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Healthcare Professionals Becoming Doulas

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From Clinical Care to Compassionate Support: A Healthcare Professional’s Guide to Becoming a Doula

[/mk_title_box][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1766189301314{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Why nurses, midwives, and other medical professionals are discovering the joy of the doula role and how to navigate dual identities with confidence

When Sarah, an experienced labour and delivery nurse, first attended a birth as a doula, she felt something she hadn’t experienced in years: freedom.

“I wasn’t watching the monitor. I wasn’t documenting vitals. I wasn’t thinking about the next admission,” she recalls. “I was just… present. Holding space. Supporting a woman through the most transformative moment of her life. It was the reason I got into birth work in the first place.”

Sarah’s story isn’t unique. Across the country, healthcare professionals—nurses, former midwives, chiropractors, massage therapists, and naturopaths—are adding doula certification to their credentials. They’re discovering that the doula role offers something their clinical training never could: the ability to focus entirely on the human experience of birth, free from medical tasks and institutional constraints.

But this beautiful dual identity also comes with a challenge: How do you honor your clinical expertise while staying firmly within a doula’s scope of practice?

If you’re a healthcare professional considering doula training, you might be wondering: Can I really turn off my clinical brain? Won’t clients expect me to use my medical knowledge? How do I separate these roles without confusing everyone—including myself?

The good news? It’s not only possible, it’s often easier than you think. And it might just reignite your passion for birth work in ways you never expected.[/vc_column_text][mk_title_box highlight_opacity=”0″ font_family=”none”]

Why Healthcare Professionals Make Exceptional Doulas (And Why They Need Doula Training)

[/mk_title_box][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1766512284635{margin-top: -10px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Your clinical background is an asset, not a liability. You understand birth physiology. You recognize normal variations and concerning signs. You speak the language of the healthcare system. You know how hospitals work from the inside.

But here’s what makes doula work different—and why specific doula training matters:

Doulas focus on the person, not the patient. You’re not managing labour; you’re supporting someone through their unique labour experience. You’re not preventing complications; you’re nurturing confidence and calm. You’re not following protocols; you’re following your client’s lead.

The skills you’ll develop as a doula complement—but don’t replace—your clinical skills. You’ll learn:

• How to provide information without giving advice
• How to support self-advocacy instead of making recommendations
• How to use your hands for comfort, not assessment
• How to be with someone without trying to fix anything
• How to work alongside medical staff (even when you could do their job yourself)

Many nurses and midwives who’ve completed doula training tell us the same thing: “Doula work gave me back the part of birth work I missed most.“[/vc_column_text][mk_title_box highlight_opacity=”0″ font_family=”none”]

The Mental Shift: From “I Treat” to “I Support”

[/mk_title_box][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1766189329000{margin-top: -10px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Let’s be honest, when you’ve spent years being the one with the answers, it can feel strange to step back. Your instinct might be to assess, diagnose, or intervene. A labouring person moans, and your clinical brain immediately starts triaging. You see a contraction pattern and want to make a recommendation.

This is where the doula training becomes essential—not just for your clients, but for you.

Here’s the reframe:

• As a nurse: You assess, document, and intervene
• As a doula: You observe, validate, and support
• As a medical provider: You manage labour progress
• As a doula: You support the labouring person’s coping and confidence
• As a clinician: You prevent complications
• As a doula: You create an environment where birth can unfold

The beauty is this: Most healthcare professionals report that staying in the doula role is far easier than they expected. Once you experience the relief of not being responsible for clinical outcomes, many actually prefer it. You get to be fully present without the weight of medical liability. You get to connect without documentation requirements. You get to support without managing.

One former midwife from Colombia who trained with us said it perfectly: “As a midwife, I was always thinking about what could go wrong. As a doula, I get to focus on what’s going right. I never knew how much I needed that.”[/vc_column_text][mk_title_box highlight_opacity=”0″ font_family=”none”]

Practical Guidelines for Maintaining Your Doula Scope

[/mk_title_box][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1766189387425{margin-top: -10px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Whether you’re a nurse, chiropractor, massage therapist, or naturopath, here’s how to maintain clear professional boundaries while honoring both your identities:

Before Services Begin: Set Crystal-Clear Expectations

Don’t assume your client understands the difference between your roles. Many people don’t realize that you’ll be functioning solely as a doula, even if you’re also a nurse.

Include this in your doula contract:

• A clear statement: “I am being hired as a doula only, not in my capacity as a [nurse/chiropractor/etc.]”
• What you WILL provide: emotional support, comfort measures, information, advocacy coaching
• What you will NOT provide: medical assessments, clinical advice, procedures, or treatments
• Emergency exception: Note that in a medical emergency, you may be legally obligated to act within your highest level of training

Pro tip: Some doulas add this language: “While I have training as a [profession], I cannot and will not provide [clinical services] during doula support. This protects both of us and ensures you receive the pure doula support you’re hiring me for.”

During Birth: Use Language That Keeps You in Scope

Your words matter. They signal to everyone your client, their partner, the medical staff, and yourself, which role you’re in.

Doula language:

• “I can offer information about your options…”
• “What questions would you like to ask your provider?”
• “How can I support you right now?”
• “I notice you’re working hard, you’re doing beautifully.”
• “Would you like to try a position change?”

Clinical language to avoid:

• “I recommend…”
• “Your labour is/isn’t progressing normally…”
• “You should…”
• “Let me check…”
• Any diagnostic statements

When your client asks you a clinical question (and they will), redirect with kindness:

“That’s a great question for your nurse/midwife. Would you like me to help you ask them?”

This isn’t about withholding information, it’s about maintaining appropriate boundaries and ensuring your client gets clinical information from the person legally responsible for their care.

In the Hospital: Navigate Your Dual Identity with Grace

If you’re a nurse or other healthcare professional, birth spaces can feel particularly tricky. You might know the staff. You might even work in that hospital at other times. You probably understand exactly what’s happening behind the scenes.

Remember:

• You are there as a doula, not a colleague
• Do not touch medical equipment, even if you use it in your other role
• Do not communicate with staff as a peer about clinical matters
• Do not perform any nursing tasks, even “helpful” ones
• If staff treat you as a colleague, politely redirect: “Today I’m here as [Client’s] doula. I’ll let you two discuss that.”

The golden rule: Never blur the line between when you’re working as a staff member and when you’re supporting as a doula. Even in the same building. Even if you know you could help. The roles must stay separate.

Blending Services: The Right Way

Can you offer multiple services to the same person? Absolutely, with clear boundaries.

The one-hat-at-a-time principle:

• A massage therapist can provide prenatal massage sessions AND doula services to the same client, but not at the same time. During birth, you use comforting touch like all doulas—not therapeutic massage techniques.
• A chiropractor can see a pregnant person for adjustments during pregnancy AND provide doula support at birth—but you don’t perform adjustments during labour, even if they ask.
• A naturopath can offer prenatal nutrition counseling AND doula support—but during labour, you’re there as emotional and physical support, not making treatment recommendations.

Keep everything separate:

• Separate contracts for each service
• Separate billing
• Separate liability insurance (ensure both policies are active)
• Separate record-keeping
• Clear communication about which role you’re in at any given time

Think of it this way: You only have one head, so you can only wear one hat at a time. Your client will benefit from multiple services, but they need clarity about which one they’re receiving in each moment.[/vc_column_text][mk_title_box highlight_opacity=”0″ font_family=”none”]

What You’ll Love About Being a Doula (That’s Different from Clinical Work)

[/mk_title_box][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1766187934893{margin-top: -10px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]We’ve trained hundreds of nurses, midwives, chiropractors, massage therapists, and other healthcare professionals at Doula School. Here’s what they consistently tell us they love about the doula role:

“I get to slow down.” No rushing to the next patient. No time pressure. Just deep presence with one person through their entire journey.

“I’m not responsible for outcomes.” You support the process, not manage it. The weight of clinical decision-making lifts, and you can simply be a supportive presence.

“I can focus on the whole person.” Not just vitals and dilation—but fears, hopes, strength, vulnerability, and triumph. You see people, not patients.

“I remember why I got into this work.” The doula role strips away institutional constraints and lets you return to the heart of why you were drawn to birth work in the first place.

“It’s easier than I expected to keep roles separate.” Once you experience the relief and joy of pure doula support, staying in that role becomes natural, not restrictive.[/vc_column_text][mk_title_box highlight_opacity=”0″ font_family=”none”]

Your Clinical Knowledge Is Still Valuable, Just Used Differently

[/mk_title_box][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1766514323252{margin-top: -10px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Don’t worry, your years of training and experience aren’t wasted. They inform everything you do as a doula:

• You recognize normal variations (and when to suggest your client ask questions)
• You understand medical terminology (and can help translate it without giving advice)
• You know how hospitals function (and can help your client navigate the system)
• You spot concerning patterns (and know how to appropriately escalate: “I think this is worth mentioning to your provider”)
• You remain calm in intensity (because you’ve seen it all before)

Your clinical background makes you a more grounded, confident doula. You just use that knowledge differently to support, not to direct.[/vc_column_text][mk_title_box highlight_opacity=”0″ font_family=”none”]

Ready to Add “Doula” to Your Professional Identity?

[/mk_title_box][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1766188926676{margin-top: -10px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]If you’re a healthcare professional feeling called to doula work, trust that instinct. There’s a reason you’re drawn to this role—and it likely has everything to do with reconnecting to the heart-centered, relationship-based care that first inspired you.

Doula training will teach you:

• How to use your clinical knowledge without overstepping scope
• How to build a doula practice that complements (not competes with) your other work
• How to communicate your dual roles clearly to clients and colleagues
• How to experience birth support in a completely new way

And here’s what we consistently hear from healthcare professionals after they complete training:

“I was worried I’d struggle with the boundaries. Instead, I found freedom. The doula role lets me be present in a way my clinical work never allowed. It’s transformed how I see birth—and why I do this work.”[/vc_column_text][mk_title_box highlight_opacity=”0″ font_family=”none”]

What Healthcare Professionals Say About Our Program

[/mk_title_box][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1766189462021{margin-top: -10px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]“As a labour and delivery nurse for 15 years, I thought I knew everything about birth. Doula training taught me a completely different way to be present. I love that I can now support families without the clinical responsibility—I focus purely on their experience.”
— Jennifer, RN

“I was a midwife in the Philippines before moving to Canada. Becoming a doula gave me a way to return to birth work while I navigate licensing. I’m amazed at how much I appreciate the doula-only role. It’s so much more relational.”
— Maria, Former Midwife

“I was nervous about whether I could ‘turn off’ my chiropractic brain. But in doula training, I learned that I’m not turning anything off—I’m using my knowledge differently. Now I support families as both a chiropractor and a doula, and the boundaries are surprisingly clear and easy to maintain.”
— Dr. Sarah, Chiropractor & Doula[/vc_column_text][mk_title_box highlight_opacity=”0″ font_family=”none”]

The Bottom Line on Healthcare Professionals Becoming Doulas

[/mk_title_box][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1766188168565{margin-top: -10px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]You don’t have to choose between your clinical expertise and your calling to support families. You can be both a skilled healthcare professional AND a compassionate doula.

The key is understanding that these roles are distinct, honoring the boundaries between them, and trusting that staying in doula scope isn’t limiting, it’s liberating.

If you’re ready to rediscover the joy of birth work, to slow down and truly be present, and to support families in a way your clinical role never allowed…

The doula path is calling.

And with proper training, you’ll discover that balancing both identities is not just possible it’s one of the most rewarding professional decisions you’ll ever make.[/vc_column_text][mk_title_box highlight_opacity=”0″ font_family=”none”]

About Our Program

[/mk_title_box][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1766188514436{margin-top: -10px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]At Doula School Canada, we’ve trained thousands of healthcare professionals who’ve successfully integrated doula work into their careers. Our comprehensive vocational diploma program includes specific guidance on:

• Maintaining scope of practice across multiple professional roles
• Communicating boundaries clearly with clients and colleagues
• Using clinical knowledge appropriately within the doula framework
• Building a sustainable doula practice alongside other work
• Navigating institutional settings with dual identities

Our instructors include nurses, former midwives, and other healthcare professionals who understand your unique perspective and can guide you through the transition.

Ready to explore how doula certification can complement your healthcare career? We’d love to hear from you.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”Learn About Our Programs” css=”.vc_custom_1766190475241{margin-right: 25px !important;}” link=”url:%2Fcore-training%2Fbirth-and-postpartum-doula%2F”][vc_btn title=”Speak With Us” css=”” link=”url:%2Fcontact%2F”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1766515586115{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”] 

About: Julia Forest, Co-director of Doula School

International Yoga Teacher & Birth Doula

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Let’s Talk: Doulas as Peer Supporters

Author: Keira Grant, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion – Lead

I just got out of the first session of a free, 30-hour Peer Support Core Competencies training offered by Support House. The virtual training is offered twice a week for 2 hours, over the course of 7 weeks. 

If you’re wondering what the catch is to a free, 30-hour training – I’ve been trying to get a spot in this course for about a year. A maximum of 30 participants are accepted in each cohort. Every time I got the email notification saying that registration was open, I would race to sign up, only to discover that the course was already full.

Nevertheless, I persisted. I recognized that this training is an important aspect of my professional development. In my birth and postpartum doula practice, peer support is already a significant aspect of what I do. Often this support to realize mental well-being during pregnancy and postpartum is the most life-changing dimension of my support journey with a family. The information on communication and debriefing in my dual stream course laid an important foundation, but about a year ago, I found myself wanting to strengthen this aspect of my practice.

I’m proud to say that I have many hours of therapy under my belt, and I think more people should be proud to say this. In my case, therapy, along with mindfulness, and finding the right medication have been the trifecta that keeps my mental illnesses in remission. I often find myself drawing from my own therapy experiences and insights to support clients with their challenges ranging from settlement and refugee trauma, to relationship challenges, isolation, and overwhelm. This is the basis of the peer supporter role.

Peer support training provides a framework for facilitating mental health and wellness discussions whereby the facilitator draws from their lived experience to support their peer in realizing self-determination and empowerment. In a way, it is kind of like being a mental health doula. Whereas mental healthcare professionals treat mental illness, peer supporters empower people to have a holistic and positive relationship with their mental health and wellness.   

Peer support’s evolution also mirrors the rise of modern doula practice. Doulas emerged as a response to obstetric violence and birth trauma, and peer supporters emerged in response to psychiatric violence and human rights violations. The social changes of the 1970s that sparked a movement to reform birth also sparked a movement to reform psychiatric care, and services led by psychiatric survivor-consumers began to proliferate. Now, peer supporters are integrated into care teams in many mental health care programs.

The perinatal journey is full of many joys, but mental health challenges are often a part of the experience. The expectation that pregnancy and new parenthood are unilaterally joyful experiences can make perinatal mental health challenges more confusing for our clients and make it harder for them to reach out for help. Being a doula and a peer supporter is a match made in heaven. We are already operating in a person-centered model emphasizing autonomy, empowerment, and the uniqueness of each journey. Peer support is rooted in the same philosophy. As doulas, we are often the first person clients open up to when they are struggling to maintain mental well-being, or need to process a traumatic birth. I am grateful to expand my skills in providing this powerful form of care.

While many professional roles for peer supporters are jobs in mental health clinics and organizations, a growing number of peer supporters work in private practice in consultation with a regulated mental health care professional (e.g. an MSW-RSW). I look forward to being able to offer peer support sessions as an additional service of my birth and postpartum doula practice. 

January 28 is Bell Let’s Talk Day.  While the day has been justly criticized for using mental illness to market a brand, it does succeed at taking mental illness out of the shadows and giving it the spotlight it needs. “Let’s talk” is also a perfect phrase to capture the collaborative and equality-based model that is so integral to the philosophy of doula care and peer support. 

Are you exploring ways to build your capacity to talk to your clients about mental health? If you don’t have time for a 30-hour course, I encourage you to seek out other opportunities. Self-directed learning modules offered by Support House are a great place to start your quest. Talking, listening, and helping clients realize true well-being is one of the most transformative services we can offer. 

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