How I Became A Spirituality Doula

As a doula I  provide support and guidance in seasons of profound change, healing and transformation

My journey to becoming a doula started during undergraduate school. I initially intended to study psychology. But, once I learned about social work’s biopsychosocial-spiritual model for helping clients, I became very interested in this holistic approach.

However, my undergraduate studies did not meet the standards of this holistic framework. My undergrad education fell short of my expectations, which mainly touched on the psychological aspect of this model with some focus on the social influences on mental health.

I learned enough during undergrad to work in crisis management, but I did not feel I gained enough knowledge to help clients beyond crisis. My disappointment led me to furthering my education by attending grad school. To my dismay, my graduate education did not offer any more depth or insight into this biopsychosocial-spiritual framework. I graduated with more questions than answers. This time instead of going for a doctorate degree, I decided to use the questions I had to create my own research and framework.

During the last year of school I took a mindfulness class, I took a death and dying course, I became plant based, I started a meditation and yoga practice. I was my first client. I used the psychological tools from my education to dive deeply into shadow work. Shadow work helped me to heal from the painful experiences that were a part of growing up as a Haitian immigrant in the US  navigating the loss of home, connection with family and the culture differences between Norwalk, Connecticut and Arcahaie, Haiti. I continued to seek, I learned more about the mind-body connection, I started to open more to shamanic ways of healing which helped me to become more grounded in my humanity.

Needless to say, all of this learning, healing and growing has taken me through a lot of change and transformation. Over the past decade I have gained experience, tools and wisdom to be an effective guide and support system for clients who are going through an evolutionary time in their lives. I meet them with grace, sensitivity and competency.