Trainings/Certifications: Trained as a labor doula with Penny Simkin at the Seattle Midwifery School, certified HypnoBirthing childbirth educator, certified hypnotist with the National Guild of Hypnotists, EFT
Philosophy: I am a mother of 6 children, so I know that each birth can be very different. What is true for every birth, however, is that how it happens matters a great deal in the life of a woman and her family. I also believe that birth proceeds best when parents are well educated and confident. A cornerstone of my practice is education and the replacement of fear with facts, so that parents can confidently choose what is best for their birth and their baby. I am also a big believer in the power of the mind to affect desired change in the body. In addition to providing traditional labor support, as a certified hypnotist I am also able to integrate the use of hypnosis to remove fear, increase comfort and confidence, assist with the correction of breech presentation, and other applications unique to pregnancy.
Bio: I have been married for 14 years and am the mother of 6 great kids. My oldest daughter was born via cesarean section, the following 3 babies were born vaginally in the hospital, and the last 2 were born at home, so I have had a wide range of personal experience. It has been this path of learning through motherhood that awakened in me the desire to help other families to find their own way to birth and parenting.
I am a member of the National Guild of Hypnotists and have been certified to teach HypnoBirthing since 2005. The use of hypnosis for birth and so many other applications intrigues me and is an area of special interest. I also really enjoy helping families who are planning VBACs (vaginal birth after cesarean), having been there a few times myself.
I have also been studying birth, labor support and midwifery since my eldest daughter's birth in 1999. When I am not studying, I enjoy keeping up with my kids, reading, and doing yoga.
How many births do you attend? I attend 1-2 births per month.
I serve women birthing in these hospitals: Greater Charlotte area
How many prenatal and postpartum visits do you provide? Generally, I provide a free consultation, two prenatal, and one postpartum visit. If there are special circumstances or clients wish to integrate hypnosis into their births, there may be additional visits.