Healing Hands

When I began training to become a certified birth doula, I had to think of a name for my business. My husband suggested "Healing Hands Doula Services," which evolved into "Healing Hands Birth Services." I had had a prophetic word spoken over me that I would have "healing hands," and he thought this was a good name for my business. But, I was not sure what it meant, or even what to think of it.

I had a revelation recently as to what my goals as a doula really were, and what my name meant.

As I have studied all things pregnancy and birth related, read every book and magazine I can get my hands on, and researched things on the Internet, I have seen and heard and learned more about birth as a life-changing moment in a woman's life. Childbirth is the transition to becoming a mother, to becoming a family. It can be a painful and tragic experience, or it can be a healing and empowering experience. I want to be used by God, and to be available to help women and families to find their own paths to this healing and empowerment.

"Birth as healing?" you may ask. "Healing from what?" Well, how about for those women who have experienced sexual abuse or assault, whose bodies are an image of pain, loss of control, and disempowerment? How about women whose previous birth experiences did not go as they had planned, or experienced unexpected trauma or even abuse during childbirth? How about women who have lost a child in pregnancy, birth, or during childhood? How about even those women who are unsupported in pregnancy and birth, or those who make the sacrificial choice to place a child for adoption? Or those who have gone through years of infertility?

All of these are women who can experience incredible healing and joy during their pregnancies and in childbirth, and who can walk away feeling powerful, strong, and renewed. I want to be the guide, the encourager, the information-giver, the cheering squad, or whatever else I can be to help them to get there.