Dr. Carmela Maxell, PsyD, MA, MBA, LMHC, is a mental health professional, author, educator, podcast host, and creator whose work centers on the intersection of mental health, grief, identity, leadership, and the beautifully complicated experience of being human. A Black and Filipina woman, mother of three, and longtime behavioral health leader, Carmela brings both professional expertise and lived experience to conversations that are thoughtful, candid, compassionate, and often sprinkled with humor.
She is the creator and host of Rooted & Rising, a mental health and personal growth podcast that explores everything from relationships, burnout, grief, and boundaries to leadership, identity, resilience, and the moments when life simply refuses to cooperate. Carmela is also the author of the dystopian novel Bereavement, creator of the Letters Never Sent app, and an adjunct professor teaching psychology. Across her writing, podcasting, teaching, and clinical leadership, her goal is the same: to create spaces where people can have honest conversations, feel a little less alone, and find room to keep growing—even when life gets messy.
