The Invisible Doula Problem: Why Nobody Knows You Exist (Yet)

You can be the most incredible doula in the world, grounded, trained, heart-centered, and deeply committed to your clients, but if people don’t know you exist, they can’t hire you.

That’s what we call The Invisible Doula Problem.

It happens to almost every new doula. You finish your training, you’re excited to serve families, you build a website, you post a few photos, and then… crickets.

Your inbox is quiet.
Your phone isn’t ringing.
And you start to wonder what you’re doing wrong.

Let’s talk about why that happens, what it really means, and what you can do right now to start changing it.

What “Invisible Doula Syndrome” Looks Like

If you’ve ever sat in a café with your laptop open, trying to figure out why your next birth isn’t booked, you’re not alone.

Most doula trainings do a pretty good job teaching the care side of the work: comfort measures, stages of labour, emotional support. But what they rarely teach is the business side.

They don’t show you how to talk about your services, how to reach people in your community, or how to turn your passion into something sustainable.

So many doulas panic when the clients don’t come right away and think, Maybe I need another certification. But that’s not the problem. You don’t need more skills… you need more visibility.

You deserve to do this work, and it would be a loss to your community if you walked away simply because you didn’t learn how to get clients. Marketing and client attraction are skills like any other. You can learn them.

The hard truth?

You’re not invisible because you lack talent or drive; you’re invisible because no one ever taught you how to be visible in a way that feels authentic and aligned.

That’s exactly why we created the Get More Clients Challenge – to help doulas like you go from invisible to booked-out with confidence and clarity.

Why Visibility Is an Act of Care

A lot of doulas feel icky about marketing. It feels self-promotional, or like playing the influencer game. But being visible isn’t vanity… it’s service.

Every time you talk about your work, someone out there realizes they don’t have to go through fertility struggles, pregnancy, or postpartum alone.

Your visibility might be what helps a new parent find the support they need before postpartum depression sets in.
It might be what helps a queer couple finally feel safe choosing their care team.
It might even prevent birth trauma, all because they found you.

When you show up and share what you do, you’re not saying “look at me.” You’re saying, “I’m here for you. You deserve to be supported. I’ve got you!”

That’s what ethical marketing looks like, it’s advocacy in action.

Inside the Get More Clients Challenge, we reframe visibility as a form of care. We help you find ways to talk about your work that are grounded in justice, compassion, and community, not self-promotion or perfection.

Because when you understand that your visibility creates access to care, everything changes.

The Real Reason You’re Hiding

Here’s what I’ve learned after coaching thousands of doulas: when you scratch beneath the surface, visibility fears almost always come down to one thing: fear.

Fear of being judged.
Fear of getting it wrong.
Fear of being “too much.”

We’ve been conditioned to believe that modesty equals professionalism, especially women and queer folks. We’ve learned that talking about our work makes us arrogant or pushy.

But visibility isn’t arrogance, it’s about education and connection.

When a doctor lists their credentials, no one calls that bragging, it’s information for potential clients to see if they are the right fit or if that practitioner can support them and solve their problem. When you share your experience, your why, your story and your passion, it’s the same thing. It helps people understand why they can trust you.

Being visible means you’re claiming your space in a system that often benefits when birthworkers stay small.

I once had a student who finished her doula training, full of excitement to start her business. When I asked why she hadn’t launched her website yet, she admitted she didn’t want her friends to know she quit her college job to be a doula. “If it doesn’t work out, I’ll be embarrassed,” she said.

Of course it is not going to work out if no one knows you exist.

After a few months of coaching, she finally went all in. Within two years, she had a thriving doula business and a book deal. That’s what happens when you stop hiding from your own brilliance and zone of genius.

What Visibility Actually Looks Like

Let’s be clear: visibility doesn’t mean dancing on TikTok or posting every day. It means having a plan that works for you.

Maybe your visibility comes through writing, networking, or volunteering in your community. Maybe it’s through heartfelt conversations, or through educating online in your unique voice.

It’s about finding your rhythm which is something consistent, authentic, and sustainable.

Here are two simple things you can do today to start building visibility:

1. Ask three people what they think you do.
   

You’ll probably be surprised by their answers. If their response is something vague like “you help people have babies,” that’s your cue that your messaging isn’t clear enough yet.
Then, write one short sentence that anyone could repeat when referring you:

“I keep Black women safe in birth.” or “I help military families in the postpartum period.”

You want to make sure the statement is simple and easy to remember so that other folks can talk about you!

2. Ask one person for a testimonial.
   

Reach out to a past client or a friend who has seen you in your doula role and ask them for one line about their experience.

Even something as small as “You made me feel calm when I was scared” can become a powerful tool for building trust.

Those little acts involving clarity and connection are how visibility begins.

Progress Over Perfection

Here’s the part most doulas forget: you don’t have to be polished to be powerful.

Visibility doesn’t come from the perfect logo, the right filter, or a clever hashtag. It comes from showing up, listening to what keeps people up at night, trying to solve, getting feedback, and adjusting.

Too many doulas wait until everything feels “ready” including the website, the branding, the timing in their lives… and while they’re perfecting, someone else is connecting.

Your clients aren’t looking for flawless, they’re looking for real. They want someone who understands them, who feels trustworthy and grounded. Someone who they can see solving their problems with and for them.

If you can hold space for people through birth and parenting, through raw, unpredictable moments, then you can absolutely show up for your business in the same way.

Next time you hear that little voice say, “I’m not ready,” try saying, “I’m ready enough.” Because ready enough is how we grow.

Inside the Get More Clients Challenge, we teach you how to build consistent visibility, even when life is busy… a plan that’s doable rather than being draining.

The Ripple Effect

When you stop being invisible, everything shifts.

Yes, you book more clients, but you also reach families who align with your values. You create financial stability that allows you to stay in birthwork long-term. You gain the confidence to advocate louder, show up bolder, to push back against these wildly oppressive systems, and mentor others coming behind you.

Visibility creates a ripple effect.

When doulas thrive, communities thrive.
Parents get better care.
Families feel supported.
And the next generation of birthworkers sees what’s possible.

That’s how the system starts to change.

You Deserve to Be Seen

If you’ve been feeling like the best-kept secret in your town or city, if you know you’re amazing at what you do but you’re tired of the silence, it’s time to change that.

Join us for the Get More Clients Challenge.

It’s 1 hour a day, yes only 1 hour, over 5-days. It is a taught live business accelerator designed for doulas, educators, and reproductive health professionals who want to grow their businesses without the grind.

You’ll learn how to:
✅ Create clear messaging that attracts dream clients
✅ Build visibility that feels aligned with your values
✅ Design a system you can repeat whenever you need more bookings

The challenge is $179, it’s happening soon, and spots always fill up quickly because we keep it intimate and hands-on.

Because you deserve to be seen.
Your work deserves to be known.
And your community deserves to find you.