Dr. Abigail Jorgensen Ph.D., CD(DONA), LCCE, Co-Presenter

Dr. Abby Jorgensen, Ph.D.(Sociology), CD(DONA), LCCE, works to help families feel supported and to help support people feel confident and comfortable in their work. She does this as a professor of sociology and healthcare ethics, as a doula and childbirth educator specializing in bereavement, and as a bereavement work trainer.

Abby lives in St. Louis, Missouri, with her husband and one tiny human. She enjoys game nights, spending time with friends, and reading science nonfiction. You can learn more about Abby at her website, abbythesociologistdoula.com.

Session

Disability and Doulas

One in six adults worldwide (World Health Organization) is currently disabled. Many more disabled people do not have a diagnosis, and many currently-abled people will become disabled at some point in their lives. The reality of disability affects doula work both in how disabled clients and disabled doulas navigate care and support. Yet despite how common disability is, there are few resources for doulas regarding disability.

In this presentation, two disabled doulas (Kristen Schell and Dr. Abby Jorgensen) will address this gap. We will first work with learners through four tips for supporting disabled clients in an inaccessible world. Then, we will discuss three lessons we have learned about navigating as disabled doulas in an ableist world. This presentation is meant to serve as a launching point for further conversation, equipping learners with language and space to begin processing their experiences and the experiences of others.