enCIRCLE Birth Doula Training & Continuing Education

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Are you ready to take one birth doula training and become a great doula?

Overcome uncertainty about what doula trainings. 

Spring into action with our limited time, NO COST, Creativity & Clarity Values Session:

  • Get clear in what you need.
  • Supercharge your motivation.
  • Save the time and confusion of having to sort through all of the trainings.

Learn How To Be A Birth Doula From Two Longtime Seattle Birth Doulas

Hi, We are SO excited that you are reading this!

It means that you want to:

  • Be in the birth room!!!
  • Improve or support the lives of new families.
  • Are in the discovery phase to see if being a doula is the right next steps in your life.

We are joining forces to bridge the gap that exists between doula training and being a thriving doula.

With us you get the best of what we both have to offer:

  • Comprehensive information about childbirth, postpartum and how to be a birth doula.
  • Business and marketing information you need as you start your business.
  • Emotional intelligence framework and mindfulness tools to keep you break through gridlock and prevent burning out.
  • Research based relationship skills that will help you and your clients manage the ups and downs of life.

Top 3 Reasons People Take A Doula Training

  1. Start a new career!
  2. To help a friend or family member who is pregnant.
  3. Personal growth and healing.

Whatever brings you here-- thank you for taking the time to get to know our work!

Please call or email with any questions. We look forward to supporting you on your journey.

We hope you have a wonderful day,

Amity Kramer + Carrie Kenner

This is a photo of Birth Doula Trainers Amity Kramer + Carrie Kenner

"I have such gratitude for Amity's teaching and time with me and our cohort as well as a deep admiration for her skill in modeling -- really living into -- compassion, pizazz, caring, humor. Amity is a total inspiration. It's clear that she is excellent at what she does, skilled, and experienced, but I don't feel overwhelmed or small next to that. Instead, she's empowered me and I feel capable and ready to serve. Thank you!"

Gain the confidence you need to serve pregnant families in our birth doula training.

Having been called into the world of doula-hood, you've pondered the miracle of birth.

Growing a tiny human, bringing them into the world, and nurturing them into a thriving individual all take time.

Just like doula training it's a journey filled with:

  • emotions
  • patience
  • depth
  • and lots of listening - to others and ourselves.

 

Being a doula is about mastering the art of knowing when to push forward and linger a little longer, and when to release.

Benefits to the enCircle Birth Doula Training

  • How to start (and build) your doula business, and how to attract amazing clients.
  • Personalized mindfulness practices to stay grounded and relaxed during long or hard births.
  • Tools to safely process the big emotions that come along with being a birth worker.
  • A creative approach to supporing laboring people in the hospital, at home, or in a birth center.
  • What trauma informed care is and how to incorporate it into your doula practice.
  • Insights to align your birthwork with historic and current fight for birth equity.
Seattle Birth Doula Supports Birthing Person while laboring.

"I took the encircle doula class with Amity and Carrie to be trained to doula. I wondered how I could learn enough to actually do it.

But 10 births later I feel like they truly gave me a wonderful toolbox and lifelong support to give my clients a solid doula.

Don’t think twice.

Their values, philosophies, teaching is solid and will leave you ready to learn more and wanting to jump into the birth world with confidence in yourself."

We help people from all walks of life deepen their understanding of birth and parenting.

enCircle Training | Becoming A Birth Doula Details

Patience and reverence in childbirth aren't just nice-to-haves; they're essential for any nurturing birth experience.

Understanding the tempo of labor and honoring each moment leads to profound outcomes for both the birthing family and birth doula. It's about depth, connection, and tuning into the emotional and spiritual journey.

This extraordinary small-group workshop prepares you to be a birth doula and start serving families right away.

This is the option for you if you are able to join once a week, and want time to digest what you learn and ask questions in real time.

This workshop cultivates a rich and meaningful group of people that can support each other as you grow your doula practice.

WHO: Anyone ready to learn about themselves while they learn about birth. Workshops limited to 10 doulas.

WHERE: All classes will be in-pereson in the Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle, WA.

COST: $700 (scholarships available)

FEATURES:

  • 40-module online training course.
  • 6 in-person sessions that help build on the information you will be learning in the online sessions to work on hands on and creative work to help you get all of your questions answered in real time.
  • Inclusive content and approach to birthwork.
  • Taught through a social justice and anti-racism lens throughout.

"I cannot speak highly enough about Amity’s birth training class!

For seven weeks, I looked forward to spending six hours of my day with her and my fellow doulas, soaking in everything she had to share with us.

If you’re looking for a great starter course or just want to learn more on your path as a birth worker, take a enCircle training with Amity.
Life-changing!"

2025 Dates:

Tuesdays 10:30am to 3:30pm

  • March 11 to April 15
  • May 6 to June 10
  • September 9 to October 14
  • November 4 to December 16

"Our trainings were GREATLY missed yesterday. I honestly loved Tuesday’s for seven weeks because of our group and that training."

"Today was AMAZING! Looking forward to next week already."

"I have such gratitude for Amity's teaching and time with me and our cohort as well as a deep admiration for her skill in modeling -- really living into -- compassion, pizazz, caring, humor. Amity is a total inspiration. It's clear that she is excellent at what she does, skilled, and experienced, but I don't feel overwhelmed or small next to that. Instead, she's empowered me and I feel capable and ready to serve. Thank you!"

"I took the encircle doula class with Amity and Carrie to be trained to doula. I wondered how I could learn enough to actually do it. But 10 births later I feel like they truly gave me a wonderful toolbox and lifelong support to give my clients a solid doula. Don’t think twice. Their values, their philosophies, their teaching is solid and will leave you ready to learn more and wanting to jump into the birth world with confidence in yourself."

"I cannot speak highly enough about Amity’s birth training class! For seven weeks, I looked forward to spending six hours of my day with her and my fellow doulas, soaking in everything she had to share with us. If you’re looking for a great starter course or just want to learn more on your path as a birth worker, take a Thresholds training with Amity. Life-changing!"

"I took the enCircle birth doula training with Amity and Davinah and I’m so glad I did. It was one of the few local trainings that I found that considers the impact of racism on birth in the US. In addition to the important and useful info they provided, Davinah and Amity really care about the success of the people who take the course; throughout the training, they went above and beyond to support our growth and help us build community. I highly recommend this training for anyone considering becoming a doula!"

"Thank you again for another beautiful training day."

Soak In Some Wisdom Right Now With These Birth Doula Videos

More About The Seattle Big Belly Services/enCIRCLE Doula History

This is a photo of Birth Doula Trainers Amity Kramer + Carrie Kenner

"I believe we all come into the world with a particular gift to give."

~Carrie Kenner

Carrie Kenner and me, Amity, have some very exciting times ahead.

I am beyond humbled that Carrie has put her faith in me, to build on the enCircle Doula Trainings tradition of:

  • integrity
  • inclusion
  • and love.

The history of enCircle doula trainings started with Carrie Kenner, founder of Big Belly Services.

Carrie had been helping babies come into the world before she even knew what a doula was!

She started leading Birthing From Within childbirth classes and being a full time doula in 2000. (I met Carrie in a childbirth class when I was pregnant in 2008, and started mentoring classes in 2010 after the birth of my second child.)

Carrie started offering doula trainings in Seattle, through Big Belly Services in 2005. Over the years more than 2000 doulas have trained with Carrie, both at Big Belly Services and over her long teaching career with the Simkin Center for Allied Birth Professions. Carrie was even my doula trainer in 2009, when I started my journey as a birth worker.

We have been working together as doulas and childbirth educators for over 15 years.

In that time Amity became an expert in helping new families with emotional intelligence, while Carrie dove deep in all things StoryBrand and copy writing.

In early 2019 we began the transition with many hours of conversation, observation, training, and more conversation.

We have been working together and independently to serve families and birth doulas through enCircle Doula Trainings at Thresholds.

If you wish to learn more about Carrie, or work with her directly, please check out her website at https://carriekenner.com/.

Carrie is one of the most innovative women I have ever met and I highly encourage you to embrace her wisdom. Knowing her has meant the world to me and SO many of the doulas she has trained over her career in birth work.

Thank you for reading about the history of enCircle Birth Doula Trainings.

If you have any questions please reach out. You are welcome to email me at amity@thresholds.info or call directly at 206-819-1383.

In Gratitude,

Amity

Curious to learn more about our approach to doula training?

ADVANCED TRAINING FOR BIRTH DOULAS

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Baby Laying On Chest After Birth

First Latch Support For Doulas

Join Amity Kramer and Catherine Fenner, IBCLC in a workshop that covers everything you need to support your clients during the early nursing sessions. Gain insights on nurturing new families in the crucial first hours and post-birth.

On-Demand

COST: $15

Person with back exposed and TENS unit pads on back.

TENS Unit Training for Birth Doulas

TENS units are widely used in Europe for pain management in labor, and they are gaining popularity in U.S. births. Add this tool to your birth bag!

On-Demand

COST: $50

MENTOR: Carrie Kenner

Birth Doula Advanced Training | Placenta Encapsulation Training

Placenta Encapsulation

Discover the history, research, and current interest in placenta encapsulation, and learn how to encapsulate a placenta safely.
This course is open to anyone; you do not need to be a birth professional to attend.

On-Demand
Cost: $5
MENTORS: Carrie Kenner