WHO I AM/WHY I’M HERE:
Hello, fronds!
+I’m a birth nerd (passionista?), called to support birthing people as they move through the prenatal, birthing, and postpartum time via active listening, evidence-based info and resources, and an empathetic, open-minded/hearted and non-judgmental strengths-based approach.
+I’ve worked with young women and folk across the gender/sexuality spectrum for over a decade, as a performer, counselor and educator. As a sex-educator, I’ve traveled the country speaking about (inclusive) female sexuality for almost a decade, and much of what I’ve learned doing this work—particularly re: how much better our lives and relationships can be when we are provided actual information about our bodies, our choices, and our right to figure out who we are and what we want/need—translates quite directly to birth. While birth is often unpredictable, the better equipped we are with good, evidence-based information, the better chance we have at making informed—not fear-based—decisions that make the most sense to us.
+I first began to study herbs and herbalism as an apprentice herbalist at Flower Power Herbs & Roots in NYC’s East Village in 2014-15, and have since continued to read, study, and practice family/community herbalism. I’ve taken continuing education courses on Herbs for Birth Workers/the Childbearing Year through the Commonwealth Center for Herbalism, and aim to continue focusing my practice on using herbs to aid people pre- and postnatally.
+I performed improv comedy for a number of years, in Chicago, New York, and in Baltimore, even though performing always makes my stomach hurt.
+I’m a Baltimore native, currently living with my husband, Justin, and our two resoundingly lazy cats, in Baltimore City, but, prior, lived in Chicago for 5 years, Brooklyn for 8, and Los Angeles for 2.
+I lost my mother in early 2020, after a long illness, and am sensitive to the contours of—and find it healing to connect with—others who’ve been through or are moving through their own version of that experience.