Hi, I’m Marissa (the human^). I am proudly certified as a birth doula through the Community Doula Program, and registered on the state’s Traditional Health Worker Registry - which means if you have OHP, you can work with me! My journey into doula work began as so many do - with the births of my first two children. I grew up in a very birth-positive family, which ingrained in me a core belief that the birthing process is good and normal, and that started me on the path to this incredible work.

My philosophy is that childbirth is inherently normal, and a physiologic function of the body. Sometimes, it is also medical, either out of necessity or due to personal preferences. Birth is worthy of support, whichever way it happens. In those circumstances where plans have to change, I help families be their own best advocates so that they can still have a satisfying experience.

When I am not accompanying families as they meet their babies, I am a homeschooling mom to three kiddos. My love languages are slow moments in the garden, buying more houseplants than I can keep alive, and long walks by myself. We have a sizable flock of laying hens and ducks plus their boyfriends, and the occasional flock of meat birds. We also share our house with two lively dogs. In my spare time, I can usually be found picking up a mountain of books at the local library, baking lots of bread, or reading something pregnancy-related.