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Category: spirituality
Claire’s Peaceful Birth: An Orthodox Christian Birth Story of Trust and Grace
Claire’s Peaceful Orthodox Christian Birth Story Claire’s birth was a beautiful example of how faith can shape and support the journey into motherhood. In this Orthodox Christian birth story, she entered labor with openness and prayer, embracing the sacred threshold with peace—even when the unexpected arose. Surrounded by support and guided by her trust in…
How to Stay Grounded When the Path Disappears
Earlier this month, Nicholas and I went hiking in the Brecon Beacons in Wales. Years ago, I lived near there, and those wild hills and sweeping ridge lines were one of my favorite places to walk and reflect. So naturally it meant a lot to share that part of my life with him. What I…
What to Expect from Me as an Orthodox Christian and Inclusive Birth Doula
Every family deserves a doula who recognizes that each pregnancy is unique and every birthing family deserves to be seen, heard, and supported with presence, compassion, and care. Indeed, as an inclusive birth doula, I meet you where you are. I recognize the importance of honoring each pregnancy as a deeply personal journey and each…
The Holy Spirit and Birth: Embracing Flow at Pentecost and Beyond
I’m writing this on the back porch just after a summer rainstorm. My laptop is open beside a mug of coffee and a few folded towels. Chickens are pecking through wet grass in the yard, and the garden is drinking in the water, too. Today, this is my workspace as a doula, professor, and writer.…
Life Transitions in Nature: A Doula’s Just-for-Fun Reflection
I’ve always loved macro nature photography—especially the kind with dark backgrounds and sharp, striking detail. There’s something so still and reverent about those images. You can almost hear the quiet. Lately, I’ve found myself drawn to photos that show life transitions in nature: a seed breaking open, a fern slowly unfurling, or the exact moment…
When Baby and Elder Care Collide:
Doula Support for the Unsung Baby and Elder Caregiver “My mom needs me. My baby needs me. I don’t know who I am right now—except tired.” Caring for a newborn while also supporting an aging parent or family member. The reality of managing baby and elder care simultaneously is becoming increasingly common. What’s more, it…
A Gentle Birth Plan: Making Space for the Mystery and Sacred Birth
The Mystery of Birth Birth is, and has always been, a mystery. It is unpredictable, powerful, deeply human, and deeply sacred. No matter how much we learn about physiology or prepare with intention, there remains something about birth that defies explanation—something that humbles us, quiets us, and invites us to pay attention. A gentle birth…
Doula Reflections on Birth and Baptism
The Call to Return There is no greater affirmation of my work as a doula than when a family asks me to return. It is always a joy when I receive a message from a client I’ve worked with in the past. Often, they send an adorable baby picture and a little update on the…
What is a meaningful birth?
An interesting encounter This morning, Nicholas and I had an interesting Zoom meeting. A filmmaker working on a project entitled “Meaning” had approached us a few weeks previously. Evidently, this filmmaker was fascinated by the birth and end-of-life doula work of Eleison Doula Services. The conversation for me raised an important question: what does it…
Introducing Matushka Olga Michael
Yesterday, after my husband had finished sharing information about end-of-life doulas at a senior center wellness fair, we were enjoying a rare lunch together and my phone pinged with a text message from an old college friend: “OCA synod of bishops just announced approval for the glorification of Blessed Olga of Alaska!!!” While this message…
