Member Seminar June 2025
Recorded On: 06/09/2025
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- Member - $25
- Trainer - $25
Join DONA International Membership Director and other DONA Leaders for 3 hours of virtual continuing education. Member seminars are designed to bring quality continuing education to doulas everywhere and are priced at just $25 for Members.
Pre-Registration is required, and participants will have access to the webinar recordings for four weeks post seminar. This is a live event and registration will not be available after the event. The recordings will only be available to those who pre-registered.
Speakers and Session
12:00pm – 1:00pm EST | Ebonie Bailey: Centering Black Joy and Justice in Birthwork — The Story and Strategy of the Iowa Black Doula Collective
1:00pm - 2:00pm EST | Melinda McMichael: Supporting Families Affected by Substance Use Disorder: Best Practices for Doulas in Birth and Postpartum Care
2:00pm – 3:00pm EST | Chantal Traub: Polyvagal Principles for Birth and Postpartum: Creating Safety and Support Through Nervous System Awareness
Melinda McMichael
Melinda McMichael serves as a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist Supervisor/ Doula at Haymarket Treatment Center. With six years of experience in the recovery field, she focuses on supporting pregnant and postpartum women and their families impacted by substance use disorders and mental health challenges. Utilizing her lived experiences, Melinda provides comprehensive services aimed at improving recovery outcomes. Her areas of specialization include motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, and advocacy for underrepresented populations through peer support and doula services. At Haymarket Center, she supervises clients in early recovery as they pursue certification from the Illinois Certification Board (ICB) for peer recovery support. Additionally, Melinda supervises and mentors two new Peer Doulas, sharing both personal insights and professional knowledge about the role. As a woman in long-term recovery, she has maintained a program of complete abstinence since January 29, 2018.
Melinda is a dedicated professional who obtained her Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) credential from the Illinois Certification Board in 2021. In the same year, she earned her Childbirth Doula CD(DONA) certification and then became internationally certified as a Full Spectrum Birth and Postpartum Doula through DONA International in 2022. With experience in assisting over 20 drug-free births, Melinda is currently pursuing a degree in Applied Science for Human Service Professionals at Purdue University Global and has been accepted into two honor societies, the National Society for Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) and Phi Theta Kappa.
In addition to her educational pursuits, Melinda actively contributes to her community by serving on three advisory boards for Salt and Light Coalition, a non-profit organization that supports women affected by sexual exploitation and trafficking. She also serves on the board at Malcolm X College for their CPRS/CRSS Educational Program and collaborates with the State of Illinois and DCFS on Plans of Safe Care initiatives.
Chantal Traub
CD(DONA), LCCE(LAMAZE), CCCE(Childbirth Educators of Metropolitan NY), NBC-HWC
Chantal Traub is an inspirational international speaker, seasoned doula, childbirth educator and Polyvagal-informed coach. In her 20-plus years of practice, she has become internationally well-known for her expertise on the pelvic floor and her Pushing Power workshops which are endorsed by midwives and physicians. Through her classes, her one-on-one work, and her doula and coaching practice, Traub has helped thousands of women give birth without trauma. Expanding her expertise beyond childbirth, Chantal now supports women of all ages and life stages, addressing their health needs through a holistic approach to pelvic floor health and nervous system regulation. She is a course partner with the Polyvagal Institute, regularly teaches for the Global Pelvic Health Alliance and My Pelvic Floor Muscles. Chantal's work has been published in Pathways to Family Wellness (2024). She co-authored two books; "The Pelvic Floor: Everything You Needed to Know Sooner" (2022). and contributed her chapter on Creating a Sense of Safety in Birth: Fostering Connection and Co-regulation to Minimize Trauma for parents and Baby in Somatic-Oriented Therapies: Embodiment, Trauma, and Polyvagal Perspectives, published by Norton. Her insights have been featured on Next Question with Katie Couric, The Women’s Health Podcast and Pathways to Family Wellness. Chantal lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband and two teenagers, and finds joy in outdoor adventures, cold-water dips, and traveling with loved ones.
Ebonie Bailey
| Ebonie Bailey is a powerhouse advocate for Black maternal health, deeply committed to ensuring that every birthing mother and family receives the care, support, and dignity they deserve. As the proud owner of Naturally Ebonie Doula Services and the co-founder and Executive Director of the Iowa Black Doula Collective, she has been a driving force in transforming maternal healthcare in Iowa since attending her first healthcare legislative forum in 2011. A proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and an alumna of the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff and St. Ambrose University, Ebonie has dedicated her life to fighting the maternal health crisis that disproportionately impacts BIPOC communities. She works relentlessly to provide culturally competent doula services, virtual pregnancy support, and postpartum care—ensuring that Black mothers and families are seen, heard, and empowered throughout their birth journeys. Beyond her advocacy, Ebonie finds strength in her loving family—her supportive husband and five incredible children, who fuel her passion for making lasting change. With unshakable dedication, she continues to uplift, educate, and advocate, breaking barriers in maternal health and creating a future where every mother receives the care she deserves. |
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