Lorie Michaels CD(DONA), LCCE, CLC, BRMPro+, PMH-C, Rhode Island, U.S.

Lorie Michaels is a doula, educator, and mentor who supports birth and postpartum professionals through evidence-informed, trauma-aware professional development. She is the founder of BirthPro, an organization focused on continuing education and mentorship for doulas seeking sustainable, ethical practice across diverse care settings.

Lorie facilitates educational sessions and mentoring pathways that emphasize scope of practice, professional boundaries, nervous system awareness, and advocacy-informed support. Her work frequently addresses burnout, moral distress, and professional isolation among doulas navigating complex systems. Lorie brings a leadership perspective shaped by direct field experience, collaboration with community partners, and a commitment to culturally humble care and accountability within the birth work profession.

Session

Mentorship as an Ethical, Trauma-Aware Intervention: Supporting Doulas Beyond Certification

Mentorship is often treated as optional support, yet for many doulas it is the difference between sustainability and leaving the profession altogether. In a landscape shaped by systemic inequities, high emotional labor, and increasing professional pressure, certification alone does not prepare doulas to navigate ethical complexity, burnout, or trauma exposure.

This session reframes mentorship as an ethical, trauma-aware intervention that supports doulas beyond skills acquisition. Drawing from real-world mentoring experiences, participants will explore how mentorship can reduce isolation, strengthen professional boundaries, and foster long-term resilience, without crossing into supervision or therapy. Attendees will gain practical frameworks for offering and seeking mentorship that honor cultural humility, scope of practice, and community accountability.