What is a doula?

Most folks think of a doula as someone who is a part of the caregiving team for a person going through the birth process, or during end-of-life situations. Birth doulas are traditionally present with clients one or more times before the birth, during the birth itself, and sometimes also provide services in the client’s home for respite care during the newborn period. Similarly, end-of-life doulas provide services to clients & families during the time frame and in the locations that health-related events are taking place.

According to Wikipedia:

A doula (/ˈduːlə/) is a trained companion who is not a healthcare professional and who supports another person (the doula’s client) through a significant health-related experience, such as childbirth, miscarriage, induced abortion or stillbirth, or non-reproductive experiences such as dying.^[1][2][3][4] A doula may also provide support to the client’s partner, family, and friends.^[5][6]

The doula’s goal and role is to help the client feel safe and comfortable, complementing the role of the healthcare professionals who provide the client’s medical care. Unlike a physician, midwife, or nurse, a doula cannot administer medication or other medical treatment or give medical advice.^[7][2] An individual may need to complete training to work as a doula, although training and certification processes vary throughout the world.^[7][3][4][8]

Some doulas work as volunteers; others are paid for their services by their client, medical institutions, or other private and public organizations. Doulas receive varying amounts of training, and their professionalism also varies.^[4][9]

The contributions of doulas during reproductive experiences and end-of-life care have been studied and have been shown to benefit their clients.^{[4][10][11][12]} For example, a birth doula providing support during childbirth may increase likelihood of vaginal birth (rather than cesarean delivery), decrease the need for pain medication during labor, and improve the perception of the birthing experience.^[13][14]

The benefits of a doula providing other types of support have been less well studied, but might improve a client’s experience with medical care or help an individual cope with health transitions.^{[15][16][4][17]}

WIKIPEDIA 

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Our Unique Doula Services

In my work as a physician, I particularly enjoyed working one-on-one with folks to help them reach their goals. I greatly appreciated the many opportunities I had to be an educated, supportive companion and patient advocate when it came to dealing with insurance or policy issues that impacted the care I was able to provide. After retiring, I longed to bring these treasured aspects of my experience into a new role, one unencumbered by the constraints of traditional medical practice.

As a Doula, I no longer administer medication or other medical treatment, or give medical advice. Instead, I work with folks to uncover the underlying meaning of symptoms and compose a “prescription” of non-pharmaceutical solutions to assist in improving well-being. I bring new skills & expertise in art and trauma therapy as well as techniques such as meditation, Reiki, and other esoteric practices into the formulation of a menu of personalized wellness-enhancing tools. Meetings take place virtually, and once a physical location is secured will be offered in person. Sessions are scheduled on a time frame that is appropriate for each client and their needs.

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Please click on the links below to learn more about each type of Doula service we offer!