Birth Coaching
Raw, primal power & the dark night of the soul. Birth is no joke. But it’s cool as hell.
Birth is the ultimate heroine’s journey and the original psychedelic blueprint. It’s messy, mythic, and it takes us down to the place where our deepest fears and our truest knowings dwell. You will be challenged. You will be met.
My approach combines medical understanding, somatics, the mythic lens, and spirituality to support you as you prepare for this completely rad, insane, ancient, everyday rite of passage.
Good things take time.
Childbirth is a mythic rite of passage. You are incubating a new self, a more ‘you’ you.
Yeah, you can do this. But you never have to do it alone.
I’m Kate. I am Labor & Delivery Nurse & a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator.
I’ve been a nurse since 2020. I’ve been a birth worker since 2015. Whatever you’re worried about, I guarantee I’ve seen something way crazier.
I’ve supported so many births in different settings, and held different roles: home birth midwife’s assistant, doula, friend, and nurse.
I really understand the medical stuff, so if you have something coming up there, I’ve got you. And, I’m super down with the woo. Offerings? Altars? Yes!
I’m comfortable with the medical & the mystical! and I won’t mix them up or pretend they’re the same thing.
Some common misconceptions about preparing for birth —
That you need to ‘learn birth’
(We need to learn presence, surrender, and to ride the wave of intensity/suffering)
That it will be all clinical
(It will be interactive, emotional, mythic, spiritual, and deeply, deeply human)
That they need to “know” what to “do”
(Birth isn’t something you do, it’s something you allow. We just gotta get out of our own way)
FAQs
Is Craniosacral Therapy Massage?
Craniosacral Therapy is not massage, though it is sometimes paired with massage, since it happens on a massage table. Craniosacral therapy is a healing technique performed by trained and licensed healthcare workers such as massage therapists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, chiropractors, doctors, nurses, and acupuncturists.
What can I expect from a session?
When you arrive to your session, we will start by checking in: how is your body feeling? How’s your mind? Then, you’ll hop up on the table, fully clothed, with the table warmer off or on, according to your preference. You can have a blanket over you if you’d like. Then we get into the work: mostly gentle holds. A lot of the work is focused on the head, but you can expect your low back, sacrum (the part of the spine that’s down in your pelvis) feet, hips, ribs, and shoulders to be involved too. Everything is very gentle. A lot of people find themselves in a state of a little snooze or something like it. At the end of your session, you’ll take your time mobilizing, and we will check in again and debrief a bit.
What can I expect after my session?
After my first session, I felt sleepy and relaxed for about 48 hours. I don’t feel that way after every session, but it’s great to have some time to rest, or at least plan for full nights of sleep in the days that follow your session. You might experience more of your parasympathetic nervous system, or the ‘rest and digest’ part of your nervous system.
Where’s this practice come from?
Craniosacral therapy was developed by Dr. John Upledger, an osteopathic physician, through his 1975-1983 research studies at Michigan State University as a clinical researcher + Professor of Biomechanics. CST is an alternative/complementary therapy, and best for someone who’s comfortable with a little bit of mystery, and open to seeing what’s possible.
Who is this not for?
There are a few contraindications for Craniosacral Therapy. Chiari malformation; recent spinal tap, lumbar puncture, or epidural headache; recent stroke or intracranial hemorrhage (brain bleed); and recent fracture of the bones of the skull, spine, or ribs are general contraindications.
Additionally, I am not yet working with pregnancy or newborns, but I’d be delighted to connect you with a practitioner who does. It’s also not for someone who wants their muscles squished! I’d love to refer to you to massage therapist friend. And, it’s not for someone looking for diagnosis or treatment, but I’m happy to chat to help you find the exact right type of provider you’re looking for.
Where are you located?
I work out of a private studio in North Side, right here in Richmond, VA. It’s it Ginter Park, not far from the Lewis Ginter Recreation Association. When you book a session, you’ll receive an email with the address, as well as info about parking and everything you need.