The Energetic Lifeline: Joy, Loss, and Doulaing Yourself with Haley McNabb
About this episode
Hayley McNab discusses the emotional challenges of being a birth doula and shares strategies for self-care and managing trauma.
Welcome back to Chatty Doulas! In this episode, we sit down with Haley McNabb, a seasoned birth doula, doula trainer, and mom of two. As birth workers, we are exposed to the ultimate highs of birth, but we are also front-row witnesses to secondary trauma and profound loss. Haley dives deep into what it truly means to hold these massive emotional waves without letting them swallow you whole. In this episode, we chat about: The Energetic Toll of Birth: Balancing the oxytocin-filled highs with the heavy somatic baggage of unreleased secondary trauma. Micro-Rituals for the 3:00 AM Reset: Simple, intentional ways to shed a birth experience and return your nervous system to homeostasis before walking through your own front door. Holding Space in Discomfort: How to anchor yourself in moments of crisis, eliminate empty reassurance, and "doula yourself" when the room turns sideways. Connect with Haley: Instagram: Follow her journey and training opportunities at @soulbabybirthing. Don't forget to rate, review, and hit Subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts!
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