Doula Coaches: Your Mentors in Accreditation
What Does a Doula Coach Do?
At The BirthBliss Academy, we believe in the power of mentorship and continuous learning. Your Doula Coach is here to guide you throughout your accreditation journey, providing one-on-one support and expert feedback to help you grow as a doula.
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However, it’s essential to understand the boundaries of what your Doula Coach will and won’t do so you can get the most out of the support available to you.
Here’s what you can expect from your Doula Coach:
What Your Doula Coach Will Do:
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Support You Through Your First Jobs
Your Doula Coach will offer guidance and support as you work through your first birth and postnatal jobs. This will include helping you reflect on the experience, offering feedback, and providing strategies for improvement. -
Offer Reflection and Feedback
After each job, you’ll complete a reflective form and submit it to your Doula Coach. They will then provide feedback, discussing what went well, what could be improved, and offering constructive advice to help you grow. -
Help You Find Your Doula Voice
Your Doula Coach will encourage you to explore your unique style and approach. This support will help you build the confidence to work in a way that feels authentic and effective for you and your clients. -
Assist with Business Support
One key aspect of your journey will be learning to manage the business side of your career. Your Doula Coach will offer guidance on things like setting rates, managing client relationships, and structuring your doula services. They’ll help you navigate the practicalities of running a doula business so you feel confident and professional.
What Your Doula Coach Won’t Do:
It’s important to be clear on the limits of the Doula Coach’s role, as their focus is on mentorship and professional development, not administrative tasks or technical support. Here’s what your Doula Coach will not do:
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They won’t help with logging into accounts or setting up Google Docs: If you need assistance with technology or business admin tasks (such as setting up Google Drive or managing documents), this falls outside the scope of your Doula Coach’s support.
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They won’t send you templates, contracts, invoices, or other documents: While these resources are available to you through the Members Area of The BirthBliss Academy website, your Doula Coach will not be responsible for sending or managing these documents for you.
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They won’t teach you how to manage your business admin: If you need additional support with business management tasks, such as invoicing, contracts, or setting up your business systems, we recommend working with a virtual assistant or business coach, who can provide one-on-one support in these areas.
Why It’s Important to Understand These Boundaries
As part of the Doula Accreditation Programme, we want to ensure that you understand the purpose of your Doula Coach’s role. They are here to guide you through the mentorship process, helping you grow, reflect, and develop your doula role, but not to manage your business admin or provide technical support.
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By maintaining these boundaries, we ensure that you get the most relevant and valuable support from your Doula Coach while also encouraging independence and growth in other areas of your business.
How We Support Your Business Growth
While your Doula Coach will help guide you through the emotional and professional aspects of your doula career, we’ve provided additional resources to support you with the practical side of things. These include:
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Google Drive Documentation: Access templates, contracts, invoices, and other useful documents through the Members Area of The BirthBliss Academy website.
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External Resources: If you require further support with business tasks, we recommend considering virtual assistants or business coaches who specialise in helping birth professionals.
Final Thoughts
Your Doula Coach is a trusted mentor, here to provide guidance, feedback, and support as you work through the accreditation process. However, understanding the limits of their role will help you maximise the support you receive and direct you to the right resources for any other needs.
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As we’ve said to other students: “Your journey as a doula is unique, and with the right support, you’ll evolve and grow into the professional you’re meant to be.”
The Doula Coach is just one part of the broader network of support we offer, and their role is to help you discover your voice, not simply follow instructions.