Lessons from Local Leaders:

Dr. Nicole Kumi

Dr. Nicole Kumi: Transforming Maternal Mental Health with The Whole Mom

When Dr. Nicole Kumi founded The Whole Mom, she set out to transform how we view and support maternal mental health. Her journey began in an unexpected place—criminal justice. After years of working in the field, Nicole shifted to community behavioral health as she prepared to start her own family.

It was during her first postpartum experience that her mission came into focus. At just eight months after giving birth, while teaching first responders about signs of mental health challenges, Nicole realized she was experiencing postpartum depression herself. Despite her advanced degree in human behavior, she felt ashamed, isolated, and without resources tailored to her needs.

Instead of remaining silent, Nicole began building her own support system—daily check-ins, structured routines, and journaling. Her personal recovery grew into a self-published book that resonated with countless mothers who had faced the same struggles. The overwhelming response was clear: women needed more than therapy alone. They needed motivation, validation, education, and community.

From this realization, The Whole Mom was born. Unlike traditional clinical care, Nicole’s organization embraces coaching, virtual community support, and creative interventions to prepare mothers for the emotional realities of postpartum life. She emphasizes that every mom is unique—each birth brings a “new version” of motherhood requiring tailored support.

Today, The Whole Mom offers one-on-one coaching, on-demand courses, and a thriving virtual community where moms can connect with peers and experts alike. Nicole and her team also collaborate with doulas, lactation consultants, sleep coaches, and other specialists to provide holistic care for mothers at every stage.

Her vision for the next decade is bold: to make perinatal coaching as essential as hospital discharge planning. By integrating mental health education and postpartum care plans into standard maternal healthcare, Nicole hopes to reduce maternal morbidity, prevent perinatal suicide, and ensure no mother feels alone in her journey.

Through courage, compassion, and innovation, Dr. Nicole Kumi is rewriting the story of maternal mental health—one mother at a time.

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