Posts by Carrie Kenner
What Kind of Doula Role is Right for You?
What Kind of Doula Role is Right for You? Twenty years ago, few people knew what the word “doula” meant. Now, most people have heard at least heard of birth, postpartum, or death doulas. But did you know there are over 20 different doula roles? There are doulas for divorce, surgery, fertility, gender transition, cancer,…
Read MoreGetting Started and Finding My Voice
This is my journey of finding my voice in a society that silences women, starting with my mother’s subtle but unsuccessful rebellion. How do you bring an idea to life if your passions are silenced? Dedicated to my mom. My mom was born in 1929, when women weren’t known for having their voices heard.…
Read MoreDecision-Making Part 3: Skills for Doulas
Decision-Making in Real Life: Role Plays and Reality This is the last of a 3-part series on decision making doula skills. In this post, I outline the process I used with my clients when working as a doula. The Decision-Making Role Play This process is done in a prenatal visit — a meeting done with…
Read MoreDecision-Making Part 2: Tools
Part 2 In a 3-Part Series In last week’s blog, I shared about decision-making and how it’s not what we think it is. In this blog, I share about various decision making models doulas can use when supporting their clients. We tend to think decision-making is very logical, analytical, and reasoned. But it’s almost the…
Read MoreDecision-Making Part 1: Faking You Out Big Time!
A new series of blogs on how we make decisions I read a newsletter article this week by Anne-Laure Le Cunff of Ness Labs. It was called “Why Smart People Make Dumb Decisions.” It’s all about how the brain makes decisions. Her article reminded me that I wanted to blog about decision-making in birth, so…
Read MoreNeuroplasticity: Our Brains Are Like Clay
Neuroplasciticy is the brain’s ability to rewire, heal, and overcome trauma. As doulas, we help prevent trauma and help people process traumatic experiences. Understanding neuroplasticity will help us see why doulas are so effective. I received so many comments after my last blog about our families of origin, their impact (good and not-so-good) on who…
Read MoreFamilies: How Babies Learn to Be Human
Do you ever think about how babies learn how to…well…be human? I do all the time. With a background in Sociology, I’ve been a people watcher all my life and one of my favorite pasttimes is trying to figure out how and why people do the things they do. Turns out families are the training…
Read MoreInductions: Why Are They So Damn Hard?
Labor inductions are a topic that so many doulas struggle with. Why are they so challenging? And is there anything doulas can do to make them more manageable? First, let’s start with the basics: What Is an Induction? A labor induction is when labor is started artificially. Normally, labor starts on its own due to…
Read MoreHow to Write Quick & Easy Copy That Works
Hey, fellow small biz owners! Ever found yourself staring at that blinking cursor, racking your brain for something fresh and witty to say about your latest offer? You had a killer idea, but then—bam!—the phone rings, your cat topples over your coffee mug… By the time you sop up the mess, your idea has gone…
Read MoreHow We Learn: Doula Training Styles
I’ve been thinking lately about how humans learn and how that influences my doula training styles. I’ve always been interested in learning and teaching. When I was a kid, I would play school for hours. I loved school and did really well, in large part becuase I was the perfect candidate for the U.S.-based educational…
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