Full Spectrum Doula Workshop

Want to be a Doula?

Come join the latest cohort of doulas-in-training at The Lemon Grove! In this interactive 40-hour workshop, you will learn essential skills and knowledge to be an inclusive, well-rounded full spectrum doula.

The Lemon Grove Doulas value…

Everyone is welcome at the ‘Grove
The Lemon Grove Doulas believe in providing the highest quality support to our clients. This includes approaching every client and situation with an evidence-based, non-judgmental, trauma-informed lens
Approaching every client interaction with compassion, curiosity, and no preconceived biases.
Cesarean birth, vaginal birth, unmedicated, epidural, induction, IVF, infertility, surrogacy, adoption…you name it, we support it. Without judgement or bias.
The Lemon Grove deeply understands the power of a village of support. Connections with resources in the local community are essential for providing the best support to clients.
The Lemon Grove values strong communication skills and supporting each other
Essential skills for doula work. You never have the same birth, shift, or experience twice. Being flexible allows you to adapt to any situation.
Advocacy isn’t optional here. Helping our clients understand their options, amplifying their voices, and coaching them on how to best advocate for themselves, are key components of our support.

What will I learn?

This 5-day full-spectrum doula workshop will cover all the topics you need to know to get started as a well-rounded, inclusive doula. Spanning the full spectrum of doula services, you can expect to learn about fertility/infertility, ART/IVF support, abortion and miscarriage support, birth and postpartum support, and newborn care. Strong values of the TLG approach include client advocacy, non-judgmental, trauma-informed, and inclusive support, evidence-based practice, and compassion. You will also learn the basics of starting your own doula business and how to make doula work sustainable.

Topics include:

Anatomy & Physiology of Labor
Interventions & Comfort Measures
Navigating Clinical Culture, Decision-Making & Advocacy
Inductions, Cesarean Sections, Homebirths & VBACs
Planning & Preferences for Birth & Postpartum
Newborn Care, Postpartum Emotional & Physical Recovery
Supporting Special Families: Disabilities, LGBTQ+, HAES, Infertility, Loss, Abortion, & Complications
Business & Sustainability of Doula Work

Meet the Instructor

Marissa Hathaway, she/her

Doula, childbirth educator, Spinning Babies Parent Educator & photographer

IVF mom to rainbow twins

Trauma survivor

Marissa came to doula work through starting her career in global maternal health, human rights, and reproductive justice. She is dedicated to reducing maternal health inequities via intersectional collaboration and cultural humility. After studying Public Health & International Relations at Boston University, she attended the University of Haifa, in Israel, for her Masters in Public Health. Marissa has experience in rape crisis counseling, family planning/contraception counseling, & refugee health. Marissa now teaches two cohorts of Full Spectrum Doula workshops annually, with her own curriculum.

Areas of Expertise:

Supporting trauma survivors
Perinatal mental health
Supporting families after loss & infertility (Marissa personally experienced recurrent miscarriages, then conceived twins via IVF - Eloise & Waylon were born in April, 2023!)
Certified VBAC Doula (VBAC Link)
Spinning Babies
Supporting Jewish families & twin families

Why attend the full spectrum doula workshop with The Lemon Grove?

High Quality Workshop

Comprehensive 5-day, 40-hour workshop

Custom curriculum covering the Full Spectrum of doula services, not only birth and postpartum support

Strong focus on hands-on, in-person learning. You can expect to learn not only through oral presentation and visual demonstration, but also through role-playing, rich discussions, and real-time constructive feedback

All necessary materials included in your workshop fee - all wrapped up in a neat binder!

Continued Mentorship

Support is a core value here at The Lemon Grove. Support for our clients AND our doulas! If you attend a FSD workshop at The Lemon Grove, you will have access to essential mentorship and support as you embark on your journey of becoming a full spectrum doula.

*Exclusive Facebook group for workshop attendees

*Exclusive What’s App community threads

*Invitation to attend TLG Doula Team Office Hours meetings for your first year - get support from currently practicing doulas on the team, ask questions, learn, and engage!

Certification Pathway

After successful completion of your 40-hour full spectrum doula workshop with The Lemon Grove, you will be a certified full-spectrum doula! Congratulations!

Certification lasts for your lifetime and allows you to work with insurance and third party payor plans, such as Carrot, Maven, & Progyny.

The Lemon Grove strongly believes in doulas continuing to grow and evolve as doula work does, so regular continuing education is strongly encouraged. A recommended resource and reading list will also be available to workshop participants.

What People Are Saying

“After having a very difficult birth and postpartum experience with our first baby, we knew we wanted something different the next time around. That’s when we found Marissa at The Lemon Grove. She was our doula for both our second and third children, and her support truly transformed our birth experiences.

Marissa’s care and guidance helped my husband and I feel safe, empowered, and deeply supported in ways I didn’t know were possible. The difference between my first and subsequent births was night and day, and I will forever be grateful for the compassion and wisdom she brought into our family’s journey.

I was so inspired by her that I went on to complete The Lemon Grove’s full spectrum doula training myself. Because of Marissa and the agency, I feel incredibly competent, prepared, and—most importantly—seen, as a doula.

I cannot recommend The Lemon Grove enough for anyone seeking birth or postpartum support, or for those who feel called to doula work themselves. Marissa and her team are a gift.”

— Lauren

“Taking the full spectrum doula course at The Lemon Grove has been one of the most transformative experiences of my life. I walked in hoping to learn skills, but what I found was so much more, a community, a calling, and a deeper understanding of what it truly means to support someone through life’s most powerful transitions.

The space The Lemon Grove creates is gentle, grounding, and full of intention. Every lesson felt like both a learning opportunity and a moment of personal healing. I felt seen, supported, and encouraged to grow not only as a doula but as a human being. The teachings were rich, inclusive, and rooted in compassion, honoring the full spectrum of reproductive experiences with respect and love.

This course didn’t just give me knowledge, it gave me confidence, connection, and a renewed sense of purpose. I left feeling equipped, empowered, and inspired to serve my community with an open heart.
If you’ve ever felt called to this work or even just curious about it, I cannot recommend The Lemon Grove enough. It’s more than a course; it’s a journey, one that stays with you long after it ends.”

— Brooke

“I had the honor of being part of the first doula cohort trained and certified by Marissa and The Lemon Grove, LLC. From the very beginning, Marissa created a welcoming and supportive learning environment that made it easy to connect with both the material and my fellow trainees. She brought a wealth of knowledge and experience, and was always open, approachable, and intentional in the way she shared that information with us.

The training itself was thorough and thoughtfully designed, and I walked away feeling prepared to step into this work, and grounded in my values and confident in my ability to serve families with care and integrity. I was drawn to certify with The Lemon Grove because of their clear commitment to inclusivity, equity of care, and cultural awareness and sensitivity. The curriculum reflects a trauma-informed, client-centered approach, and emphasizes the importance of empathy, compassion, and advocacy in birth work. This is more than a certification program—it's a community rooted in meaningful, transformative care.”

— Natali