Hello!

In the vast sea of humans, it’s hard to know who to connect with and who will be a good addition to your journey. To ease any stress, I'd love to tell you a bit about myself.

I was born and raised in southeast Michigan. My family spent a lot of time “up north” on Hubbard Lake when I was a kid. I love the vast landscape of trees and freshwater lakes. I am a water baby and find my calm floating, watching the sun set.

I graduated from college with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in sculpture. I also apprenticed as a metalsmith, making jewelry. Both crafts have followed me into adulthood in fits and spurts. I have an art studio in my basement full of found objects waiting for my creative spark to strike.

After the birth of my son in 2001, I became enamored with the role of the birth doula and quickly became certified to attend births. This was the first step in a long, meandering career as a DONA birth doula, DONA birth doula trainer, Childbirth educator, pregnancy massage therapist, and co-founder of the Michigan Prison Doula Initiative, serving the pregnant incarcerated population in the only women’s prison in Michigan.

In 2018, I was diagnosed with colon cancer. I quickly began to realize that many of the skills I had developed in birth work—presence, advocacy, intuition, grounding, and emotional care—translated directly into the terrain of serious illness. For the past seven years, I’ve been navigating the complex, layered journey of living with cancer. With every twist and turn, I’ve drawn from the well of experience I’ve accumulated and added new tools along the way.

Writing and sharing my own story became a lifeline—both as a way to process my experience and as a bridge to others going through their challenges, whether cancer-related or not. I found deep meaning in showing up for people during their most vulnerable moments.

The collection of my life experiences also include: navigated through two divorces, raised two biological kids and one bonus kid, came out as queer in my 30s, created a beautiful urban homestead, overcame disordered eating, continuing to find my way with ADHD and other traits that make me unique, the loss of my mother, and therapy. Lots of therapy.

I'm currently a Master of Divinity candidate at Meadville Lombard Theological School, a Unitarian Universalist seminary, with a focus on chaplaincy.

I look forward to my path ahead, and I hope you will join me.

All my best,
Kate