Who am I?

Hello, and welcome to my constantly evolving world of wellness. However you found me, I’m glad you did.

My name is Shan, and I am a birth and postpartum doula in Nelson, BC with over 5 years of experience and hundred of parents and babies safely held through life’s biggest transitions.

I began by doula journey in Vancouver, BC mentoring under one of Canada’s most seasoned doulas, Jill Colpitt. After gaining invaluable knowledge from Jill, I went on to work with the beautiful people of Brood Birth Care while volunteering for many births with the South Community Birth Program (SCBP).

I have also completed extensive trainings in birth and postpartum support, abortion support, and childbirth education through Doula Trainings International (DTI), DONA International, and Birthing Advocacy Doula Trainings (BADT).

Thousands of hours of birth and postpartum care later, I decided to slow down and move to the Kootenays to start my own chapter of the grant funded doula program I had once volunteered for (SCBP).

Soon after I found myself pregnant and tuning inwards, closing my first chapter as a doula.

Since becoming a mother, I have had deep personal transformations that led me to pursue breathwork. Pregnancy left me with a lot of unresolved childhood trauma that manifested into anxiety and then rage. Turns out you really can only push it all down for so long.

By the time I was 6 months postpartum, I felt completely lost. I began taking anti-depressants as a last attempt to keep myself from breaking. But I felt this wasn’t the fix all for my problems. Nor did it explain the sudden onset of anxiety and rage postpartum. I began multiple intensive forms of therapy including EMDR hoping to find more answers. A therapist then recommended I see a Somatic Counsellor, and that is when everything started to click. The trauma wasn’t really in my mind, it was in my whole body. And through breath and gentle touch, it finally began to release.

It took me many years to realize how rhythmic breathing had guided me through guiding births, relaxing babies, and even calming my own nervous system. It took me until recently to realize that breathwork is birth work, and birth work is breathwork.

I am a currently enrolled to be a breathwork facilitator and doing my training under the renowned Bianca Harris, amongst other highly experienced practitioners. The Holistic Breath Academy program is a comprehensive course and is accredited through Yoga Alliance (100 hours). Check back in early May for my breathwork offerings.

Thanks for reading and being here. I can’t wait to get to know you.