I am the grateful mother of three amazing children, Benjamin, Joel & Rebecca. I am fortunate to be supported in this adventure by my husband John. I do work of many kinds related to expectant and new families and have done so for 20 years now. I teach childbirth preparation, baby care, breast feeding, and sibling preparation classes. I am a doula but now only attend births with family and friends. I have the privilege of facilitating support groups for new parents for the last 13 years. I work with parents in a drop in group format at Alta Bates hospital where I do most of my teaching. These groups support families with children birth to three years. I have facilitated small format moms groups for many years, holding the groups in Janaki Costello and Sue Wirth's wonderful lactation offices in Albany.

I have a degree in Biology from UC Berkeley with an emphasis in public health education. I am a certified lactation educator, childbirth educator and doula.

My family and I are involved in all kinds of coop activities including the elementary and middle schools my children attend, soccer...well lots of things! We love living in the Bay Area and when we have the time, taking advantage of our incredible resources here. I love to read, dance, swim, cook, listen to music, play with my kids and someday to travel again. I am currently working on a book of resources for expectant and new families.

I clearly recall those first few months of motherhood—exhilarating, filled with awe, but also overwhelming and humbling. After the birth of my baby, I found myself happier and more vulnerable than anticipated. My treasured sense of independence and competence was shaken, and it felt so new and difficult to need, to not know, and to ask for help.

I joined one of Sherry's groups in July of 2005 when my daughter, Mia, was just five weeks old. Although I had a local cadre of wonderful, lifelong friends with children, I wanted to find a circle of women to share the “rookie phase” of infant care. In my group I found such warmth, encouragement and humor. Even though we had different backgrounds, birth experiences, and ideas about parenting…our weekly discussions left me feeling less alone and absolutely more confident in my ability to not only be a good mom, but to get out there and enjoy it more!

Our group still meets and we continue to share our trials, exchange ideas, celebrate milestones and commiserate about the minutiae of motherhood. What a relief and resource—for my entire family—to have practical advice from the collective experience of eleven caring and intelligent East Bay moms! As a group facilitator, this is exactly the kind of support I am now grateful to foster between new moms in Oakland.

I have been facilitating groups and working with families for over ten years.

As a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I have a private practice in the Glenview/Montclair neighborhood, where I help individuals, couples and families. As a Counselor at Head-Royce School in Oakland, I teach socio-emotional skills to children and support parents. A high school counselor for many years, I have provided academic and behavioral guidance to diverse populations at wonderful local public, charter and independent schools.

A Bay Area native, I received my B.A. from Gonzaga University and my M.S. in Counseling Psychology from California State University, Hayward in 1999. Before my graduate work, I spent a year learning Spanish in Costa Rica and Argentina, where I also taught English. Anchored in Oakland since 1997, I live with my husband Alex and our daughter, Mia.

Gathering weekly with new moms and babies inspires and rewards. Week by week, milestone-by-milestone, I witness women—who begin as sleep-deprived strangers—build their own community. After our eight weeks, without exception, what I hear is how much more confident, connected and capable these moms feel. My goal and hope is that their connection and support continues for years to come.

I have been working with new mothers, babies, and expectant parents since 2004. I teach childbirth preparation, pregnancy health, breastfeeding and baby care classes privately, and at several Bay Area organizations and hospitals. I do home-visiting breastfeeding support in the East Bay, working with moms and babies to smooth out bumps in their breastfeeding relationship. I hope to be a Board-Certified Lactation Consultant by the end of 2008.

The experience of being a mother has been continually surprising to me since the day my oldest daughter was born – more rewarding, more loving, and more confusing each day than the day before.

The more time I spend with mothers and babies, the more I am struck by the capabilities of newborn babies, the depth of mothers’ intuitive knowledge of their babies, and the intensity of the relationships that babies and moms create together. It is an honor for me to witness the unfolding of a new family. I am learning from babies and new parents every day.

Before I had children and began this work, I earned Bachelors degrees in Biology and Geography, a Masters degree in Geography, and finished the coursework toward a PhD in Geography and International Nutrition.

When I get a chance, I like to work in the yard, read, or watch my chickens.

As the mother of a delightful preschooler myself, I know what a challenging and emotional experience it can be to balance a career and motherhood. I have facilitated mother support groups for four years now, both at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital and as the Coordinator for Parent Support for First 5 Nevada County. I feel especially honored to work with new mothers and to share in such an intimate, emotional and magical time in their lives.

I am a Bay Area native and I currently live with my husband and 3-year-old daughter in the East Bay. I received my MSW from UC Berkeley in 2002 with a children and families concentration. I now work as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Children’s Hospital and Research Center Oakland in the field of Infant-Parent Psychotherapy.

In the winter of 2009, I will begin offering groups on weekends in an effort to support mothers working outside the home. Participants can expect an opportunity to “check-in” every week and we will always include a few new songs or games to engage with your baby, followed by a flexible topic. As a facilitator, I like to encourage group cohesion, confidence in one’s own unique ability to meet the needs of your child and respect for the many different parenting styles and diverse Bay Area families. My motto is, “There is no ‘right’ way to parent.” Most parents find my work style as empathic, nurturing and flexible. I believe these groups are your own. I strive not to lecture to you or monopolize your time with stories of my own parenting experience, but I’m always happy and willing to share if you ask!