The doula workshop is for anyone interested in quickly and effectively learning how to support moms and dads through birth with comfort, information, and spiritual presence.
This is our foundational 7-week course required both for GEM doula certification as well as a prerequisite for enrollment in the GEM Midwifery Academy.
When you become a certified doula with GEM you can confidently offer your services and be more valuable to clients because of your willingness to continue learning and deepening your knowledge and skills.
The certifying process helps push you to achieve those learning goals by requiring you to read several essential birth books, take a more in-depth course, & practice attending births!
Also, some organizations like clinics or hospitals or doula collective businesses will require certification for doulas to work for them for assurance that the doula has the knowledge and experience they are looking for.
This is our foundational 7-week course required both for GEM doula certification as well as a prerequisite for enrollment in the GEM Midwifery Academy.
With these workshops, you will learn and improve your skills to be a well prepared and supportive midwife for all the moms and families you get to work!
GEM's Midwifery Academy provides step-by-step guidance through the education requirements for out-of-hospital midwifery certification for working in the United States or Internationally.
Prerequisites:
Doula training and Intro to Midwifery Course
A “Doula” is a non-medical support person who provides physical comfort, emotional-spiritual support, and informational support to a mother and father or other present family through pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum.
A “Midwife” is a medical care provider for childbirth who provides vital monitoring care for both mother and baby through pregnancy with prenatal care visits, labor and delivery, and postpartum. Midwives typically are more holistic in their approach to care for the mother’s spirit-mind-body and often provides many natural alternatives for the health and well-being of mother and baby.
The 2-Day Doula Workshop costs $250. If you are unable to afford that, you can apply for our financial need scholarship for a 30% discount:
Doulas are not regulated or licensed professionals because they are non-medical support people, similar to a friend or family member. Therefore, technically you do not need a certification in order to practice as a doula! However, the purpose of certifying is to grow in knowledge and experience so that you can confidently offer your services and be more valuable to clients because of your willingness to continue learning and deepening your knowledge and skills. The certifying process helps push you to achieve those learning goals by requiring you to read, take a more in-depth course, and practice by attending at least 2 births!
*Also, if you want to work for certain organizations like clinics or hospitals or doula collective business that hire doulas to work for them, they will often require proof of certification for assurance that you have the knowledge and experience they are looking for. They may even specify certain organizations they accept doula certification from. SO be sure to investigate the exact requirements of any organization you hope or intend to work for!
No, GEM Doula Certification costs a one-time processing fee of $50 after which you are certified for life and there is no membership or renewing costs.
We have taught in Missouri, Kansas, California, Washington, and North Carolina in the United States. We have also taught in Leon and Guadalajara Mexico, Sao Paulo Brazil, and Armenia.
Yes, you can complete all the requirements for GEM Doula certification even with a doula training course from another organization. See the GEM Doula Certification application here for more details:
The GEM Midwifery Academy is a monthly membership subscription model that costs $100 per month.
In most cases, women after completing their midwifery training and gaining their CPM credential will start their own private practice midwifery business. In some cases, particularly in bigger cities, you may be able to get a job working for another midwife in her homebirth practice OR get a job at a local free-standing (out-of-hospital) birthing center that hires professional midwives (some birth centers only hire certified nurse midwives).
Yes, the doula guide is also available in Spanish and Armenian. The doula workshop is taught in Spanish by request. Also, midwifery skills workshops may be taught in Spanish by request. The GEM Midwifery Academy is not yet offered in Spanish, but there are plans to provide the course in Spanish in the future.
Jana Johnston, CPM
GEM Executive Director and Co-Founder
Rachel Schwepler, CPM
GEM Co-Founder & Instructor
Kelly Jenson, CPM
GEM Spiritual Director
Mary Arthur, RN IBCLC
GEM Instructor
Carol Gautschi CPM, LM
Experienced Midwife Consultant
Mary Bernabe
Experienced Midwife Consultant
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