MY PERSONAL JOURNEY

My Roots & Real-World Experience

I am a first-generation New Yorker with Dominican roots. When I was born, the Sun was in the steadfast and committed constellation Taurus, the Moon was in expressive and bold Leo, and rising in the east was mysterious and deeply transformational Scorpio.

I grew up in Jackson Heights, Queens—the most diverse neighborhood on the planet. The vibrant sounds of Merengue, Salsa, Freestyle, Grunge, and Hip Hop composed the soundtrack to my youth, instilling in me an early appreciation for diverse cultures and human stories. Before I was 5 years old, I had already learned that my neighbors—no matter where they came from, what they looked like, or who or how they loved—prioritized nourishment, and that we all appreciated little pockets of dough filled with meats and spices. The World’s Boro taught me early on that each of us is worth loving, and kindness is a gift worth giving.

Even as a child, I possessed an innate drive to understand and share health wisdom. From age 7, I studied my beloved copy of Our Bodies, Ourselves alongside articles from Cosmopolitan and Seventeen magazines, enthusiastically passing down everything I learned to serve as an early source of body literacy, sexual awareness, and health guidance for my peers.

My investigative nature led me to dig deep for answers about life's most challenging aspects: birth and death, reproduction, love, and heartbreak. When a close relative became pregnant when I was 12, I researched everything I could at the local library. When she went into labor, I was there offering support, returning every day for months to help her navigate the fourth trimester and care for a newborn.

Walking Through Endings

I didn't know the word doula back then, nor that it was a career path. As a longtime lover of stories and the written word, I spent a decade in book and magazine publishing—my first professional career—alongside exploratory roles in education, law, and healthcare.

Then, right as I entered my late twenties—the profound period of reckoning, maturity, and foundational shifts known as the Saturn Return—my direction transformed overnight.

Within the span of a few weeks, two major life-altering realities collided:

• I was diagnosed with PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS, now known as PMOS), facing the agonizing fear that as a newlywed, I might not be able to conceive without heavy medical intervention, if at all.

• I learned cancer had taken up residence in my mother's small frame, and overnight I became her primary caregiver.

At the very same time I was being told I might never become a mother, I learned I was losing mine.

For months, my days were spent navigating a complicated healthcare system, advocating for her needs, and supporting her through surgery, chemotherapy, and stage 4 cancer. Eventually, my care continued through hospice and the end of her life, teaching me the sacred art of non-judgmental presence, deep listening, and holding space through profound grief and endings.

Navigating Beginnings

Refusing to give up on my dream of becoming a mother, especially after losing my own, I spent my nights researching holistic ways to heal my body so it would relearn how to ovulate naturally. At a time when there was limited research or support for PCOS, I often felt like I was navigating in the dark. Yet through dedication, I succeeded.

I chose to deliver at Bellevue Hospital specifically for its renowned midwifery program and the promise of a state-of-the-art birthing center set to open just in time for my delivery—except that center never actually opened to patients.

With my original birth plan out the window, I went into an arduous 40+ hour labor. But right when I needed it most, a doula completing her hospital training appeared. She was like an angel who knew exactly what I needed before I could form the words to ask—easing my pain, calming my fears, and guiding me through exhausting contractions. That transformative experience sparked a deep calling within. Intuitively, I knew that once my babies were grown, I would return to this path. I ultimately gave birth to three amazing children without medical intervention, beating the odds I had been told were stacked against me.

The Transition to My Purpose

As my youngest child entered pre-K, I stepped back to look at the larger pattern of my life. Having spent decades formally and informally studying the very topics that fascinated me as a child, I saw clearly how to weave my knowledge, lived experience, and intuitive wisdom together to serve others.

I realized I had been acting as a doula for life’s most transformational moments for as long as I could remember.

I am a Life Doula.

At the heart of my work are three simple, transformative questions:

"Who are you?"

"Where are you going?"

"What is changing—or about to change—in your life?"

Life moves in sacred seasons of creation, release, and recalibration. My role is to serve as your intuitive anchor, safe sanctuary, and steady witness through every defining shift.

CONTINUING EDUCATION

In addition to my current certifications and trainings, as a professional doula, I maintain my skills and knowledge through continued education, research and mentorship. I am continuously learning and prioritize staying up to date with relevant information to ensure I’m providing my clients with the best care possible.