About Holly

I am a Texas-transplant who moved to Chicago for a degree in Music and Art. Soon after graduating, an unexpected pregnancy catapulted me into the world of birth plans and stretch marks and the vast unknowns on the other side.

While pregnant, I consumed every book about pregnancy, labor and postpartum. I was obsessed with giving my child the very best start to life. I had a core belief that the transition into parenthood mattered. After that birth, I found I was still reading the books and talking about birth.

Some big life changes, two more children, 17 years of doula work, and I’m still fascinated by the psychology of transition. I have worked with hundreds of childbearing couples since 2006 as a doula and childbirth educator.

I am a Birthing From Within mentor with previous certifications through DONA and BirthWorks. I have received advanced training in “Birth Story Medicine” with Pam England, Virginia Bobro, Nikki Shaheed and Danit Tsur, and have been holding Birth Story Listening sessions since 2014, bringing compassion, nuance and expert-level skill to each client.

Besides teaching expectant parents, I also train medical professionals in patient care and communication.

Certifications and Trainings

• Bachelor of Music with Elective Studies in Art Ministry (2004)
• DONA International Labor Doula certification (2006)
• Spinning Babies training with Gail Tully (2008)
• BirthWorks International Childbirth Educator certification (2011)
• Birth Art Facilitator training (2010)
• Birthing From Within Foundational training (2012)
• Birthing From Within Advanced Certification (2014)
• “Red Tent” continuing education with Pam England (2014)
• “Open Studio Project” Process Facilitator (2017)
• Birth Story Medicine – all levels (2019-2023)
• Transformational Coaching Program with Jim Fortin (2019, 2020, 2021)
• Inner Circle Program with Jim Fortin (2022)
• Somatic Therapies for Trauma Healing through Rewire Therapy (2022)
• Journey of Initiation training with Pam England (2023)

My greatest teachers have been the babies and parents who have shown me the nuance, complexity and eternal mystery of birth.