Welcome

A Sanctuary for Being, Healing, Holding, and Becoming

Hello love,

Welcome to Beyond Words, the official blog of BABE Family Wellness (Beyond A Birthing Experience, PLLC). This is a heart-centered space created to honor the fullness of Black women and families navigating mental health, pregnancy, postpartum, and all of the sacred transitions in between. Whether you’re preparing to give birth, searching for emotional clarity, or simply looking for affirming conversation, I’m so glad you’re here.

My name is Ricki Briana Martin, LMSW. I’m a Licensed Master Social Worker, full-spectrum doula, and the founder of this practice. Beyond A Birthing Experience was born from both personal experience and professional passion. I wanted to create a space where Black women, in particular, could be seen, heard, and supported; not just as patients or clients, but as full people with layered stories, spiritual depth, and generational wisdom.

This work lives within two branches: Beyond Therapy and Beyond Birth. Both are deeply connected and rooted in values that matter to our community: cultural humility, faith-respect, trauma-informed care, and a belief that you don’t have to be in crisis to deserve support.

Beyond Therapy

Beyond Therapy is the mental health branch of my practice. Here, I offer individual and family therapy with a special focus on family dynamics, healthy relationships, trauma, anxiety, life transitions, and perinatal mental health. My approach is person-centered and neurodivergent affirming, holding space for clients who live with ADHD, autism, anxiety, depression, or other ways of being that don’t quite fit the “typical” mold without pathologizing your experience.

My therapy room is a space where your faith, your culture, your identity, your sexuality, your sensory needs, and your emotions are all welcome. Whether you’re coming to process grief, set boundaries, explore who you are, or simply feel more at peace in your body, I meet you where you are with intention and without judgment.

Beyond Birth

Beyond Birth is where my full-spectrum doula care comes in. I offer support through pregnancy, labor, postpartum, loss, and all the unique paths in between. For many of my clients, birth is not just a medical experience, it’s a spiritual one. It's becoming.

As a Black doula, I’m deeply committed to holding space for your voice in a world that often tries to silence or ignore it. My role is not to take over, but to walk beside you. I help you prepare, plan, advocate, rest, and recover. I also offer holistic body products like yoni herbs, body butters, and oils to support your wellness throughout the journey.

Whether it’s your first pregnancy or your fifth, whether you’re planning a home birth, hospital birth, or something in between, your story matters. Your safety, your sovereignty, and your joy matter. And you deserve a village that reflects that.

What You’ll Find Here

This blog will be an evolving collection of reflections, resources, real talk, and gentle reminders. Expect to read about everything from setting boundaries and managing anxiety, to preparing emotionally for birth, reclaiming rest, and navigating the complex joy of Black motherhood. You’ll also see pieces of my own journey, the lessons, challenges, and breakthroughs that shape how I show up in this work.

Some posts will be informative. Others will be deeply personal. All will be written with love, care, and cultural context.

Whether you're seeking therapy, doula care, or simply need a reminder that you are not alone, you belong here. I hope this space feels like a warm cup of tea, a deep exhale, a loving hug, and an open door. Healing doesn’t have to be a solo journey. And here, you don’t have to hold everything by yourself.

Welcome in, and thank you for being here.

With warmth and wisdom, 

Ricki Briana