About pear Maternal Mind & Body
A MIND-BODY SANCTUARY FOR THE PARENTING AND REPRODUCTIVE JOURNEY.
At pear, we offer Yoga that centers and uplifts women and mothers, specialized counseling and trauma-informed coaching for those navigating the highs and lows of pregnancy, postpartum, fertility, and motherhood. Founded by Jessica Hughes, a licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist, and certified prenatal Yoga teacher, our team brings deep clinical expertise, lived experience, and genuine care to every session and class in order to support you with compassion and clarity.
pear grew out of a lived experience: when Jessica walked through her own postpartum depression and anxiety, she saw just how much essential care and support was missing for mothers. What began as community workshops and Yoga classes out of her own home, pear has evolved into something much deeper and richer: a healing space that centers women’s emotional, physical, and hormonal shifts with care and respect.
WHAT WE OFFER
You’re smart. You’re capable. You’re successful. And still—this season feels heavier than you ever expected.
So many of the women we work with are used to holding it all together. They’re brilliant thinkers, caretakers, business owners, and leaders in their fields. But motherhood? It brings everything to the surface - grief, trauma, identity shifts, and anxiety that won’t be quiet. You might feel like you’re unraveling, but the truth is: you’re waking up to parts of yourself that have long been buried. At pear, we hold space for all of it. And we help you move through it - slowly, gently, with your feet on the ground and your heart facing forward.
Yoga that centers and uplifts women & mothers
Our prenatal and postpartum classes are designed to ground, restore, and connect you to your body—without pressure, performance, or “getting your body back.” We offer Toddler, Baby & Me classes where you can come with your precious littles and work on grounding, soothing, and stilling your souls together. We have classes that meet you wherever you may be on your reproductive or parenting journey.
Counseling & Healing
We use mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy and EMDR to support women experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, and perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs). Every session is 60 minutes - so there’s time to breathe, process, and truly be seen.
Trauma-Informed Coaching
For women navigating identity shifts, burnout, or big life transitions, coaching offers a non-clinical path to help support in healing. These sessions are grounded in trauma-informed care and designed to help you move forward with clarity and support.
Child Caring
We proudly offer child care staffed by experienced, compassionate, and caring humans, who love your children as much as they love the work we are doing. The care will be grounded in encouraging your kiddos to learn how to use breath, movement, and other techniques to also soothe their souls.
MSW Internship and Mentorship
We partner with CSWE accredited universities both around the country and locally through NSU & VCU, to provide internships for MSW students focused on maternal mental health. Through 1:1 guidance with Jessica Hughes, students gain meaningful, real-world insights into trauma-informed care for the perinatal population and their families.
Community & Advocacy
We’re part of something bigger. pear partners with pelvic floor therapists, midwives, OB/GYNs, and policy leaders to improve maternal care from the ground up - because motherhood is in crisis, every voice matters now more than ever, and no one should ever have to do it alone.
Meet the Team
Jessica Hughes
FOUNDER + CLINICAL DIRECTOR + PSYCHOTHERAPIST + YOGA TEACHER, PEAR MATERNAL MIND & BODY
Jessica Hughes, LCSW, E-RYT 500, RPYT, YACEP, is a licensed clinical social worker, EMDR-trained therapist, and experienced registered yoga teacher with over two decades of experience serving women, children, and families across clinical, community, and policy settings. She is the founder of pear Maternal Mind & Body, a trauma-informed practice in Virginia Beach offering counseling, Yoga, and coaching for women navigating the full arc of the reproductive and parenting journey.
After working for many years with children and mothers, and later in child and family-centered health and education policy, Jessica’s path turned inward when she became a mother herself. Through her own experiences with postpartum depression and anxiety, she saw firsthand how fragmented and insufficient maternal mental health care truly was. pear was born from that lived experience - with a mission to offer high-quality mental health support without the clinical coldness, and with the heart-forward vision of creating a safe space for women to heal, reclaim their identities, and begin again.
Jessica specializes in Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs), birth trauma, and anxiety and depression rooted in unresolved trauma. Her therapeutic approach integrates Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, and body-based healing modalities like Yoga. She also offers trauma informed coaching for women who want an alternative to the traditional medical model
In addition to individual care, Jessica remains deeply committed to systems change. She is an advocate for paid family leave and maternal health equity at the national level, partnering with organizations like Postpartum Support International, Chamber of Mothers, and the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance. She also mentors MSW candidates in partnership with VCU, NSU, and more, and offers community care coordination with midwives, physical therapists, and chiropractors.
Whether she’s in session, on the mat, or on Capitol Hill, Jessica brings a grounded, goddess-like energy to everything she does, and invites her clients to do the same. pear is a reflection of that vision: a return to vitality, clarity, and the golden ripeness of motherhood.
Jade Norris
YOGA DIRECTOR + YOGA TEACHER, PEAR MATERNAL MIND & BODY
Jade is a 500-hour registered yoga teacher and pear’s Yoga Director, offering nurturing, spirit-led classes for mothers at all stages, from expectant to postpartum and beyond. Known for her intuitive teaching style, creative sequencing, and warm, welcoming presence, Jade brings both deep technical skill and heartfelt energy to every class.
With a background in gymnastics and over 500 hours of teacher training from Kunga Yoga School, Jade has been teaching since 2019 and has mentored other yoga teachers and taught internationally. Her classes are a space for connection, exploration, and healing - especially for mothers rediscovering their strength, softness, and sense of self.
Now based in Virginia Beach, Jade teaches at both Studio Bamboo and pear. She is passionate about creating a safe, playful, and empowering space where mamas of all kinds can move, breathe, and come back home to themselves.
Tracey Quales
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, PEAR MATERNAL MIND & BODY
Tracey Quales is the Director of Operations at pear, where she oversees the day-to-day functioning of both pear Maternal Mind & Body and pear Psychotherapy. With over 25 years of experience in administrative and executive support, office management, and childcare, Tracey brings both structure and heart to pear’s mission.
Tracey’s career spans billing, executive assistance, and operations, as well as hands-on experience as a private nanny and mom of two. She has a deep passion for supporting mothers and children and is honored to help expand pear’s reach and capacity to serve.
She is happily married to her high school sweetheart, Richard, and recently welcomed her first grandchild. When she’s not helping run pear, she loves beach days and dancing. Tracey and Jessica have been best friends since first grade - and pear is all the better for it.
Begin with Us
Start with a free 15-minute welcome chat. From there, we’ll help you determine the right path, whether it’s counseling, coaching, or Yoga, and create a plan that honors where you are. At pear, we believe this season of life can be more than survival. It can be healing.