With over 30 years as an educator, mentor, and researcher, and nearly two decades as a professional doula, Teri is an experienced and enthusiastic perinatal professional. She has a passionate commitment to educating and preparing pregnant people and their supporters for the year surrounding birth. She leads the childbirth and lactation education series for the Harmony Doula Group and, as a DONA approved trainer, her birth and postpartum doula workshop qualify for certification with DONA International. Teri has previously taught doula skills to nursing students at Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts and coordinated and taught a community-centered (also called community-based) birth and postpartum doula training program in the California Central Valley. Teri is approved to teach the full trauma-informed care training program, When Survivors Give Birth, for perinatal professionals and others who work with pregnant and postpartum survivors of adverse childhood experiences. Teri is available to travel and train for agencies and community-based programs who are looking for DONA approved workshops. She also facilitates workshops online.
Teri is additionally certified as a Birth and Postpartum Doula (DONA International), Lactation and Childbirth Educator (ICEA), Lactation Educator & Counselor (Evergreen Perinatal, Gold Lactation), and Midwife’s Assistant. She is also a Certified Professional Aromatherapist and holds a PhD from Stanford University. She is a VBAC specialist with additional training in acupressure, rebozo use, pelvic floor balancing, Spinning Babies (optimal baby and maternal positioning), mindfulness, hypnosis for childbirth (both Hypnobirthing / Mongan Method and Hypnobabies), and placenta processing. As a trauma-informed care birth plan consultant, she was trained and mentored by industry leaders Penny Simkin, Phyllis Klaus, and Selena Shelley.
Teri is an established, active member of the doula community, dedicated to the advancement of the doula profession. She currently volunteers with the 501c6 non-profit DONA International as the Director of Certification and Chair of the Continuing Education Committee (and have previously served as the Regional Director for US West and as the Director of Membership), as well as the Board President of the Mt. Diablo Doula Community, and as a peer support group leader for the International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) and La Leche League (LLL). Teri has volunteered with the California Department of Health Care Services (CA DCHS) as a member of the Doula Implementation Stakeholder Group and is currently a member of their Pregnancy-Related Mortality Review Committee.
Teri is part of Harmony Doula Group. Other members of the team are:
