Mothers Need To Be Nurtured too!
A nurturing community where mothers are reminded they don't have to carry motherhood alone.
Mothers Need To Be Nurtured too!
A nurturing community where mothers are reminded they don't have to carry motherhood alone.
Support for Moms Who Need a Safe Space to Be Seen and Heard
Meet The Founder
Yvrande Harris, Founder & Director
I am a maternal wellness advocate and community-based leader with a proven commitment to closing critical gaps in maternal mental health support across underserved communities. As Founder and Executive Director of Open Arms Health, Wellness & Healing, Inc., I lead the development and implementation of healing-centered programs that reach mothers where they are, outside clinical settings, creating accessible, culturally responsive spaces where emotional wellness is prioritized, stigma is dismantled, and community connection is restored.
The maternal mental health crisis disproportionately impacts mothers in under-resourced communities, where burnout, postpartum challenges, emotional exhaustion, and isolation often go unaddressed due to systemic barriers in access to care. My work directly responds to this public health need by delivering peer-led, community-driven programming that meets mothers at every stage of the motherhood journey, not only in moments of crisis, but throughout the ongoing experience of raising children.
My approach is grounded in both lived experience and professional expertise. As a mother of four who has personally navigated postpartum health challenges, I bring an authentic, first-person understanding of the barriers mothers face in accessing support. I am certified in Mental Health First Aid and am currently pursuing my Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C), equipping me with evidence-informed skills to lead programming that is both compassionate and clinically informed.
Through Open Arms, I am building a scalable model of community care that encompasses maternal emotional wellness programming, peer support networks, advocacy, and community engagement initiatives. A signature example of this work is Looped in Love: A Therapeutic Finger Knitting Experience for Maternal Mental Health & Wellness, an innovative, evidence-inspired program that harnesses the power of creativity, mindfulness, and group connection to reduce stress, restore emotional well-being, and build lasting community among mothers who have historically been overlooked by traditional mental health systems.
Open Arms Health, Wellness & Healing, Inc. represents a replicable, community-centered solution to the maternal mental health crisis, one that prioritizes prevention, early intervention, and long-term wellness over crisis response alone. With the right investment, we are positioned to expand our reach, deepen our community impact, and serve as a model for how grassroots organizations can effectively address maternal wellness at the population level.
We believe every mother deserves to feel seen, supported, and sustained, not as an afterthought, but as a foundation of healthy families and thriving communities.
Glenn G. Harris
Caitlin Bethany Bertrand
Caitlin Bethany Bertrand
Member
Caitlin Bethany Bertrand
Caitlin Bethany Bertrand
Caitlin Bethany Bertrand
Member
Jazmin Marin
Tameeka Watson
Tameeka Watson
Secretary
Tameeka Watson
Tameeka Watson
Tameeka Watson
Treasurer
Looped in Love
Looped in Love: A Therapeutic Finger Knitting Experience for Maternal Mental Health & Wellness is a community-based maternal wellness program that combines therapeutic finger knitting, mindfulness, supportive conversation, and peer connection to create safe, restorative spaces for mothers. Through the calming and repetitive rhythm of finger knitting, mothers are encouraged to slow down, reduce stress, engage in creative expression, and build meaningful community connections in a welcoming, judgment-free environment
Let's Connect!
Open Arms Health Wellness & Healing, Inc
At Open Arms Health, Wellness, and Healing, our non-clinical, peer-led approach is rooted in compassion, faith, and community, honoring each mother’s lived experience, including grief and trauma when present.
Whether you’re navigating pregnancy, postpartum, or life transitions, we’re here to walk alongside you.