You walked out of training inspired, certain this work was for you. You had the certification checklist, the excitement, and the vision of finally supporting families in birth. But then, reality hit. You realized that certification wasn’t the finish line. It was just another starting point.

When I first became a doula, I reached out to others hoping for guidance. I was eager to learn, to belong, and to find someone who could show me the ropes. Some doulas responded warmly, but others didn’t respond at all.

When you first step into birthwork, the pressure is real: “get clients, get booked, get the bag.” Hustle culture makes it seem like success is measured only in how fast you can fill your calendar or how much money you can bring in.