A Joyful Journey Holistic Doula and Energy Healing

Our Story

About Our Doulas Cathy Smith is the owner of A Joyful Journey. She is a Certified Birth Doula through DONA, a CNA, is a Placenta Encapsulation Specialist and is currently enrolled in Stillbirthday to become a bereavement doula. She believes that a woman's body can do amazing things and we need to place more trust in women. It is her honor to serve the women in her community. Caley Kolb is a Certified Birth Doula through DONA and a Placenta Specialist through P.B.I. She believes strongly in the healing power of placenta during the postpartum days. In her spare time, she is educating herself on plant based healing for postpartum products.

Nicole Bitterman is a certified birth doula through New Beginnings. She is currently cross-certifying through another program because she is always excited to learn more from different trainers. She has been working as a doula for the last 5 years in Joliet and the surrounding areas. She has experience with hospital births, home births and the birth center in Berwyn. When she is not working as a doula she is enjoying time with her family or baking delicious treats. ​Jennifer Gloodt is a Certified Holistic Birth and Postpartum Doula through The Matrona, and a Certified INNATE Postpartum Care Provider. She has furthered her studies with The Matrona with courses in Advanced Holistic Doula studies. She is a Certified Lactation Counselor through The Healthy Children Project, and has taken courses on rebozo use in labor and additional doula education through Gena Kirby University. Jennifer has studied and practiced plant-based nutrition for many years and earned a Plant-Based Nutrition certificate with the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies. She has taught plant-based cooking classes for clients, and is currently studying herbalism and other natural methods of care. Jennifer is passionate about helping women feel nurtured, nourished, and informed through their journeys into motherhood.

Our Backup Doulas:

Sandy Voss Sandy is a DONA birth doula and is fluent in Spanish. A elementary school teacher for many years, Sandy has always had a passion for serving women. She is a mother to 3 beautiful children and donates her time to a local hospital.