We all deserve care.
I’m here to serve children & families.
After graduate school and a long career in University research for young children with autism, I had the life-altering experience of becoming a parent. Pregnancy and childbirth were incredibly important times in my life, and a gateway into a new chapter both personally and professionally. I tried to prepare for birth and parenting like other experiences in my life: gathering all the info & making lots of to-do lists. What I didn’t realize is that becoming the mother I wanted to be required me to be in community with other caregivers, where I learned to give myself grace and trust my instincts.
As the first of my close friends to become a parent, I supported loved ones on their journey to parenthood, and soon realized that I was being called into doula work. I began as a free community doula for the Philadelphia Alliance for Labor Support (PALS) because their mission aligns with my belief that birthwork is a form of social justice work. It’s my strongly held belief that acts of care are a testament to our common humanity and a way to build a better world. Because the work of supporting families does not stop once the baby is born, parents require care and supportive community during the postpartum period and throughout their parenting years. In our society, this can be hard to come by, even under the most ideal circumstances. But, the research is clear: if we want a world full of healthy, resilient children, then the first and most important thing we can do is surround the primary caretaker with the support they need.
In my practice, I am a calm, steady presence for folks as they move through their parenthood journey. I strive to provide holistic care that honors a family’s values and feels respectful, encouraging, and practical. It is the joy of my life to serve families as they bring new babies into the world, and begin a journey that will forever change their own lives in the process.
My Training
Birth Doula Training (DONA) w/ Debra Pascali-Bonaro
Postpartum Doula Training w/ Whole Body Pregnancy
Psychological First Aid w/ University of Pennsylvania Department of Psychiatry
Cesarean Recovery for Mind, Body, and Soul w/ Postpartum Healing Lodge
Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED Certified w/ Red Cross
A Communication Toolkit for Perinatal Loss w/ Return to Zero
Pivotal Response Treatment: A play-based, child-initiated therapy for children w/ STAR Autism Support
Community Herbalism & Birthkeeper Program w/ Wild Ginger Community
B.S. Elementary & Early Childhood Education: Temple University
M.S.Ed Teaching, Learning, & Curriculum: University of Pennsylvania
UPCOMING:
Holding Space for Abortion w/ The Institute for the Study of Birth, Breath, and Death
Lactation Counselor Training w/ Healthy Children Project & Center for Breastfeeding
Up-to-date PA Criminal Background Check, PA Driver’s License, & Vaccination Records available upon request
Professional Memberships
Evidence Based Birth Professional
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
Philadelphia Alliance for Labor Support (PALS)
Follow my journey
