A bit about me...
I wear a whole bunch of different hats.
I am a birth junkie - have been for almost 20 years. I am a doula, and childbirth educator, and lactation counselor. I have completed advanced training as a hypnotist and I specialize in birthing hypnosis. I teach HypnoFertility classes, and HypnoBirthing classes, and HypnoMothering classes. I support couples throughout their challenges with fertility and I celebrate their pregnancies. I work with women to overcome anxiety and doubt and to heal from past birth trauma. I help them release their fears and define their dreams. And on very special occasions, when invited, I am honored to attend their births.
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I am a mama. My children are growing into two of the most amazing people on the planet. I am a wife. One of the fortunate few to have married my best friend. I am a daughter and a sister and a mentor and a friend. Family is a big deal in my world.
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I am personally and professionally passionate about pregnancy, birthing, and the adventures of parenthood. I love working with people. I am deeply committed to making sure this adventure called life is something we look back on with fond memories. Or at least the knowledge that we were heard, and understood, and supported.
How it all began...
I had a baby.
I didn't grow up thinking I would someday become a birth worker. Who does? No. My plans were much more mundane. I had every intention of becoming a teacher. I left Colorado to attend a small, liberal arts school in Iowa where I ultimately earned a degree in English and Elementary Education. Shortly after graduation, I married my high school sweetheart, dabbled for a couple of years in student affairs and women's health care, and then found myself pregnant with our "sooner than anticipated" firstborn. We were young and excited... and scared out of our minds. You know. First time parents.
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My daughter's birth changed the course of my life. It wasn't until I experienced pregnancy firsthand that I realized just how much I didn't know. I didn't even know the questions to ask! We thought we were being progressive. We hired a nurse midwife, took the recommended hospital classes, and read all the books they told us to read. We were educated, but inexperienced, and ultimately - not at all prepared.
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You see, what the books and hospital classes don't tell you is that having a baby is the BIGGEST thing you will ever do. And that the people and energy and environment you surround yourself with throughout your pregnancy and at your birthing will forever shape the person you are to become. That the experience of bringing a child into the world will change who you are, and how you think, and what you expect from those around you. Sometimes, that one experience might even prompt you to change careers...
And so...here we are.
Birth work became my biz. I officially began my birthing business in 2003 as a certified birth doula with DONA International. A year later, I gave birth to my son in the privacy of our home - surrounded and supported by two midwives, a doula, my family, and our friends. All of a sudden, this birthing thing began to make a lot more sense! In 2008 I expanded my scope of practice to include HypnoBirthing childbirth education classes, and within a few years, my doula practice had transformed to one primarily made up of HypnoBirthing families. I guess you could say...I found my niche. I attended more specialized trainings - hypnosis for fertility and HypnoMothering for postpartum parents - so that I could provide even more options to the families I serve. In 2014, I completed my training as a Certified Hypnotist and in 2018 I joined the faculty of the HypnoBirthing Institute as a Master Trainer. I love inspiring and mentoring fellow birth workers as they lay down roots in this amazing profession! The pandemic forced me to "slow my roll" just a bit and stay put, so I used the opportunity to complete as many professional trainings as I could find. I updated my professional doula credentials with certification programs from Contemporary Doula International and the HypnoBirthing Institute and attended a variety of online training sessions to become better educated in trauma informed care for pregnant and birthing families. It is powerful stuff and such an amazing tool for helping folks to heal! My mantra for 2024 has been "holding space for change" and so far, I've done just that. I've joined a couple of fantastic colleagues at the Northern Colorado Doula Collective, expanded my practice to include services as a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC), and completed ANOTHER doula certification with CAPPA (CLD). So many letters behind my name! Last, but certainly not least, I am proud to serve as the Colorado Chapter Leader for HypnoBirthing Educators. This is the work that chose me, and the work I love. Life is busy and full...and I wouldn't have it any other way!
