I have been agonising for months (if not a couple of years!) over how to describe what I do. Painful breakfast networking introductions going something like this…”Hi! I’m Lon. I’m a yoga teacher, massage therapist (specialising in abdominal massage and women’s health) and a birth and postnatal doula…” It doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue and I would be impressed if you remembered as far as massage therapist. It also doesn’t even remotely describe who I am or what I’m passionate about!
I’ve enrolled on business development courses and coaching sessions to try to figure out my elusive ‘niche/tribe’. Then, of course, it turns out not to be so elusive after all. Staring me straight between the eyes in fact! Imagine my joy and delight when in (what felt like a) casual conversation with the lovely Missy Nemeth (fabulous coach of fabulous women!) we arrived at the concept of a ‘Fertility Doula’. Genius!!!! I still can’t remember which one of us put the two words together… but they fit so well.
Admittedly maybe not everyone knows what a doula is, but it is easy to explain in just a few words….A doula is a person who provides physical and emotional support to a woman/couple before, during and after childbirth. I’m not providing so much one-to-one birth and postnatal support these days, but I’m right there beforehand…. before the baby is even a baby. Okay! I cannot create the babies per se….! But…
My passion in women’s health is fertility. I provide physical and emotional support to women before birth, especially before conception. So… I am a doula to women on the fertility journey! Simple! How come it took so long to get there? I am a Fertility Doula.
I nurture and support each of the women who come through my practice – not only during the individual massage or yoga sessions they attend, but through the whole process. Checking in with results, following up on suggestions, keeping tabs, being a listening ear. Believing in them even when they don’t believe in themselves (trust me, I know how important that is!).
Well I suppose there has been resistance on my part … I haven’t wanted to pigeon-hole myself and yikes! what happens if I am actually visible to the audience I’m speaking to?!! But yesterday, the penny finally dropped and I realised it was OK to be clear. Don’t worry I’m not abandoning my pregnant and new mum tribes – this is after all still part of the same journey! And those of you who seek my help for digestive issues, again, I am here and no less interested. I think one of the problems I’ve had with ‘niching’ is that when you have a holistic view of health it feels wrong to single one thing out. However, our fertility is the ultimate expression of our innermost health, so it is a perfect angle to start from!!!!
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