We recently connected with Adriana Rodriguez-baptiste and have shared our conversation below.

Adriana, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

Hi, my name is Adriana, and I am the founder of Healing Roots Together. I’m a licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist, and a coach in NY. I’ve worked in community mental health for the last 20 years and became an executive at a nonprofit before the age of 40. I taught at an Ivy League school for 6 years and ran 2 New York City Marathons to cope with the grief of not being able to have kids.
After serving my community for many years, I have decided to use my education and work experience to connect women who are childless and childfree to each other. I understand that it can be an isolating experience, and I know there are ways to find purpose beyond parenthood. I was able to cope with my grief by gardening and realizing that just because I couldn’t grow life on the inside didn’t mean I couldn’t grow life on the outside with Mother Nature in the garden,
I received a certificate in horticultural therapy and a certificate as a grief educator. I’m combining my experience of being childless, my understanding of grief and how it impacts our lives, and teaching people how to garden as an answer to the lack of connection and otherness one can feel as a woman without kids. I believe this approach is the answer to feeling like part of a village, and I am excited to tell everyone about it.

Adriana, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am first generation Latina raised in a matriarchal, immigrant family from Cuba and Puerto Rico where family was central to everything. My relationships and cultural values provided me with the structure to move me toward social work with a focus
on trauma treatments. I received my Masters in Social Work from Boston College.

I have worked with various populations, including veterans, LGBTQI young adults, and families facing challenges related to trauma, addiction, and gender normative pressures. As a New Yorker, I have worked in the Bronx, Harlem, and Syracuse, which has provided me with an understanding of the importance of feeling connected to a community.

As a childless woman who experienced premature menopause at the age of 34, I deeply understand the profound impact of infertility and childlessness. This personal experience, coupled with years of working as a mental health provider, has shaped my passion for supporting other women on their journeys.

Many of my clients, particularly those who are childless, grapple with feelings of grief, loss, and isolation. I’ve witnessed firsthand how these emotions can significantly impact their mental and emotional well-being. To address this need, I founded Healing Roots Together.

Our mission is to create a supportive community where women can connect, share their stories, and learn coping skills. By fostering a sense of belonging, we empower women to heal and thrive.

Inspired by the therapeutic benefits of nature, we use gardening as a tool for healing. Through workshops, retreats, and one-on-one consultations, we explore the emotional and spiritual aspects of plant care. By nurturing plants, we nurture ourselves, finding solace, purpose, and a deeper connection to the natural world.

I’m incredibly proud of the community we’ve built. Together, we’re breaking down the stigma surrounding childlessness and creating a space where women can feel seen, heard, and understood.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

After a successful career as an executive at a New York City nonprofit, I found myself at a crossroads. The pandemic forced me to reevaluate my priorities and led me to step away from the corporate world to open my own private therapy practice. While I enjoyed the autonomy, I soon realized that I missed the sense of community and purpose that came with leading a team.

I began to delve deeper into my own emotions and realized that I had been suppressing grief over my inability to have children due to premature menopause. This realization was a turning point. I decided to become a certified grief therapist to better understand and process my own experiences and to help others navigate similar challenges.

By combining my clinical expertise with my passion for gardening, I founded Healing Roots Together. This unique approach allows me to offer holistic support to childless women, helping them find healing, purpose, and a renewed sense of self. Through gardening and nature-based therapies, we explore the emotional and spiritual aspects of grief, fostering a sense of connection to oneself and the natural world.

I believe that childlessness, especially when it’s not by choice, is a form of disenfranchised grief. It’s a loss that’s often not fully acknowledged or validated. By creating a safe and supportive community, we can help women process their grief, find meaning in their lives, and embrace a new path forward

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

I first met Caroline Bloss, LMSW over a decade ago while working on a research study focused on evidence-based therapy for women with PTSD and substance dependence. We collaborated closely, sharing a passion for helping others.

Years later, after losing touch, we reconnected through Facebook. Caroline, who had been struggling with multiple failed IVF treatments, was feeling isolated and alone. She reached out, seeking support and understanding.

We quickly realized that we shared a deep connection and a similar experience of feeling marginalized and misunderstood. Both of us had witnessed our friends and peers embarking on parenthood while we faced the challenges of infertility. We felt a strong desire to create a community where women could find support, empathy, and empowerment.

This shared vision led us to establish Healing Roots Together, a platform dedicated to providing resources, guidance, and support to women navigating the complexities of infertility and childlessness

Contact Info:

• Website: https://HealingRootsTogether.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healing.roots.together/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565579667582
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriana-rodriguez-baptiste-lcsw-a61219a

Image Credits

Photos taken by Adriana Rodriguez-Baptiste