My Professional Training

For the past 23 years, I have worked in many facets of healthcare with extensive professional training.

From Certified Birth Doula, CD(DONA), Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, AADP, Holding Space Consultant, and Certified Medical Interpreter, CMI - Spanish, I have a comprehensive understanding of health and how to create a transformational roadmap for optimal wellness.

I received my birth doula training through DONA International and became a Certified Birth Doula, CD(DONA) in 2007. During this time, I worked in 2 hospital-based doula programs for 5 years in Colorado assisting several hundred births.  Most of my clients were Spanish speaking, so in addition to providing education, emotional and physical support during the labor process, I was an essential bridge between patients and providers with my bilingual skills. Upon receiving my CD(DONA) credentials in 2007, I started a private practice for birth doula clients.  

Given my passion for health and wellness, I also completed a Certificate of Holistic Health at Red Rocks Community College.  This included 2 years of coursework in the healing arts, ranging from Massage Therapy, Clinical Nutrition, Healing Touch, Aromatherapy, Reflexology, and Chinese Medicine.  With my background in women's health, I designed a successful 3-part series for body-mind-spirit approaches to women's wellness.

Living in Hawaii during 2008, I arrived at a threshold in my career.

Being surrounded by the ocean brought me a deeper understanding of my birth doula background. In other words, what it means to navigate life transitions -- both during the labor process and throughout other aspects of our lives.  Are we letting go?  Opening up to the expansion of life or contracted in fear? We can apply these same stages of labor throughout our life transitions.  In that sense, I realized my passion for birth is my passion for healing and transformation.  

I was inspired to launch my career as a Certified Health Coach and take my knowledge, training, and expertise to the next level.

In 2012, I graduated from Institute for Integrative Nutrition where I learned innovative coaching methods, lifestyle guidance techniques, and studied over 100 dietary theories; everything from Ayurveda, auto-immune Paleo, raw foods, detoxification, functional medicine approaches, and everything in between.

I studied with the world's top health and wellness experts including:

• Joshua Rosenthal, MScEd, Founder and Director of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition

• Mark Hyman, MD, Founder and Medical Director of The UltraWellness Center, Bestselling Author

• Andrea Nakayama, World-Renowned Functional Nutritionist, Educator, & Founder of The Functional Nutrition Alliance 

• Deepak Chopra, MD World Leader in Mind-Body Medicine, Director of Education at The Chopra Center, Bestselling Author

• Andrew Weil, MD, Bestselling Author and Expert on Integrative Medicine and Mind-Body Interactions

• Susan Blum, MD, MPH, Functional Medicine Doctor, Founder of Blum Center for Health

In addition to my health coach training, I received my National Board credentials as a Certified Spanish Medical Interpreter in 2017.  For the past 23 years, I have provided medical interpreting between providers and patients in hospitals and clinics throughout the U.S.  This professional role has equipped me with extensive knowledge in the medical field, working as a key player of the medical team to provide effective communication between patients and providers.

Most recently, I was trained as a Holding Space Consultant through Institute For The Study of Birth, Breath, and Death in April, 2020.  This training has equipped me to hold space for clients through compassionate presence, focusing on attunement to the body/emotions, while creating deeper meaning making around significant life changes.  I also completed a 17-hour grief work training in August, 2021 through the Institute exploring six dimensions of grief.  We drew upon readings from Amy Wright Glenn's Holding Space book, including Bearing the Unbearable by Dr. Joanne Cacciatore.