Shannon Wright
LMT 127457
BBCI 256
Hello there! My journey of advocating for and working with women and families really began in the late 90's when a dear friend of mine became pregnant and gave birth. While her experience wasn't a tragic one, it wasn't the warm and beautiful welcoming of a baby that she had been dreaming of either. Something in my soul said there just had to be another way. Thus began my research on pregnancy and birth and a determination to find a way of communicating and advocating for women and families during this time. Among these searches I discovered doula work and the midwifery model of care, and I was hooked.
In 2003 I became a Certified Doula through DONA International (yes, I actually finished with them), one of the world's first, largest and leading doula certification programs at the time. Combined with volunteer work for Operation Special Delivery (assisting deployed soldiers' partners throughout their pregnancy and childbirth), I have amassed 10+ years of gratifying doula work in the hospital, birthcenter, and homebirth environments. Within these years I also started my own family, adding a level of personal experiences to my skill set through each unique pregnancy and midwife attended waterbirth.
With three small homeschooled children and a husband deploying and traveling for his military and civilian careers, the on-call doula schedule began to feel unsustainable. My search for a compatible, equally gratifying career path led me to Avalon School of Massage, wherein I became a Licensed Massage Therapist. There, I continued to learn, grow and work with a wide range of clients. I have since focused my skills and techniques with many ceu's and most recently a 5-day intensive, specializing in Peri-natal massage.
Coming full circle, with life a little more settled again, and wanting to enhance my services for women and families once more, I achieved a lifelong dream of attending a seven day Birth Assistant workshop at The Farm Midwifery Center in Summertown, TN. It was a sacred experience that stretched far beyond the hands-on and textbook learning that occurred. Most recently, I have also completed AABC's Certified Birth Assistant Program.
Truly embracing the philosophy that education is the path to a better pregnancy, labor, and birth, I found a childbirth education program that spoke to me and completed all the studies and trainings required to become a Certified Birth Boot Camp Instructor. I am proud and excited to add this evidence-based curriculum to my services, and to encourage, teach and guide families through the pregnancy and childbirth goals they desire.
I reside in NW Houston with my husband and our 3 independent, spirited kiddos. We love road trips and camping as a family. When not working, I can often be found reading, playing board games with the fam, or at the barn riding and feeding our horses, Izzy and Oakley, and their barn mates.
Practitioner Overview (TLDR):
- Certified Doula - 10+ years of doula work in a variety of environments and situations
- Volunteer Doula Services - Operation Special Delivery
- Licensed Massage Therapist
- Participant - The Farm Midwifery Center's Birth Assistant Workshop
- Certified AABC Birth Assistant Training
- Birth Boot Camp Instructor and Doula - Certification courses
- Perinatal Massage Certification Course - Carole Osborne's Workshop Intensive
- Spinning Babies - Workshop for professionals
- Mama of Three - very different midwife attended, free standing birth center, waterbirths