Emily Rose, Birth Doula and t-LMHC

09/26/2025

08/30/2025

It’s officially been 15 years since I began my doula journey. In the last 15 years, I have supported well over 300 birthing people, and their partners in what is surely one of the most life-changing moments a person can experience. I am still, at every single birth, completely humbled and moved to be invited into and trusted with such sacred moments in a person’s life. Thank you to all the amazing, beautiful, strong women who have given me the privilege of witnessing and supporting you in your power. Photos are shared with permission. It’s always such a joy to get to attend the birth of multiple siblings in a family! 🥹

02/04/2025

Hello everyone! I’m popping on here to give an update on the last year and what is coming up next for me. I attended 24 beautiful births in 2024! Each one brought its own mix of emotion, beauty, and hard work. I will never not be inspired by a birthing person’s power and depth. In addition to doing doula work, I finished up my temporary license as a therapist and received my full license as an LMHC! My next adventure is expanding my entrepreneurship to include my own little therapy business! Besides all of the background work that it takes to own a little business, not much will change. I will still be working in my same office alongside some of the best therapists in Des Moines! I am expanding my hours this year, so I do have a few openings, both for therapy and for doula clients! Despite all the uncertainty in our world right now, I find so much hope in staying present and in connection with others. I feel so lucky that my life‘s work allows me plenty of opportunity to stay awake and attuned to the brave human spirit so consistently. If you are able or feel so led, please do share my name and information to help my little corner of human service work thrive. Prospective doula and therapy clients can now reach me at emily@emilyrosetherapy.com and my new website is www.emilyrosetherapy.com. Thank you! 🙏

12/22/2022

2022 is coming to a close, and with so much change in 2023, I can’t help but feel reflective of the last year. 43 births… 21 baby girls and 22 baby boys. So many beautiful moments. Hard moments. Hilarious moments. I am always so humbled and grateful when people invite me into the most vulnerable and sacred moments of their lives. After the birth we process and cry and wonder at the brutal beauty of it all. Just as these families have all welcomed me into the the transition into parenthood, I now begin a transition of my own. In addition to my doula services, I am also now offering counseling and therapy services at Path to Peace counseling. I have openings beginning in January. Feel free to share my information with people needing support, for counseling or doula services! The best way to reach me is through my email: emilyrose.path2peace@gmail.com Happy holidays!

09/14/2022

Sometimes birth doesn’t go at all as planned. Sometimes you think you’re going into a 6-8 hour experience and you leave 25 hours later in total shock and sheer exhaustion. I’ll share the post from the birthing person later, but it sure was incredible to sit in a room filled with so much love and hope and support with a teeny bit fear sometimes, as is the way birth usually unfolds. I got to spend good quality time with who I only get to see when we are working these days, since internship takes over my life. We laughed till tears streamed down our faces, deliriously exhausted and trying to nap on the hospital waiting room floor. “Why is it still so bright when my eyes are closed?!” We cried when surro babe and Intended Parents locked eyes for the first time. Since I was Andrea’s doula when she had her own surrogacy journey, the emotions were high. One of the longest, but most wonderful births ever. I will say this 1000 times. WHERE 👏🏽 YOU 👏🏽GIVE👏🏽BIRTH👏🏽MATTERS. Who you allow into that sacred space matters. And there is no better team than at Broadlawns. It was so nice to come home to snuggles and snacks from David. 😘 Birth story will be following once I figure out how to share it. 🙌🏼

03/23/2022

It’s World Doula Week! So proud to serve central Iowa doing what I love! If you’ve worked with a doula, show them some love. Most of us get much of our business from word of mouth advertising. Every post, picture, or comment that you tag us in, helps grow our business. Thank you! 💓

01/20/2022

has been posting about her favorite affirmations her clients have used in their birth space. It inspired me to post my most recent favorites 😂❤️

01/13/2022

I have to share this story because I can’t stop getting emotional about how much community matters. It matters so so much. I’m currently taking an intensive J-Term graduate class. I have fully prepared all of my January clients that I cannot miss much class or I will have to drop it. Dropping it would delay my graduation by an entire semester and I just cannot do that, financially or otherwise. We had many conversations about it, what we’d do and who we could lean on if they went into labor on a day that my class was in session. We held an extra “Meet the Backup Doula” Zoom call so all the January clients could meet the amazing women who commit to showing up if I need help (and I for them). and have my back and I know it. Well…it happened. Saturday I was supposed to be in class from 9am-3pm. But I got a call from my clients in the middle of the night saying they were in labor. I texted but she was on her way to a birth too so stepped up and was ready to go. I supported my clients for a few hours and then had to make the incredibly difficult decision to go to class. My professor was aware of the situation and had rearranged her lesson plans for the day so I wouldn’t miss the most important activities and discussion. Amy covered for me for a few hours and I was able to get back still several hours before baby arrived. My clients were AMAZING and so understanding. We texted a lot while I was in class and at one point Alyssa told me that Kari was worried about me leaving class to come back. 😂 Even in her hard labor she was extending grace and empathy. I was so humbled and grateful for all the women who supported me and my clients that day. My dear friend and classmate .ia spent time the following day filling me in on what I missed so I could make up the work. I could not do what I do without this support. I couldn’t be a grad student, have an on call job, and parent 5 children without my community. A situation that felt so impossibly difficult was made so much easier by the collective support I received. Thank you 🙏🏼

01/11/2022

I’ve been so honored to support several Surrogates in their birth journey. This birth happened to be with one of my dearest friends, Andrea Oleson, Photographer. As long as I’ve known Andrea, she has said she wanted to be a surrogate. Her heart is pure gold. Being in the room while the best guys became dads, witnessing the greatest act of love and sacrifice as she ushered in their sweet son…it was surreal and breathtaking. As you can imagine, while the comfort measures and birth preparation are similar, there are so many different emotions that come with surrogacy. I was blown away by my dear friend’s strength going through this pregnancy and delivery during 2020. So much unknown. So much pressure and responsibility to keep the little human she was growing safe. So many tears were shed on that day. Tears of relief, joy, sadness, fear, and absolute awe. I now have just three spots left for a spring birth! Reach out to schedule a consultation or go to my website www.yourdoulaforlife.com.

01/10/2022

How about the look on the other parent’s face in those first moments after their baby is born?! I’m not crying, you’re crying! 😭🤩 Reach out to book a free consultation. I have a few spots left this spring! Photos taken by me and shared with permission.

01/07/2022

My favorite moment of every birth…the look on the birthing person’s face when the baby is placed on their chest (ideally immediately after birth)! 😭🥰🤩💪 I have a few spring 2022 spots open, so tag your pregnant friends! All photos taken by me and shared with permission.