Born and raised in Germany on a small family farm I was fascinated by the miracle of birth from a very early age. When I first came to Bozeman in 1986 as an exchange student to MSU I did not anticipate that I would return in 2001, now married and raising our two little girls in the beautiful Gallatin Valley.
Giving birth to my daughters – one in hospital and one at home - sparked a powerful journey of self-discovery, and a life long passion to help other moms and families have the best possible pregnancy and birth experiences. I was one of the early certified birth doulas, and later became a certified childbirth educator as well as a lactation counselor.
My daughter, Karen, and I during her first trip to Germany (1995)
When I was selected by DONA® International to become a birth doula trainer, none other than Penny Simkin herself, the grande dame of the doula profession, invited me to her home to initiate me and three other prospective trainers in teaching the art of labor support. It has been my honor to serve as DONA State Representative for Montana, and over the years I have published several articles in our quarterly journal The International Doula.
My training with Penny Simkin (2005)