and newborn soothing techniques, Frances loves being part of the adventure of welcoming a new human into the family. Her primary focus is providing individualized care for each family, based on their unique needs, preferences, and goals.
Frances has worked for over a decade with children and families, coordinating educational services for students in southeast Michigan. She completed postpartum doula training with Lifespan Doulas and is a graduate of both the Newborn Mothers Collective and Newborn Mothers Breastfeeding programs. When she’s not chasing her two little ones around, she loves cooking, eating, practicing yoga, and spending time with friends.
MSW, CPD // Therapist & Postpartum Doula
Anna Boesch
Anna (she/her), LLMSW, is a clinical social worker who has dedicated the past decade to supporting individuals through transitions, healing journeys, and identity development. Drawing from a foundation in attachment theory and relationship-based interventions, Anna's practice is deeply rooted in understanding how relationships shape individuals over a lifetime. She places a strong emphasis on fostering trust, empathy, and safety in her work. With a strengths-based perspective, Anna assists clients in developing healthy coping mechanisms, refining communication skills, and fostering stronger connections with their loved ones. She is committed to empowering individuals and families to overcome obstacles, navigate transitions, and cultivate fulfilling relationships that enhance emotional well-being and resilience.
Anna has a special interest in supporting BIPOC clients and families. Both personally and professionally, Anna has extensive training in identity development and cultural competency. This perspective enhances Anna's ability to connect with clients across a spectrum of identities and more effectively support their unique experiences.
Anna is thankful to be grounded in loved ones, finds peace in her garden, and enjoys reading all the nerdy fantasy novels.
LLMSW // Therapist
Courtney Schroder
Courtney Schroder (she/her), LLMSW, is a therapist and earned her Masters in Social Work from the University of Michigan. She is passionate about supporting individuals during the perinatal period, with a special interest in helping parents who struggle with postpartum anxiety and unwanted, intrusive thoughts. She also helps clients with relationship and attachment issues, trauma, chronic stress, depression, and more.
Courtney strives to create an environment that is safe, welcoming and affirming. Her approach is non-pathologizing, trauma-informed, and influenced by attachment theory. She believes that mental health symptoms aren’t a sign that something is wrong with us, but are important signals that we may have unmet needs or that something in our lives needs to change. Courtney has also completed training in Polyvagal Theory and Perinatal Dialectical Behavior Therapy.
Courtney’s passion for working with individuals during the perinatal period was solidified through her own journey to motherhood when she experienced firsthand how impactful it can be to receive the right support. She feels deeply privileged to have the opportunity to offer that to others. Outside of work, she enjoys long walks, journaling, and playing with her son.
LLMSW // Therapist
Amanda Yats
Amanda (she/her), LLMSW, graduated from the University of Michigan with her Master of Social Work degree in the spring of 2022. During her time in the program, she interned in a variety of outpatient healthcare clinics as a medical social worker, including within a comprehensive prenatal diagnosis clinic. Amanda also spent time volunteering as a facilitator for virtual pregnancy support groups alongside other maternity care providers.
It was after these co-curricular experiences during her MSW program that Amanda became passionate about maternal mental health and postpartum work. As our practice Administrative Assistant, you can count on Amanda to provide warm, empathetic support as part of your initial contact with Haven. In her daily life, she practices self-care through walks around her neighborhood (usually accompanied by a podcast), watching 30-second cooking videos on her phone, and connecting with loved ones.
LLMSW // Administrative Support Staff
