Q & A: Licensed Psychologist and…Doula?

I am a licensed psychologist and trained birth and postpartum doula.

Here’s how it happened…

Prior to opening my private practice I spent 3 years working in a community mental health agency as a full-time outpatient clinician. During that time I completed 18 months of training in Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP), a model for children aged 0-5 who have experienced at least one traumatic event and/or are experiencing mental health, attachment, and/or behavioral problems. Learning about and applying this model significantly changed my approach to clinical work, which is no surprise considering that CPP work holds not only the child’s history in mind, but also the parent/caregiver’s. The model is unique in this way, with there also being strong emphasis on the perinatal period, attachment, and the parent-child relationship.

Yeah, but how does a doula fit in with all of that?

After practicing CPP for some time I felt that I really needed a better understanding of the perinatal period: conception, pregnancy, birthing, and the fourth trimester. I was curious about how difficult pregnancies, traumatic births, and stressful experiences during this time were later showing up as triggers and strains in the parent-child relationship with my clients. So I decided to take a birth doula training with some of my closest colleagues who had similar wonderings.

Shortly thereafter, I felt it was crucial to learn more about the postpartum period, and I took a postpartum doula training. I was FASCINATED. I developed a deeper understanding of the perinatal period, learned about disparities in pregnancy-related care, and better understood the choices and options available for birthing and postpartum families in a way I hadn’t before. Clinically, all the pieces were starting to come together.

The experience in and of itself was truly life-changing. I was able to connect with many amazing birthworkers, locally and internationally, who are all extremely passionate about their role in supporting birthing families. If you’re in the Los Angeles area, there are many options for finding a doula no matter what your income level may be.

Looking for more info? Click here to check out my blog post about the role of a doula in mental health. I also recommend spending some time on the Postpartum Support International and DONA International websites where you can find a wealth of information related to birthworkers, perinatal health, mental health, and wellness.

Warmly,