A doula
is a remembering of something we have mostly forgotten.
No mother-to-be used to walk alone the path into motherhood. She used to be accompanied, held, encouraged, guided if needed. A doula is that person who would walk along, sometimes just as a friend who shares the journey, sometimes as a sherpa who carries part of the load and shows you that you have the power to keep on walking.
In the same way that there is no one in the entire world exactly the same as you, there is no one way to prepare you to be born as a mother. I am here to listen, tune in, understand deeply, and then accompany you on your unique and marvelous journey in the way you need to dive into it.
Bio
I am a doula, a Kundalini Yoga teacher, a researcher, and a trauma-informed practitioner. With a PhD in Anthropology, my work and research engage with experiences of motherhood, evolving identities, the body, and the transformative power of human encounter.
As a doula, I accompany mothers and families through pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and bereavement, honoring the uniqueness of each person's journey. My approach brings together traditional knowledge, contemporary research, embodied practices and a deep respect for the emotional and relational dimensions of becoming and being a mother.
I am certified as a Birth Doula by BiA Doula International in the Netherlands and Paramana Doula, with Dr. Michel Odent and Doula Liliana Lammers. I am also certified as a Postpartum Doula by the Postnatal Support Network and as a Birth & Bereavement Doula by Stillbirthday.
In recent years, my work has increasingly deepened towards understanding the relationship between trauma, the body, and our experiences of motherhood. I have completed 330 hours of training in Compassionate Inquiry, the therapeutic approach developed by Dr. Gabor Maté and Sat Dharam Kaur. This has further shaped my understanding of how our early experiences, attachment histories, and unresolved trauma can influence the way we experience ourselves, our relationships, and parenthood. It informs my commitment to trauma-informed, compassionate and body-oriented support.
I am deeply inspired by Laura Gutman's teachings, particularly her work on motherhood, Coming Face to Face with Your Own Shadow and Child-centred Civilization. I have also been a student of Naoli Vinaver, Mexican Traditional Midwife, exploring traditional approaches to birth and women's knowledge.
I am currently the Director of the Postnatal Support Network. Through PSN, I continue to advocate for the recognition of postpartum as a critical window in women's health and for the restoration of community-based, culturally sensitive, and compassionate postpartum care.
Grateful to serve you,
Ekaterina Cupelin
Mother’s Birth
I am who I am.
Who am I?
Before you were born, I could define that.
After I gave birth to you, I couldn't anymore.
I have become limitless.
My heart exploded into a million pieces
in a Big Bang-like explosion.
Now, I love stronger and better.
I am powerful.
I have become more true to myself.
I am unafraid.
I know I have the power to birth a whole new world.
And I am doing it.
Thank you, my child.
Ekaterina