Journey & Education
My Doula work brings together my expertise in Psychology and Communication, nourishes my passion for working with families and creates a space for me to dive into Knowledge Design.
Our experiences, strengths, ideas and thoughts make us unique. I would like to share my story and my experience with you, so you can get to know a little bit better.
Throughout my journey I have been lucky to meet incredible people. Without them I would not be who I am today. And today I am meeting you, and I feel grateful that our paths crossed.
I am a world traveler. Yet anywhere where I find myself in the world,I am always surrounded by families and little ones.
I was born in a beautiful city of Moscow in Russia, but as a teenager moved with my family to the US. I am a sister to two younger brothers, one of whom was born shortly after our move to the US. I am a daughter to two wonderful people who inspire me on my path. Since about 8 years old I have been surrounded by little ones and had a chance to observe many families as they were expecting a new member of the family and then became parents. I have felt and noticed over and over again the transformation that came with parenthood. I have seen the joys and the challenges. I have always wondered – what can we do prior to the baby’s arrival to order to ensure that the transition to parenthood is smoother? How can we prepare best? How can we make the journey easier?
I chose to start answering these questions by pursuing a degree in Psychology and Communication at University of California Davis. I feel that communication, conversation and expression are a key component in our relationships with ourselves and others. Over four years my focus has been on interpersonal communication, the psychology of emotions and the psychology of development.
With the strong base knowledge, the next step was to uncover how we learn best, and to define how I can support families and deliver knowledge in a way that is effective and engaging. So, I packed two suitcases and flew across the ocean to Germany to pursue a Master’s in Psychology: Learning Sciences. Always in parallel to my studies I have been working with families several times a week, helping as the parents learned more about their little one and about themselves in their new role. Now with first-hand experience and niche skills, I was ready to take on the Doula role. In 2018 I began reading books, attending seminars, and in 2019 with the support of an amazing mentor I have enrolled in the official certification program with “Birthing from Within”. Now Oslo is my home, today I am completing the certification and fully diving into the Doula role, focusing on birth and postpartum preparation and education.
I know that transitions may be full of uncertainty or unknowns, yet with preparation we feel more confidence and more calm. We are in this together! What is your story? And love to hear about your journey, too!
