About Me

Hi, I'm Heather! My work is grounded in medicine, informed by cultural study, and shaped by years of witnessing how people move through change.

I began in the study of anthropology, where I was introduced to birth as a cultural and social experience, shaped by story, tradition, and power. That lens has remained with me. Birth does not happen in isolation; it happens within systems, communities, and histories.

I later studied environmental science and spent over a decade working outdoors with youth. There, I learned to trust process, to observe patterns, to respect unpredictability, and to remain steady in complexity. Nature is both brutal and beautiful.

Becoming an emergency medical technician deepened my relationship to physiology and safety. I learned to act decisively, to remain calm under pressure, and to respect the body's signals. Medicine sharpened my understanding of risk and responsibility.

Doula work brought all of these threads together. It placed me at the side of people crossing a threshold, into parenthood, into a new identity, into a reshaping of self. My role is not to direct that crossing, but to hold steady space for it, and this work is truly my calling.

On a personal note, I live in Sebastopol and work throughout Sonoma, Marin, Napa, and San Francisco Counties in person, as well as virtually wherever there is internet. At home, I share life with my eleven-year-old child and our small household animals, Lyra the cat, Shelby the turtle, and Noodle the snake, who all keep me on my toes and smiling. I am continuing my education toward becoming a DNP of midwifery. My goal is to remain a lifelong student, of physiology, of culture, and of every person I have the honor of serving.

Practice Philosophy

My philosophy is rooted in the belief that birth is more than a single event. It is a process that begins in pregnancy, unfolds through labor, and continues into the postpartum period. Alongside birth support, I also offer compassionate care through miscarriage and abortion experiences, recognizing that not every pregnancy follows the same path. I welcome and support people of all family structures, identities, and backgrounds, and my role is to walk alongside every family through these transitions with steadiness, knowledge, and respect, helping them build understanding, reduce fear, and feel supported in making informed decisions that align with their values.

I support individuals and families planning hospital births, home births, birth center births, medicated and unmedicated births, planned cesareans, and surrogacy journeys, with care centered on each family's unique needs and goals. Before birth, our prenatal visits lay the foundation. Together we explore the physiology of birth, review evidence-informed information, discuss preferences, and prepare for the unknowns that can arise along the way. We also practice movement, comfort measures, mindfulness, and relaxation techniques that help prepare both body and mind for labor. The goal is never to create a perfect plan, but to cultivate confidence, flexibility, and a deeper sense of trust in oneself.

During labor, I provide continuous emotional, physical, and informational support. This may include comfort measures, position suggestions, nervous system regulation, guidance through decision-making moments, and steady support for both the birthing person and their loved ones. I work closely with partners and support persons, helping everyone remain calm, connected, and focused on supporting the birthing person, and I work alongside the medical team to help families stay grounded, informed, and connected to what matters most as birth unfolds.

Birth is a threshold, not an endpoint. In the early postpartum period, I offer space to process the birth experience, support recovery, and help families settle into the profound transition of welcoming a new baby and a new version of themselves. Overall, I believe people deserve compassionate support through life's most meaningful transitions.

Population Experience

NICU Families, High-Risk Pregnancies, Surrogacy Families, Families of All Structures, Identities, and Backgrounds, Families Navigating Miscarriage and Abortion

Specialties

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• Hypnobirthing
• Trauma-Attuned Care
• Prenatal Yoga
• Childbirth Education
• Miscarriage and Abortion Support
• Surrogacy Support
• Hospital
• Home
• and Birth Center Birth Support
• Nervous System Regulation
• Comfort Measures and Movement Techniques

Services Offered

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• In-Person Labor & Birth Support
• Prenatal Care
• Postpartum Care
• IVF Support
• Pregnancy Loss Support
• Extended In-Home Postpartum Care