Finding Her Way Back to Birthwork: Kerisma’s Journey Home

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A More Inclusive Future for Doula Work

Through our doula scholarship program, we are working toward a more inclusive future in birth work. Our full spectrum doula training prepares students to support clients across all stages of care.

Returning to a Calling That Never Left

If I’m being honest, I think I’ve always been a birth worker… long before I knew there was even a word for it. I’m Kerisma, and my name speaks for myself lol I’m a combat-disabled veteran, a student finishing my Master’s degree, a devoted partner to my soon to be Wife, and someone who has always found herself holding space for others. From an early age, I have always been drawn to the birthing world and the human body of a woman. How it works, it’s intricate functions and how to sustain without Big Pharma, leading to my holistic lifestyle.

Right now, I’m in the middle of an intentional transition. I’ll be utilizing my full-time work to help me build something that feels more aligned and allow me to eventually step away from my full time job to sustain something rooted in my community where care, and purpose is are the roots. And if I’m honest, that kind of leap requires both courage and support. That’s part of why this scholarship means so much to me.

Choosing to Begin Again

Choosing to pursue birth work again wasn’t a random decision. It was a return. I had to step away from doula work before, not because I didn’t love it, but because financially, I needed stability. At the time, I had completed trainings that required ongoing certification fees that simply weren’t sustainable for me. I made the hard choice to pause something I deeply cared about when they expired so I could get grounded.

Now, I’m coming back with intention. But stepping into this next chapter while also managing everyday expenses and paying down debt has made tuition a real barrier. I’m building stability, but I’m not quite at the point where I can invest in professional training without it impacting everything else. This scholarship feels like a bridge… one that allows me to move forward without carrying financial strain into something that is meant to be rooted in care and presence.

Finding a Training Community That Feels Like Home

I actually came across Bebo Mia back in 2020, early in my journey. Even then, I remember thinking, this feels different. At the time, I couldn’t afford to join, and choose a cheaper certification program but I stayed connected… signing up for their emails, reading, learning, quietly observing. And now, being in a position to apply feels full circle.

What draws me to Bebo Mia is the intention behind it. The way the program centers accessibility, removes unnecessary barriers like recurring fees, and genuinely prioritizes community care. It doesn’t feel transactional. That mattered most to me. I want to be trained in a space that understands that birth work is not just about technique, but about people… about trust, autonomy, and meeting families where they are. And that’s exactly what I feel is reflected here.

Honoring Every Birth Story With Compassion

People often ask why I want to be a doula and not my original obsession as an OB-GYN, but the truth is, I don’t think I chose this, it chose me. I’ve always been drawn to the energy around birth and transformation onto this plane. Not just the physical process, but the emotional and spiritual layers that come with it. To me, birth is not something that should be rushed or controlled.

I believe in informed choices. I believe in trusting the body. I believe that whether someone chooses a cesarean, a VBAC, or an unmedicated birth, the most important thing is that they feel seen, respected, and safe in their decisions. And I believe care shouldn’t end once the baby arrives. Postpartum, grief, adjustment, identity shifts… those moments deserve just as much support as the birth itself. Sometimes being a doula looks like advocacy or just some good ole reassurance that they made the right decision for them!

The Experiences That Deepened Her Purpose

One of the most defining experiences for me wasn’t actually during a birth… it was postpartum. My first client had a C-section, and I remember feeling like I had somehow failed, even though I knew logically that the decision was necessary. Once I worked through that, I was able to show up for her fully. When I went to her home, I could feel the overwhelm immediately. So I did what felt natural.

There’s another part of my story that deeply shapes how I move today. I experienced a miscarriage. And if I’m being honest, the hardest part wasn’t just the loss… it was choosing to keep going afterward. At the time, I was already struggling with my mental health, and that loss made me feel less of a woman. What made it even more difficult was knowing that I had raised concerns about my health before, and they were dismissed.

That experience changed me. It taught me how important it is to listen to your body, to ask questions, and to advocate for yourself in spaces that don’t always listen. It also deepened my compassion in a way that can’t be taught in a classroom. I carry that with me into this work, not as pain, but as purpose. Because I will be heard this go round, and make sure whoever I am showing up for is as well.

Building a Wellness Space Rooted in Community

Becoming certified is just the beginning for me. My long-term vision is to create a wellness space centered around maternal care. Something that feels like a blend of a community center and a sanctuary. I want to offer prenatal and postpartum yoga, meditation, sound healing, and educational workshops for fertility, prenatal, and postpartum. I see myself creating all natural whipped butters with mothers milk for baby, teas for womb soothing, yoni steams and so much more. I want families to have access to care that nurtures not just their bodies, but their mental and emotional well-being too. I eventually want to open a birthing space, when my wellness center is established, where families can feel safe, supported, and respected outside of traditional hospital settings.

But right now, I’m starting intentionally. I plan to work one client at a time as I still have my 9-5, offering care that is sustainable, honest, and deeply present. I want to build trust, gain experience, and create meaningful connections within the community.

Creating Access and Changing the Future of Care

My focus is on serving people of color and the LGBTQ+ community, because I know firsthand how often these communities are dismissed in healthcare spaces, because as a Black queer woman, I don’t just understand that experience, I’ve lived it. And I want to be part of changing it.

Giving back, for me, isn’t just about offering free services, it’s about building access. Yes, I do plan to offer services that are free of financial strain right now, especially in this early stage of my business. However, I plan to find grants, insurances, volunteers, donations and many other ways to fund my organization so that once I am ready to start charging clients, It will be as little as possible. I also plan to build strong connections with other doulas, midwives, and community organizations so that no one feels like they have to navigate this journey alone. I want to be part of a network of care. Because no single person can do this work alone, as the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a baby and I really feel this community can continue to create something more powerful.

Choosing to Follow the Dream

There’s never a perfect time to follow your purpose and make that life changing pivot. There will always be bills, responsibilities, and reasons to wait. But something about this moment feels aligned. Applying for this scholarship isn’t just about training for me. I am finally honoring myself and the little girl that was 9 years old watching babies be born on the health channel and thought to myself, THAT’S WHAT I WANT TO DO!! Everything has been pulling me back full circle to my original passion, dream and goal for life and this opportunity pretty much gives me no more excuses. So here I am, doing it in a way that honors both where I am now and where I’m going.

Start Your Journey Today

If this path is calling you, explore our Birth Doula and full spectrum programs. Apply for a doula scholarship or join our next live training.