“What is a life doula?”

When I sought professional help for my eating disorder, I unconsciously believed that they knew what I needed and that I did not. However, looking back (it’s been over 10 years), I see that the top-down approach of (some parts) the mental health industry keep us psychologically injured. I knew what I needed, deep down. I just didn’t see it available, so I tapped our cultural systems for what was available at the time. What I really could have used was someone compassionate and curious to witness and spend 8 hours with me, walking through all the steps involved in the food process, stopping along the way to discuss any triggers, memories, thoughts, or fears that were coming up.

I’m presently of the opinion that we know ourselves best, even if we don’t know ourselves that well. We know our wounds the best. And what we’re missing is 1) believing there is nothing wrong with us and 2) working through our fears with a patient, present, and compassionate person.

That’s the kind of role I’m interested in exploring to support others.

Do you feel stuck in some area of your life? Have to beat yourself through the process of making and eating food? Unable to turn off the TV? Unable to put down the phone? Terrified to travel? Scared of heights? Scared of new social gatherings? Scared of touch or intimacy? Unable to get your house in order? Unable to get your relationships where you want them to be? Do you have a funeral coming up that you’re not sure if you can bear? Do you have to return to church for an event after a lifetime of spiritual abuse? Unable to relate to your kids? Have you been dying for someone to hold your hand and look into the abyss with you?

There is nothing wrong with you. The stuckness comes from your conditioned nervous system protecting you from something it believes is dangerous due to real lived experiences. Having the time and the presence of someone else to really sink into these stuck areas and talk them out is what I think is missing. I work outside of presupposed narratives and modalities and instead focus on knowing YOU, how you see and experience yourself, and where YOU want to go and HOW.

When you book a life doula appointment with me, you can expect to talk through what you feel you are struggling with and then together we explore and strategize what a doula session would look like, aiming at whatever you think you need the most, not what I think you need. You will design your “treatment” with agency and I will support you, so you can really let yourself explore this wound deeply. We may use plant medicine to support this work, if you’re interested in that. I’m also available to travel.

Since each each doula experience is different, there is no standard quote. Book me for an intro call and let’s gently explore your stuckness, your fears, your aversions, and your pain.

Life Doula

"Having Marie doula me through the work I wanted to explore was amazing. It was such a gift to have their energy and support. The clear boundaries of their role allowed me to relax and ask for what I needed. The deep compassion and acceptance they brought to our time was unlike anything I have ever experienced."

Maureen C.