I’ve always been magnetized to pregnancy and childbirth. When I was a child, instead of cartoons, I watched “A Baby Story” on TLC and my family could never figure out why I was so obsessed with the bond between birthing person and baby. As an adult, I received my Masters degree in Counseling and Student Development, and spent years shepherding college students through the initial, disruptive years on their own. Working in the counseling field taught me to hold space for big emotion, to ask hard questions, and to help others reconnect to their inner knowing during transformational experiences. I have always gravitated towards taking care of people, and as I grew into myself more deeply I began to realize that the people I love supporting most are one’s who are birthing, experiencing or anticipating the loss of their baby, or choosing to terminate their pregnancy.
When I learned about the role of a Doula, the dots FINALLY began to connect. I love everything about this job: the complexities + intersections, the realization that we are not in control, and helping folks navigate and let go of expectations. Pregnancy and birth encapsulate all of the pieces of being human, and I love teaching people that the vulnerabilities of our imperfection bring us closer to one another and most importantly: closer to ourselves and the deep knowledge of the bones that has always existed within us.
When I am not supporting families you can find me making a lot of noise in the kitchen, watching a good film or kayaking with my husband, buying socks and ceramic mugs that I do not need, making playlists, or taking a day trip for the sole purpose of a good meal.
TRAINING AND EDUCATION (BORING STUFF)
Somatic Experiencing Practitioner Training, Trauma Healing Institute, 2022-2024
Doula Pandemic Training, Seattle, WA 2020
Mentoring from Within, Birthing From Within, Seattle, WA 2020
Spinning Babies, Seattle, WA 2019
Certified Peer Lactation Educator Training, Camie Goldhammer + Felisha Floyd (45 hrs), Seattle, WA 2019
Certified Lactation Educator Training, Evergreen Perinatal Education (45 hrs) , Seattle, WA 2019
Neonatal Resuscitation Certified, American Academy of Pediatrics, Seattle, WA 2019
TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) Unit Training, Big Belly Services, Seattle, WA 2019
Supporting Families Through Grief, Big Belly Services, Seattle, WA 2019
Midwifery and Birth Assistant Course, Northwest Birth Assistants and Midwifery Support, Seattle, WA 2018
INNATE Postpartum Care Certified Provider, Innate Traditions, Taos, NM 2018
Rebozo Uses for Labor and Birth, Big Belly Services, Seattle, WA 2018
Placenta Encapsulation, Cornerstone Doula Trainings, Portland, OR 2018
Child CPR AED, Infant CPR Seattle, WA 2018
Hypnobabies® Hypno-Doula, Hypnobabies®, Seattle, WA 2018
Food Safety and Blood Born Pathogens for Placenta Encapsulators, Seattle, WA 2018
Homebirth, Labor and Postpartum Doula Training, Cornerstone Doula Trainings, San Francisco, CA 2016
Masters of Science, College Counseling and Student Development, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA 2012
Bachelor of Arts, Liberal Studies and Spanish Linguistics, Cal Poly Pomona, Pomona, CA 2010
Photo by Seattle Birth Stories