Category: community

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birth Business Childbirth Educator collaboration community connection Labour Doula Postpartum Doula

Why YOU matter in business.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1647449189768{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Birthwork is personal. Everyone comes to this work with some level of personal investment. Clients may be drawn to your logo, website, or social media but who they hire is you. 

Imagine you are following a company on Instagram and Facebook. The images are warm and cozy feeling. The person in the images is wearing relaxed clothing and a big smile. So you set up a meeting. You are excited to connect with the person you see every day online. 

When you arrive to meet with this person you walk into an office with modern décor and are greeted by a person in a business suit. How do you feel? Do you stay? Do you continue to want to work with this person?

This person’s marketing was not representative of who they are. For whatever reason, they were trying to be someone else in the marketing of their business. 

Finding your voice in this business can be hard. You want to stand out, you want your ideal client to find you. The best and most effective way of finding your market is by showing up. Be vulnerable and honest about who you are. 

Does this mean baring your soul on social media? Not necessarily. Authenticity is more important than transparency. Clients are not looking for every detail of your life. They are however wanting to meet you, not who you think you should be. 

So what is authenticity? It means staying true to who YOU are, what YOU do, who YOU serve and, most importantly, why YOU do what you do. To quote Simon Sinek of Start with Why, “It means that the things we say and the things we do are things we actually believe.”

Authenticity is the basis of the trust clients develops in your business. A client wants to have some sense that the beliefs and values you express in your business, align with theirs. People are drawn to others who are similar to them in certain ways.  What it means is finding your voice. Finding your people and letting them get to know who you are. 

 

Where do you start? 

Confidence (even if you have to fake it till you make it)

This means believing in the power of you. Trusting that what you offer is so much more than the number of births you have attended, clients you have supported, or classes you have taught. That who you are is unique, and your clients are excited to meet you.

Connection

Getting yourself out there matters, but what matters most is relationships. Relationships with clients, caregivers, and other professionals are what business is built on. Through relationships all things are possible. Who you are matters in these relationships. Your business depends on your integrity of self. 

Find a way to position yourself as the expert in your field. Find where your ideal clients hang out, what groups they are in, where they go to the shop, and build those relationships. Talk to the business owners, organize speaking events, be visible.  

Clients are seeking connection. They want interaction, transparency, and relevance. They want to feel special. If a client likes your Facebook page or gives you their email they are saying “hey I like you!”. How can you say that back? How can you connect with them? Maybe that is as simple as shout-out on your social media platform or maybe that is a gift with purchase.

Consistency

This is more than just regularly posting on social media. This means that who you are and what images and ideas you are sharing align. All the time.  That your brand is consistent. Being authentic doesn’t mean you have to post every day and rack up 1000 likes. It just requires you to deliver a consistent, compelling identity that gets clients talking.

It also means that if you are changing your marketing materials you need to be transparent as to what is to come. People have a hard time with change. Something as simple as a new haircut that makes you appear different from the headshot shown on your website can affect a client’s trust in your business. 

Collaboration

Going back to speaking to other business owners. We have a saying here at Doula Canada. There is no such thing as competition. WHAT?! Shocking I know. Here is the thing. Competition breeds contempt. Collaboration builds business. Your market, your clients are unique to you. Visibility matters. The more birth professionals out there (in a small town or big city) the more clients there are out there looking for service. 

Find like-minded individuals and collaborate. Put on a talk, share space, and find ways to build a market through and with each other.  When you collaborate, you build connections. Connections bring clients. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Anti-racism work Canada community connection decolonization Equity indigenous doula intersectionality MMIWG national indigenous peoples day Trauma understanding bias

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1632997516706{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]September 30th is now National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. So what does this mean? How does it relate to doula care and birth work?

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation comes after decades of emotional labour and advocacy from Indigenous communities, as well as a year of grieving Indigenous children and investigating the tragedies of the residential school system. Not only did Indigenous families experience the horrors of this system, but many others as well, such as the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG), the 60’s scoop, and current extraction of environmental resources.

This is not history. This is happening now. Something needs to change.

Why are we asking members to reflect today? Besides being citizens on Indigenous lands, birth and postpartum workers interact directly with Indigenous families, and play an integral role in mitigating systemic oppression and intergenerational trauma.

For example:

  • Providing culturally sensitive care and awareness when working with Indigenous families
  • Providing trauma-informed care for those impacted by violence and adult child survivors of the child protection system
  • Creating space for cultural birthing practices
  • Advocating against racialized medical violence

Getting comfortable with truth and reconciliation requires a lot of discomfort. This is okay. It is only when we face our shortcomings head on that we can progress toward change. We welcome you to reflect on some questions today.

Reflection Questions for Doulas:

  • How have I benefited from capitalism, colonialism, and extraction of resources?
  • How have I upheld colonial norms that can potentially cause harm?
  • What did I learn growing up about the history of Canada and Indigenous Peoples?

When we can acknowledge we are a product of wider system indoctrinations like white supremacy, colonialism, etc. we can separate our character from the issues at hand. Good people can do harm. Good people are capable of racism, classism, and perpetuating colonial norms. Shame restricts us from moving forward.

In an effort to show this to you, here is mine. As an Indigenous person, I am still capable of perpetrating colonial harm.

  1. I benefited from colonial post-secondary institutions and obtaining a western education
  2. I have upheld colonial norms in the social work field as a mandated reporter
  3. I learned in elementary school that Canada obtained the land fairly and through agreement with Indigenous Peoples. Since then, I have done a degree in Indigenous Studies and learned about the tragedies of colonialism.

Don’t know where to start? Dr. Lynne Davis of Trent University and her class “Transforming Settler Relations” have compiled a database of Canadian initiatives that support allyship, education, and decolonization. Find an initiative here: https://transformingrelations.wordpress.com/

You can take action today by signing up for our trauma series this fall. The workshop “Intergenerational Trauma: The Doula Connection” on October 28 from 7-8:30pm EST will focus primarily on working with Indigenous families impacted by trauma and systemic oppression. All proceeds will go to The Indigenous Foundation.

To any Indigenous and non-Indigenous doulas who have questions, need support, or would like to chat about truth and reconciliation, please contact Kayt at kayt@doulatraining.ca

Miigwetch,
Kayt Ward (She/Her)
Indigenous Inclusion and Engagement Lead, BSW[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Anti-racism work Canada community decolonization Equity indigenous doula Trauma Uncategorised

215.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1622592235107{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]We acknowledge and honour the 215 children whose unmarked graves were found at Kamloops Indian Residential School last week. Their deaths, as well as their short lives as residential school victims, are acts of terrible violence.

These 215 children represent only a small fraction of those who have lost their language, culture, families, and lives to the residential school system in Canada and the residential school system is only one element of ongoing colonialism and cultural genocide in Canada.

As birth workers, and as Doula Canada, it is our responsibility to name and resist the ways in which colonialism and cultural genocide show up in our work: in the practice of birth alerts; in the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in child welfare systems; in the erasure, dismissal, and coopting of Indigenous birth practices; in the systemic oppression present in healthcare settings; in the ongoing violence perpetuated against Indigenous children and families; in intergenerational trauma that this has caused. As Doula Canada, we are holding ourselves accountable for how these show up in our curriculum, teaching, and engagement with members. This work is imperfect, ongoing, and necessary.

We send our love and rage to our Indigenous members, colleagues, friends, clients, and families. We are so very sorry for your children.

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”white”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1622592102485{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Resources:

Indian Residential School Survivors Society: https://www.irsss.ca/

Plain Talk Residential Schools Guide, Assembly of First Nations: https://education.afn.ca/afntoolkit/learning-module/residential-schools/

Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓pemc (Kamloops Indian Band) Office of the Chief May 27, 2021 Press Release: https://tkemlups.ca/wp-content/uploads/05-May-27-2021-TteS-MEDIA-RELEASE.pdf

Truth and Reconciliation Commission Findings and Calls to Action: http://www.trc.ca/about-us/trc-findings.html

Truth and Reconciliation Commission Missing Children Project: http://www.trc.ca/events-and-projects/missing-children-project.html

Canada’s Residential Schools: Missing Children and Unmarked Burials: The Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, Volume 4 (available for purchase in English and French):

https://www.mqup.ca/canada—s-residential-schools–missing-children-and-unmarked-burials-products-9780773546578.php

https://www.mqup.ca/pensionnats-du-canada—enfants-disparus-et-lieux-de-s–pulture-non-marqu–s-products-9780773546677.php?page_id=118863&

CBC Docs: My auntie survived residential school. I need to gather her stories before she’s gone.:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToUVHjr1xK0

A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for former students and those affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line:

1-866-925-4419

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_button corner_style=”full_rounded” size=”x-large” url=”https://bhn.cmha.ca/national-indian-residential-school-crisis-line/?mc_cid=01ee69929e&mc_eid=810fcff83c” align=”center” fullwidth=”true”]National Indian Residential School Crisis Line[/mk_button][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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balance Business Childbirth Educator collaboration community connection Labour Doula Postpartum Doula Uncategorised

Making Time for Your Business

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1620640152795{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Making time for your business or schooling while starting out can feel overwhelming. Everyone is given the same 24 hours in a day. Whether you’re a busy parent, full-time student, working two jobs, or generally just living life through these crazy times, how you choose to break up your day or prioritize your schedule can help make or break your business or learning. 

When you are beginning training in birth work it often feels safer to hide behind books and other learning materials instead of taking the plunge to start your side business. It’s always great to educate yourself, and important for your certification; however, sometimes you just have to put the book down and test things out for yourself. Reading or listening to audiobooks can take up a lot of time. They also don’t sink in as well as learning on the go. It’s okay to be afraid of failure, just don’t become paralyzed by the fear. No book will give you the magic business answer you’re looking for. Everything you need to succeed is already in you. Take a leap of faith and go for it. 

 

So how do you start? Here are some time management techniques that may help you get organized. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1620639964218{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]The Pomodoro Technique

A time focused technique to help you find time to start a side business is the Pomodoro Technique. This technique requires you to first prioritize your daily tasks. Then, you can set a timer for 25 minutes and take a five minute break between sets. After completing four 25-minute sets you can take a 20 minute break. This allows you to have laser focus on a task for 25 minutes and allowing you to disconnect from your work for a five minute break. This is helpful for those who need to check their phones constantly as it works in time for quick breaks. You can use your phone’s timer or you can search ‘timer’ in Google and a timer will pop up[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_image src=”https://stefanie-techops.wisdmlabs.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/pomodoro-tech.png” image_size=”full”][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1620640473548{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]80/20 Rule

The 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, suggests that 80% of your results comes from 20% of your output. To find time to start a side business, you need to determine which things are producing the results to focus time on only those things. You can also use this principle to determine which part of your daily routine isn’t producing results for you. For example, if you spend your weekends marathoning shows on Netflix, sleeping in or going out, you may have better results cutting back to make time for your side business.

 

Now for the tips on how to keep going: 

Be aware of Time Wasters

Avoid spending time on things that don’t bring results. Some people spend an entire week designing a logo or crafting the perfect 20-page business plan. However, those tasks don’t generate money for your business. A business plan can start off as a one-pager and be modified along the way. If you lack design skills, you can outsource your logo, or use a tool such as an online logo maker which can be extremely simple to use, and will help you save a lot of time. Or If the task can be modified or changed along the way, there’s no need to overspend time on it. Create a list of priorities such as creating ads, partnering with influencers, producing unique content such as blog posts or social media posts or managing your finances. Then, focus your workload on the top priorities which yield the best results.

 

Set Firm Deadlines

Setting firm deadlines for projects forces you to make time to work on your business. By not allowing yourself to be flexible, you’ll do whatever it takes to make it happen such as waking up earlier or avoiding distractions. What goals do you want to achieve? When do you want to achieve each goal? Write down exact dates. You’ll find that more often than not, you’re able to achieve your goals by the deadline.

 

Don’t Waste Time on Social Media, Maximize It

Without a doubt, social media is a very powerful tool. It reaches out to hundreds upon thousands of people at once. Make sure your business is engaged in social media. This helps you stay relevant. Your content must provide some type of value to your audience. That value could be education, increased productivity, entertainment, or cost savings. It also needs to be in your voice. Share who you are and engage with your audience in an authentic way!

Social media can be addicting. Most of us have the tendency to check our news feed repeatedly throughout the day. You can download a tool like the Chrome extension News Feed Eradicator to help prevent you from getting distracted for hours on Facebook. The tool blocks your news feed without you having to delete or deactivate your Facebook account. If you know social media is slowing down your business’ progress this is a great quick fix solution. Stay focused on your goal, and don’t let yourself get distracted.

 

Learn to Say No

Richard Branson once said, “Business opportunities are like buses, there’s always another one coming.” So while it might be tempting to say yes to every opportunity, saying no often may actually work in your favor. Saying no gives you time to work on things you say yes to. It can help improve your productivity while also creating boundaries. Avoid agreeing to every opportunity or trying every tactic at the same time. Having a laser-like focus can help you achieve your goals faster because you’ll learn how to master things quickly.

 

Hang onto your Enthusiasm

If you ponder over what differentiates an average person from one who has achieved stupendous success, you will realize that it may be the intensity of enthusiasm that has helped the highly successful person reach such great heights. Those who could accomplish great things in their chosen fields could not have done so without enthusiasm.

If you are enthusiastic about a particular goal, you will be so excited that you will do your best in order to achieve it. It will keep you motivated to go on and on with it. This does not mean you will work on it all the time, but even if you are not your mind will constantly be thinking about the goal you are enthusiastic about. It is exactly your subconscious mind that will be focusing on the things you are passionate & enthusiastic about. A lot of research has taken place about the power of the subconscious mind and these researches have revealed that it has enormous powers. When it constantly works on a thing you are enthusiastic about, you will get great ideas and this will fast-track your success.

 

Divide your Time: For Work, Family and Yourself 

Schedule in family time, downtime and work time. When it’s on the calendar, that means you’ve prioritized it and planned for it. Once it’s on the calendar, defend it at all costs. If you have work tasks to do, focus on them distraction-free. If you said you’d stop working at a specific time and relax with family, be sure to stick to that and completely unplug.

That means it’s more likely to happen. For example, if you want to plan a weekly date with your spouse, it’s much better to put it on your calendar set to a specific day and time instead of just saying you’ll get around to it when you can.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1620639940087{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]As much as investing in your business is important, investing in yourself will make the business thrive. 

Success doesn’t happen overnight- it takes time to build a successful business, and there certainly isn’t a secret formula to success. It takes passion, and a lot of determination and resilience, not to mention confidence, and an appetite to take risks. Invest in yourself, schedule and keep your enthusiasm high and you will achieve great things! [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Business Childbirth Educator community connection Health Care holistic nutrition Labour Doula Menopause Postpartum Doula pregnancy rebranding Uncategorised Virtual Webinar

Free Social Media Content Calendar for Birth Professionals – May through August

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1618935599948{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Here is your birth related social media calendar for May through August! Fill in the blank days with content about you, your business, your services or other special dates.

This is a great place to start when building your social media platform! Need more support? Send us an email and let help you fill your calendar![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_image src=”https://stefanie-techops.wisdmlabs.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/1.png” image_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_image src=”https://stefanie-techops.wisdmlabs.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2.png” image_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_image src=”https://stefanie-techops.wisdmlabs.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/3.png” image_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_image src=”https://stefanie-techops.wisdmlabs.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/4.png” image_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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birth Business Childbirth Educator community connection Virtual

Virtual Support – Options & Opportunities

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1588272004469{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Being a doula or educator in 2020 means being creative!

Amid the changing social times of COVID19 many support persons are finding new ways to connect with clients and hold space for their new experiences in labour, birth, and the postpartum period.

Doula Canada will be updating our members with new resources, hand outs, and templates related to virtual support throughout May 2020.

Check back to this page regularly for new additions and virtual support suggestions![/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_btn title=”Virtual Support Suggestions: For Doulas” style=”classic” shape=”square” color=”mulled-wine” size=”lg” align=”center” link=”url:%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F04%2Fvirtual-support-of-doula-clients-2020.pdf||target:%20_blank|”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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About Us collaboration community connection Newsletters

Our June Newsletter is Here!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Interested in hearing more about our DTC is moving towards bilingual support, our latest endorsement of the National Aboriginal Council of Midwives, and a little gift we prepared for you?

Check out our early June 2019 newsletter![/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_btn title=”CHECK OUT OUR NEWSLETTER HERE” style=”classic” shape=”square” color=”mulled-wine” size=”lg” align=”center” link=”url:%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F06%2Fdoula-training-canada_-june-newsletter.pdf||target:%20_blank|”][mk_padding_divider][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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birth collaboration community Labour Doula

DTC Endorses the National Aboriginal Council of Midwives position statements (2019)

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For Immediate Release: May 31, 2019 (MADOC, ON, CANADA)
 
Doula Training Canada© endorses the National Aboriginal Council of Midwives’ Position Statements on Evacuation for Birth, Indigenous Child Apprehensions, and Forced and Coerced Sterilization of Indigenous Peoples
 
The National Aboriginal Council of Midwives (NACM) has released three position statements on evacuation for birth, Indigenous child apprehensions, and forced and coerced sterilization of Indigenous Peoples. In the position statements, NACM condemns the:
routine and blanket evacuation of pregnant people for birth and demands the return of birthing services to all Indigenous communities;
over-representation of Indigenous infants and children in child protection services across the country; and
forced, coerced, and involuntary sterilization of Indigenous Peoples.
 
As an ally organization to Indigenous Peoples, and as an organization that strives to do better for Indigenous families, Doula Canada officially endorses the NACM position statements. The Doula Canada’s mission is to improve perinatal, infant and family well-being by educating and supporting professional doulas in Canada and around the world. Doula Canada supports all persons in their rights to bodily autonomy and free and informed consent. We support the inherent right of Indigenous Peoples to birth in their own communities, to access safe and culturally relevant care close to home, and to restore Indigenous birth practices.
 
Doula Canada recognizes that we have a role to play in making doula training and doula services more accessible to Indigenous Peoples. We are committed to respectful, inclusive and reciprocal relationships with Indigenous doulas and health care providers, and the Indigenous families and communities we serve.
 
We acknowledge that Indigenous doulas are ideal companions for Indigenous families. To provide equitable access to doula training and to increase the number of professionally trained Indigenous doulas, we are launching an Indigenous Doula Scholarship in September 2019.
 
The complete position statements can be found at NACM’s website at https://indigenousmidwifery.ca/position-statements/.

[/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider][vc_btn title=”Download PDF copy of Media Release” style=”classic” shape=”square” color=”mulled-wine” size=”lg” align=”left” link=”url:%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F06%2Fdtc-endorsement-of-nacm-position-statements-for-immediate-release.pdf||target:%20_blank|”][mk_padding_divider][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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birth collaboration community Health Care intersectionality reducing stigma sex Sex & birth sexual health Uncategorised understanding bias

Intersectionality: Why Looking Beyond Identity is Key in Sex and Birth Support

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If you’ve perused my course on Sex & Birth, you’ll notice that an entire module/week is devoted to intersectionality and voices from the margins right at the start of the course, so that these ideas remain with us throughout the rest of the weeks. Why is this important, you ask?

First, I want to introduce you to a very important person: Jasbina Justice, the editor of the Sex & Birth Manual.

I could not have done this work without the guidance and brilliance of Jasbina Justice. Jasbina Justice is an Intersex Femme queer person who is mixed. They are South Asian and Caribbean. They are a settler living on colonized land known as Tkaronto, Turtle Island, land of the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, Mississaugas of the New Credit, Huron-Wendat and other Indigenous peoples. They live with an invisible disability and have Complex PTSD. They have been running workshops, doing consultations, and generally working in equity and social justice for the last five years. They are a poet, writer, multimedia artist, performance artist, community educator, facilitator, former sex worker, and yoga teacher.

As a white settler, I knew I was going to need some help! It was working with Jasbina that helped me understand these 4 important reasons for the inclusion of intersectionality in this course:

#1 Intersectionality is the understanding that the totality of our person cannot be understood by merely looking at each of our identities in isolation. Rather, it is at the intersection, or where these identities meet, where unique and compounded oppression’s can be found.

The term intersectionality was coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw in the late 80’s when she was trying to find a way to explain black women who experienced obstacles not just because they were women and not just because they were black, but because they were both black and women. Here is a great video of Crenshaw breaking down the definition. This is important in sexuality education because…

#2 Most sex education in Canada is taught from a white, colonial, cisgendered, able-bodied, heterosexual, middle-upper class, educated, incomplete perspective.

Though about 72.5% of Canadians identify as white, this number continues to drop and dramatically changes depending on the area. In Tkaronto, specifically, more than 50% of folks belong to a visible minority (you can see the stats Canada breakdown here). In Saskatchewan, the indigenous population is predicted to increase threefold by 2045.

In 2012, 11% of Canadians had some kind of physical or mental disability that limited their day-to-day life. Sex and disabilities is often disregarded at all levels of education (elementary, highschool, undergraduate), unless someone is specifically seeking to learn about this topic.

Although the percentage of trans or intersex folks who birth is relatively small, it is all the more reason to make sure we are not lost in trainings because we are often lost in the literature and research.

When you belong to a minority group, it is easy to feel isolated and not have information that is relevant to you. This exclusion from information is dangerous to all aspects of our health, including sexual health.

Continue reading “Intersectionality: Why Looking Beyond Identity is Key in Sex and Birth Support”

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About Us birth collaboration community connection gratitude Members Mentorship Postpartum Doula starting fresh

2018, a year of connection – A message from our Director

2018.  A year of connection.
A message of reflection from our Director.

When the last light switch is turned off on our yearly trainings I like to sit back and reflect on the growth, the hiccups, and the bounty of support we have created at Doula Canada.  Were our 2018 goals achieved?  What were the lessons we learned?  How can we make this better for our members in the year to come?  

365 days of continuous trainings and member support can feel like a daunting task at the turning of the new calendar year, but 2018 leaned towards healthy growth via the streamlining of our online learning centre and the dedication of our expert training staff.   In short, this past year was a year of vibrancy and commitment by our growing membership, our hardworking team, and the community of networking partners we set out to encompass.

It was also a lot of fun!  We made videos, held webinars, and we increased our communitas for members who wished to take part in our online check-in’s, social media platforms, monthly newsletters, and closed community forums.  

But fun wasn’t the only focus of this past year.  2018 was about making connections and beginning the work on collaborations both with and for our Doula Canada members.  The year allowed for us to ask and to receive.

In Canada we found incredible partnerships in The Gabriel Dumont Institute and the onset of our Indigenous Doula program.  We set the groundwork for our doula programs to be offered bilingually through Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB).  We continued to strengthen our relationship with Douglas College in New Westminster, BC, and we began discussions with multiple national partners to increase access to doula support through increased funding, alongside obstetrical partnerships, and increased awareness of maternal and infant mental health.  

We are grateful to have held space and made plans with First Family Wellness (Regina), Beausoleil First Nation (Christian Island), BirthMark (Toronto), Hon. Min. John Haggie (Newfoundland) and his community partners, Canadian Mental Health Association (National), and a number of hospital administrators and boards.  We look forward to continuing our discussions and plans in 2019.

Connections were also made outside of Canada as our team worked to create bridges between the maternal support needs of International communities and the strength of our Doula nation and its trainings.  Many of our members volunteered in countries like Honduras, Costa Rica, and Haiti, and in early 2019 a number of Doula Canada students will travel to Tanzania with Wombs of the World to work as alongside obstetrical support, and to increase access to safe water and sustainable job opportunities.  We will continue to support these initiatives as we make plans for future retreat and learning opportunities held abroad by Doula Canada in 2019.  

Lastly, 2018 was a year of growth.  As an organization we saw our membership increase by over 38% from the previous fiscal year, and we expanded our certifications and workshop offerings to include expansive programs such as Infant and Pregnancy Loss, Sex and Birth, Rock Your VBAC, and the announcement of our Fertility Support and Menopause Practitioner trainings. 

So, 2018, you were kind to us, and for that we are grateful.  Our organization at Doula Canada grew and created beautiful connections that we look forward to nurturing in 2019.   As the Director for this organization I am continuously grateful for the opportunities to learn from each of our members, for those who put forward their best intention to help our Learning Centre get off the ground, and for all the individuals who continue to show up for our profession and our communities.   I am also grateful to the Doula Canada team, who work 24/7, 365 days a year to support our growing membership and their professional needs.

This New Year’s Eve we will ring it in with many new friends and colleagues, and for that we say…

Continue reading “2018, a year of connection – A message from our Director”