Meet Dr. Sandra Rodriguez-Siuts, Ph.D. | Maternal Mental Health Psychologist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Sandra Rodriguez-Siuts, Ph.D. and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Sandra, how does your business help the community?
As a maternal mental health psychologist, I support women who are struggling with fertility challenges or experiencing symptoms of depression/anxiety during pregnancy or postpartum. I also frequently help women navigate their new identity as a mother. Perinatal Mood Anxiety Disorders (PMAD) is the #1 complication of pregnancy and childbirth and approximately 21% of women will experience major or minor depression following childbirth. As one can imagine, this vulnerable population needs a lot of support and it is a privilege that I can help them. I am able to provide therapy to anyone in the state of Arizona. However, this also felt limiting to me, so I decided to create an online postpartum guide called, The Blossoming Mama – A Mother’s Guide to a Healthy Postpartum, to support even more women. The guide is ideal for women who are pregnant or in the early stages of postpartum and want to take proactive steps in preventing postpartum complications. I am very excited that I can reach women around the world and make a greater impact now.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I entered private practice 10 years ago as a generalist (treatment for a broader range of mental health concerns) and my speciality was shaped by my own experience with pregnancy and postpartum. After I became a mother myself, I quickly learned what area of mental health I’m most passionate about. I value clinical research and empirically supported treatment, so I completed advanced training in perinatal mood disorders and reproductive medicine to provide the best therapy I can. I’m very proud of the practice I have built and I’m particularly excited about the recent launch of my online guide, The Blossoming Mama – A Mother’s Guide to a Healthy Postpartum. I’m eager to continue building more guides and courses to reach more women across the country. I’m also in the process of training my dog, Diego, to be a therapy dog for my office. I think my clients will love this staff addition! In regards to challenges, everything I’ve pursued has been challenging. It has taken a lot of hard work, dedication, focus, and resilience to become a psychologist, open a private practice, and launch an online course. I think everyone is capable of success, but you have to be prepared to put in the time and energy.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would definitely do some outdoor activities! I would make some time to go hiking at either the hieroglyphic trail or Camelback mountain. We could also go kayaking in the Salt River in hopes of seeing some wild horses. I also enjoy taking guests to the Botanical Gardens for a leisurely walk. There’s also always many sporting events that we could go to. Some of my favorite restaurants that we’d go to are: The Farm at South Mountain, Espiritu, Ghost Ranch, Barrio Queen, and Cocina Chiwas.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people that I would like to give a shoutout to! I’m a first-generation college graduate, so there have been many influential people in my life. Despite my parents not having much of a formal education, they encouraged me to pursue my doctoral degree and taught me how to build a business. My husband, son, brothers, and best friends are my constant cheerleaders and I’ve had many influential teachers, supervisors, and academic advisors in my life. I really believe that having such a strong support system myself allows me to be a strong source of support for others who are in a delicate time in their life.

Website: https://www.sandrarodriguezphd.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_diego_the_therapy_dog/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-rodriguez-siuts-phd/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Dr-Sandra-Rodriguez-Siuts/100065606974625/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sandra-rodriguez-siuts-scottsdale

Other: https://www.pinterest.com/womenshealthpsychologist/

Image Credits
Professional Headshots by Badass Women Photos- Regina Felice