Denise Martin
(DONA) Doula Trained, (CAPPA) LE Trained, Certified Breastfeeding Councillor (Humber College/Women's College,
Postnatal Doula Childbirth Educator, Clinical Individual and Group Hypnotist (U of T) Reiki Practitioner trained Hypnobirthing® Practitioner
Denise Martin has been serving families in York Region and the GTA as a doula and educator/facilitator since 2000.
As a doula and facilitator, Denise will not have the answers for you. What she will have, is a strong connection to my Self so she may become the reminder for you to stay connected inside where you live. Denise will become your Guide, fully at ease with the chaos, intimacy and intensity the birthing process can bring. She will encourage you throughout your experience of pregnancy and birth and the postnatal period and beyond to listen to what it is you need in the moment to stay safe, comfortable and fully at ease with the genius of your body and your baby.
It is Denise's belief that each child born into a world where their Mother knows how to trust the genius of her own body and chooses to honor herself in each moment of her experience, whatever the outcome, will begin to change the world, one person at a time.
Denise is passionate about creating a gateway for birth and the postnatal period to become the potential for personal transformation. That of yourself (mother) and the father or partner and the family. Thus 4 The Love of The Family.
Please contact me to engage in a process that will be meaningful to you @ This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
As a birth doula Denise has attended over 500 births. Denise has supported over 200 families in the postnatal period with singleton babies and approximately 60 families of twins. With additional training and experience in multiples and mood disorders Denise is able to support moms from all backgrounds including same sex couples, those whom have experienced fertility issues (including egg donor), surrogates and women with birth goals including vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC), and medicated and unmedicated vaginal births, cesarean births and home births. She is able to support, guide and connect women and their families on community practitioners and services/agencies to support their goals and philosophy of care.
Denise is active in the community by facilitating lectures and discussions on topics of prenatal health, breastfeeding, parenting and more at York Central Hospital, Prenatal Plus Centre, Organic Baby World in Vaughan, Serenity Birth Studio in Barrie, and EarlyON Centres throughout York Region, Life With A Baby and to York Region Healthy Babies Healthy Children Staff.
Denise is dedicated to women's reproductive health as she sits on 2 boards within the Region of York including the Reproductive Health Committee of York Region and being co-chair of the Breastfeeding Coalition of York Region and the Baby Friendly Initiative in York Region. Because of her dedication to women she was awarded the 2010 recipient of the Soroptimist International Ruby Award for York Region. This annual award recognizes a special woman in our community who has made a significant contribution to the lives of women or girls. Making a difference for women - Soroptimist International honours women who use their personal or professional influence to improve the lives of other women.
Denise regularly attends local and national conferences to update, expand and secure approach, ideas, and learning. Past conference attendance includes attending Penny Simpkin’s – When Survivors Give Birth, Ina May Gaskin, Fetal Life, Birth and Health": A Day with Dr. Michel Odent, LLLC Conference with Suzanne Colson – Biological Nurturing, KathleenKendall-Tackett- Depression in New Mothers, LLLC Conference with Karen Gromada – Mothering Multiples, Infact Canada’s National Breastfeeding Conferences in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010.
Denise also offers Reiki, a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by "laying on hands" and is based on the idea that an unseen "life force energy" flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one's "life force energy" is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy. Reiki is an excellent tool in the preparation for labour, during labour and in the postnatal period. It can also be administered to infants who may have had a stressful or traumatic entrance into the world.
TRUTH AS I KNOW IT:
"As a birth and postnatal caregiver, I can get the word out there but ultimately, it is up to the mother and baby to integrate, assimilate and implement the information or suggestions to the best of their ability. There are no failures, there is only experience and from that experience is the potential for learning, growth and finding peace with whatever unfolds."
