About the Doula

My Background

Long before I became a doula, I was a dance major at UW-Madison, where I studied Somatics and really dove into the impacts of the mind-body connection. Somatics is "any practice that uses the mind-body connection to help you survey your internal self and listen to signals your body sends about areas of pain, discomfort, or imbalance." I became fascinated with the power of the human body. I have always been captivated by birth, but I was fed little seeds of doubt along my journey that took me away from that passion for way too long. After the birth of my first baby, I was reminded of the power of birth and strength of birthing people and began my journey back toward birth work. I am so thankful to have been able to return to this work in a way that has such an impact on other's lives.

My Approach

My approach is to understand what makes you feel powerful, strong, and beautiful then provide the tools, resources, advocacy, and hands-on support needed to help you achieve that. I will help you tap into your mind and body to allow it to do what it was built to do in childbirth. I have studied this connection in-depth and know how integral it is in having a positive birth experience, no matter how it's done. My hope is for you to feel empowered, strong, and at peace with your birth and in your new role as a parent. Assisting you in finding that connection and giving you the tools to achieve a positive birth experience is truly a privilege. I am also strong in my Christian faith and can offer support with a Christian perspective through prayer and scripture-based support, if desired.

My Trainings

I am a fully trained and certified Community Aware Birthworker (CAB) doula, which not only includes physiological birth, comfort measures, prenatal and postpartum planning, but also covers diversity/equity/inclusion, implicit bias, informed decision making, and advocacy aspects of birth work. I have had unique and wonderful opportunities to learn from some of the greatest minds in birth and body work. I have received additional advanced training on Gilligan's Guide, which is maternal positioning for optimal fetal positioning. This technique can have one of the greatest impacts on a labor. I am also certified in Dynamic Body Balancing, which includes craniosacral therapy and and myofascial unwinding. I have also taken additional training in lactation support and trauma informed care. Through all of these trainings and my certification, I have also gained experience in navigating additional needs and connecting families with some of these wonderful people or services (i.e. lactation consultants, pelvic floor physical therapists, chiropractors, etc.)

My Qualifications

• Certified Birth Doula (CAB-CD)

• Additional Training in Lactation for Birthworker (CAB)

• Dynamic Body Balancing - CST and Myofascial Unwinding (Dynamic Body Balancing - Dr. Carol Phillips)

• Maternal Positioning for Optimal Fetal Positioning (Gilligan's Guide)

• Trauma-Informed Care (Indiana University - Professional Development Certificate)

• BA from UW Madison - Zoology & Psychology