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Education & Training

Experienced, Prepared & Continually Learning

I believe good doula support starts with listening, but it doesn't stop there. I continue learning so I can offer families thoughtful, evidence-informed support through the many different ways pregnancy, birth, and postpartum can unfold.

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My training helps me support your choices, prepare you for the unexpected, and offer practical tools and reassurance when you need them. You don't have to follow a particular birth plan to deserve informed, compassionate support.

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Here's a closer look at the education and training I bring to my work.

Professional Certifications

DONA International -- Certified Birth Doula

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My birth doula certification through DONA International provided a foundation for supporting families through labor and birth. I bring that training into every birth, whether you're planning an unmedicated birth, considering an epidural, preparing for an induction, or navigating an unexpected change in plans.

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stillbirthday -- Bereavement Doula

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My bereavement doula training through stillbirthday informs the care I offer families experiencing pregnancy or infant loss. Every family deserves support that honors their wishes, their experience, and the significance of their baby.

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Body Ready Method® Pro+
 

As a certified Body Ready Method® Pro+ professional, I use functional movement and body-awareness tools to help clients prepare for labor, explore comfort, and work with their changing bodies. This training is one part of helping you feel more comfortable and confident as you prepare for birth.

Specialized Birth Training

​Birth isn't one-size-fits-all, and neither is preparation. I've pursued additional training in areas that can help me offer more individualized support.

 

VBAC Support

My training with The VBAC Link helps inform the support I offer families planning a vaginal birth after cesarean. My role isn't to tell you what choice to make. It's to help you prepare, understand your options, and feel supported in the decisions that are right for you.

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Spinning Babies® Workshop

My Spinning Babies® workshop added to my education in maternal positioning and movement during pregnancy and labor. These tools can give us additional options to explore for comfort and movement as your labor unfolds.

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TENS for Labor

Through TENS in the Toolbox training with Sharon Muza and DONA, I expanded my knowledge of using TENS as one possible tool for labor comfort. We'll talk about your preferences and the options that may fit your needs.

 

NICU Education

My additional NICU education supports my work with families who may face a NICU stay. When birth doesn't unfold as expected, having steady, compassionate support can matter just as much as it does during labor.

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Bereavement & Complex Birth Support

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I've continued learning about the needs of families navigating experiences that may be especially tender, uncertain, or emotionally complicated.

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My education includes:

  • Basic Bereavement Support through Haven Bereavement

  • Palliative Care Birth Plans: Preparing for Uncertainty

  • Mental Health Ambassador training
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This learning informs the way I approach sensitive conversations, respect family choices, and make space for a range of emotions and experiences.

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If you're navigating pregnancy or infant loss, you can learn more about my support through loss.

Lactation, Newborn Care & Family Education

Support doesn't end when your baby is born. I've pursued additional education to better understand the questions families may have during the early days of feeding and newborn care.

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My training includes:

  • Basics of Lactation Management for Doulas

  • Relactation and Induced Lactation

  • Helping Families Practice Infant Safe Sleep

  • Infant Safe Sleep for Professionals Working with Families
     

This education helps me provide informed, practical support while recognizing that every family, feeding journey, and newborn experience is different.

Safety, Equity & Continued Education

Compassionate support also means respecting privacy, recognizing barriers to care, and continuing to learn about the experiences that shape families' lives.

My additional education includes:

  • HIPAA for Doulas

  • OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens training

  • Racial Equity and Inequities in Birthwork

  • Introduction to Health Equity

  • Systemic Racism

  • Smoke Free For Baby and Me
     

These courses are part of my ongoing effort to provide respectful, inclusive support and to recognize that families bring different needs, experiences, and circumstances into birth.

What This Means For You

You don't need to know every birth term, make every decision before labor begins, or have a birth that goes according to plan.

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My job is to keep learning, help you understand your options, and stand beside you as you make decisions about your care. Whether you're preparing for your first birth, planning a VBAC, navigating a high-risk pregnancy, or facing an unexpected change, you deserve support that respects you and your choices.

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You remain the decision-maker. I'm here to help you feel prepared, heard, and supported.

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